Airlines in the Asia-Pacific enjoyed strong international traffic growth during October, with both passenger and freight operations seeing good demand.
The month saw airlines in the region carry 31 million international passengers, up 19% from October 2023, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.
International ASKs rose 18.6% and international RPKs 19.7%. Load factors improved 0.8 percentage points to 81.2%.
“October was another strong month for Asia Pacific airlines, with a total of 303 million international passengers carried for the first ten months of the year, a 33% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year,” says AAPA director general Subhas Menon.
October was also positive for international cargo carriage for the region’s airlines. FTKs rose 10.9% and FATKs rose 10.6%. Freight load factors, however, were essentially flat, improving just 0.2 percentage points to 61.6%.
The increase in the region’s air freight capacity was largely due to more belly-hold space coming on-line.
“The outlook for travel markets remains positive, buoyed by growing demand in both leisure and business segments,” says Menon.
“However, challenges remain for carriers in meeting the demand, notably due to supply chain disruptions and delays in aircraft deliveries. On the cargo side, markets are expected to remain vibrant through the remainder of the year, despite some economic uncertainties in the advanced economies. Overall, Asian airlines remain well-positioned to adapt to evolving global conditions, and to navigate these challenges effectively.”
The AAPA’s data covers traffic from 38 key carriers in the region.
