Compared to the same month last year, October saw a 3.9% increase in the number of international passengers carried by the region’s airlines to a combined total of 24.0 million.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Preliminary traffic figures for the month of October released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed further growth in international air passenger markets, albeit at a slower pace, and a firm increase in air cargo demand.
Compared to the same month last year, October saw a 3.9% increase in the number of international passengers carried by the region’s airlines to a combined total of 24.0 million. Measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), international passenger demand increased by 4.9%, reflecting relatively strong long haul markets. Overall, available seat capacity expanded by 5.0%, resulting in a marginal 0.1 percentage point decline in the average international passenger load factor to 77.0% for the month.
The pick-up in international air cargo demand, which began in the middle of the year, extended to the month of October with a firm 7.1% increase as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), the strongest monthly increase of the year thus far. Growth in demand significantly outpaced the 3.9% expansion in offered freight capacity, leading to a 1.9 percentage point rise in the average international freight load factor to 65.7% for the month.
Commenting on the results, Mr. Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General said, “The first ten months of the year saw an encouraging 6.1% increase in the number of international air passengers carried by Asian airlines, to a combined total of 243 million.”
Mr. Herdman added, “The relatively strong upswing in air cargo markets in October sustains the positive trend established over recent months, although overall volumes for the first ten months of the year are up by just 0.7% compared to the same period last year.”
Looking ahead, Mr. Herdman concluded, “Air passenger demand remains relatively robust, although the pace of growth has slowed, reflecting a degree of uncertainty about the global economic outlook. The upswing in air cargo markets is a welcome development, although confidence remains fragile amidst still weak global trade conditions and signs that protectionist sentiments are likely to shape the political agenda.”
TRAFFIC UPDATE – PRELIMINARY
International Scheduled Services of Asia Pacific Airlines
Effective September 2014, the dataset comprises aggregated traffic data from the following 31 Asia Pacific based carriers: 5J, 6E, 9W, AI, AK, BI, BR, CA, CI, CX, CZ, GA, JL, JQ, KA, KC, KE, MH, MU, NH, NZ, OZ, PG, PR, SG, SQ, TG, TR, QF, VA and VN.
- Previous year data adjusted for comparison purposes
- RPK = revenue passenger kilometres
- ASK = available seat kilometres
- FTK = freight tonne kilometres
- FATK = available freight tonne kilometres
- All figures, including estimates for missing data, are provisional
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