Leisure travel boosts passenger numbers in Asia Pacific
Strong demand for leisure travel in Asia Pacific has helped boost the number of international air passengers carried in the region in May.
Asia Pacific airlines recorded an 11.8% increase in passenger numbers to an aggregate total of 22.9 million.
Traffic, in revenue passenger kilometre terms, grew by 9.6%, outpacing the 6.7% expansion in available seat capacity and pushing up average international passenger load factor by 2.1 percentage points to 76.3%.
The figures, released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), also showed growth in air cargo markets.
AAPA director general Andrew Herdman said: "International air passenger markets remained buoyant in May, led by firm demand in major North Asian markets.
"Taken together, the first five months of the year saw Asian airlines post a healthy 9.9% increase in the number of international passengers carried to a combined total of 113.6 million."
Looking ahead, he said air passenger markets are expected to maintain ‘robust’ growth rates, with ‘competitive fares making air travel very affordable’.
"The demand environment for air cargo markets also remains positive, although the pace of expansion appears to be moderating," he said.
"Asian carriers are continuing to strive for further operating efficiencies with an eye on improving overall profitability this year after some disappointing results in 2014."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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