Following a rise in passenger demand and relaxed travel constraints across the domestic and international markets, All Nippon Airways (ANA) has returned to profitability for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANA recorded a nett profit of 1 billion yen (US$7.5 million) in the first quarter of 2022, an increase from the previous quarter’s nett loss of 51.1 billion yen (US$387 million). Due to the “continuing global pandemic impact,” the airline reported an operating loss of 1.3 billion yen (US$9.9 million). In the first quarter of 2021, the operational loss was 64.4 billion yen (US$488 million).

“We are happy with the first-quarter results, which include improved passenger demand for domestic and international travel, as well as revenue growth across the board,” said Kimihiro Nakahori, Executive Vice President and Group Chief Financial Officer of ANA.

The airline also stated that domestic passenger traffic had more than doubled, culminating in a quarterly high, the first since the start of the global epidemic. ANA carried 6.5 million passengers in the first quarter of 2022.

In the meantime, the international passenger load factor increased to 70.7 percent, approaching pre-pandemic levels. This was made feasible by increased demand as a result of relaxed entrance restrictions in several nations.

“With no State of Emergency or quasi-emergency measures in effect for the first time in three years, leisure demand slowly recovered, while business travel progressively increased,” the airline said in a statement.