Asia Pacific airline traffic climbs in May
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Airlines in the Asia Pacific experienced a rise in passenger traffic in May 2011, according to the latest traffic figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). Overall, airlines in the region carried 14.8 million international passengers last month – a 3.4% rise compared to May 2010. International passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), increased 4.7% year-on-year. The region’s international capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), increased 5.1% year-on-year, leading to a slight decline in load factors which averaged 73.6% for the month.
Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General, Andrew Herdman said; “On the passenger side of the business we were pleased to see continued growth in travel demand, with both leisure and business travel markets showing positive results. Japanese outbound leisure traffic showed some welcome signs of recovery, as did business travel to and from Japan. However inbound traffic flows to Japan remain weak; it will take more time to fully restore public confidence.”
Over the first five months of the year, the region’s carriers experienced a 3.4% increase in RPK. This failed to meet the 6.1% capacity boost however, leading to a 2.5-percentage point slip in load factors, which averaged a still-healthy 77.9%.
“The combination of slower revenue growth and sharply higher fuel costs mean airline operating margins are under severe pressure. Continued vigilance in controlling costs and carefully matching capacity to the projected changes in demand will be the key to sustaining profitability,” Herdman concluded.
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