Wednesday, August 28, 2024 Asia Pacific airlines saw a 22.6% rise in international passengers in July 2024, driven by relaxed visa policies and strong e-commerce air cargo demand. Today’s release of the July 2024 traffic statistics by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines highlights a robust expansion in international air travel.
Efforts to boost tourism in the region are paying off, evidenced by eased visa regulations contributing to a significant uptick in leisure travel during the prime summer vacation period. In July, Asian carriers transported 31.9 million international passengers, marking a 22.
6% increase compared to last year. This surge brought passenger numbers to 95.5% of those recorded in July 2019.
The growth in available seat capacity, which rose by 21.2%, slightly exceeded the 20.5% increase in demand, as measured by revenue passenger kilometers (RPK).
Consequently, the average load factor for international passengers dipped slightly by 0.6 percentage points to 82.6%.
The air cargo sector also saw gains, driven by strong e-commerce activity and persistent challenges in sea freight. The demand for international air cargo, measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTK), climbed 12.3% year-on-year in July.
With cargo capacity up by 11.0%, the average load factor for international freight improved by 0.7 percentage points, reaching 61.
1% during the month. Commenting on the results, Mr. Subhas Menon, AAPA Director General said , “The strong demand trend observed in the first half of the year carried into July, with Asian airlines reporting growth in both international passenger and cargo markets.
Overall, during the first seven months of the year, the number of international passengers carried grew by a solid 39% to 208 million, supported by network expansions. Correspondingly, international air cargo demand rose by 15.6% year-on-year, in contrast to the depressed levels seen in the same period last year.
” Looking ahead, Mr. Menon said , “Despite ongoing supply chain disruptions, the outlook for travel markets remains positive, as Asia Pacific airlines continue to benefit from resilient business and leisure demand. In particular, China-based airlines are experiencing solid growth in passenger demand as traffic in China recovers, driving overall expansion.
” Mr. Menon added , “In response to passenger demand in a dynamic marketplace, Asian airlines are pursuing new revenue opportunities by launching innovative products and services. At the same time, the region’s carriers continue to be focused on improving operational efficiency and intensifying sustainability initiatives, while maintaining profitability.
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