The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) released its traffic figures report for the month of June.

Preliminary traffic figures showed robust growth in international air passenger markets, fuelled by healthy demand for air travel approaching the peak summer holiday season. 

Overall, Asia Pacific airlines recorded a 21.0 percent year-on-year increase in the number of international passengers carried to a combined total of 28.9 million in June, with traffic volumes averaging 90.2 percent of the corresponding month in 2019. 

Correspondingly, demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) grew by 23.8 percent year-on-year, almost matching the 24.0 percent expansion in available seat capacity. As a result, the international passenger load factor edged 0.2 percentage points lower to average 82.2 percent in June.

AAPA director-general Subhas Menon said of this latest report: “Asian airlines are seeing robust traffic growth, in tandem with expansion in global economic activity and improvements to connectivity within the region and globally. In summary, during the first half of the year, the region’s airlines carried a combined total of 173 million international passengers, a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year.”

Greater air cargo demand

Meanwhile, international air cargo demand as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK) increased by an encouraging 16.4 percent year-on-year in June.

Rising e-commerce appetite and security concerns in the Red Sea spurred demand for air freight shipments. 

After accounting for a 12.6 percent growth in offered freight capacity, the average international freight load factor climbed 2.0 percentage points higher to average 62.8 percent for the month.