AAPA, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, has raised doubts about the sustainability of the recovery in passenger and cargo volumes during recent months as it recorded another drop in figures during October.
Noting that recovery remains ‘tentative’, AAPA said that passenger traffic during October reached 11.1 million, which was higher than the previous month but still three per cent lower than the same time last year. However, a 6.5 per cent cut in capacity saw load factors improve by 2.8 percentage points to 75.6 per cent.
“In recent months, we have seen some tentative signs of a recovery in traffic volumes, but yields have been severely depressed,” said AAPA director general Andrew Herdman. “AAPA leaders have to steer a difficult course over the next year, both tightly managing costs and closely monitoring what still appears to be a fragile economic recovery. Airlines will also need to remain sharply focused on fuel prices, environmental commitments, and other regulatory challenges.”
Cargo traffic was 2.4 per cent lower during October, and an 8.3 per cent cut in cargo capacity helped boost load factor by 4.2 percentage points to 69.1 per cent.
