Asia Pacific Airlines Struggling to Survive; AAPA Reports September 2020 Traffic

Preliminary traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) for the month of September 2020, show that both international passenger and cargo demand is at markedly depressed levels, with no sign of recovery in sight.

The 1.1 million international passengers that flew on Asia Pacific airlines in September, was just 3.6% of the 30 million that travelled in September 2019. Offered seat capacity was a little higher at 11% of last year's level, whilst the international passenger load factor was just 31.7%.

With manufacturing conditions gradually improving globally, some Asian economies continue to face weakness in exports.

International air cargo demand, as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), fell by 17.5% year-on-year in September. Offered freight capacity declined by 29.9%, leading to a 10.6 percentage point increase in the average international freight load factor, to 70.6% for the month.

"Airlines are struggling to survive as international air travel remains severely curtailed by onerous travel restrictions. Without recapitalisation or fund injections, several of the region's carriers face an existential threat. Thousands of aviation jobs are already lost, with more at risk," said AAPA Director General, Mr. Subhas Menon. "While the establishment of green lanes and travel bubbles in the region are positive steps, their disparate and restrictive requirements make it difficult for these to take off meaningfully. It is critical that governments implement consistent and coordinated measures based on objective risk assessment to help restore confidence in air travel. AAPA remains committed to working with governments and industry stakeholders to safely restart international air travel as a matter of urgency."

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