Asia Pacific Airlines Carried 30.7 Million Int. Passengers in October 2019

Preliminary traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) for the month of October 2019 show that international air passenger demand continued to grow at a moderate pace, demonstrating resilience in the face of the ongoing easing in global economy activity.

A combined 30.7 million international passengers were carried by the region's airlines in October, 3.1% more than the same month last year. Demand in revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms climbed 3.5% higher, reflecting the relative strength of long haul markets. After accounting for a 2.2% expansion in available seat capacity, the average international passenger load factor rose by 1 percentage point to reach 79.8% for the month.

Weakness in air cargo markets persisted in October, as the slowdown in overall demand for exports continued to weigh on international trade flows.

International air cargo demand in freight tonne kilometre terms (FTK) declined by 5.9% year-on-year, whereas offered freight capacity increased by a marginal 0.1%. As a result, the average international freight load factor fell, by 3.9 percentage points to 61.9% for the month.

"The first ten months of the year saw Asian airlines carry 312 million international passengers, a 4.3% increase compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, air cargo volumes fell by 5.6%, with trade tensions and geopolitical risks dampening business sentiment and export orders," said Mr. Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General. "Against a backdrop of a slowing global economy and intense competition, Asian airlines face continued pressure on margins. Nevertheless, the region's carriers remain pro-active in identifying measures to control costs in order to maintain overall profitability, and are adjusting their route networks to better match demand."

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