Asia Pacific Airlines Traffic Results for May 2014

Preliminary traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) for the month of May 2014 show healthy growth in demand for both international passenger and air freight markets.

The number of international passengers carried by the region's airlines in May 2014 increased by a solid 6.9% to an aggregate total of 20.3 million, underpinned by growth in consumer spending and further improvement in the global business environment. Demand in revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms rose by 6.0%, on the back of robust regional travel markets, while the average international passenger load factor of 74.0% for the month was 0.5 percentage points lower than the same month last year, after accounting for a 6.7% expansion in available seat capacity.

International air cargo demand in freight tonne kilometres increased by 4.7% in May, with export shipments by air to the US and Europe having gained momentum. Offered freight capacity registered a 4.0% increase. As a result, the average international freight load factor edged 0.5 percentage points higher to 64.9% in May compared to the same month last year.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General said, "During the first five months of the year, Asia Pacific airlines carried a combined total of 103 million international passengers representing 5.5% growth, whilst air cargo demand grew by 4.4% in the same period. The growth in demand seen in both the passenger and air freight markets reflects generally positive economic sentiment in global markets ... Nevertheless, pricing remains very competitive across all segments of the industry, and the recent jump in oil prices above the US$110 mark is another cause for concern. Asian carriers continue to carefully manage capacity in line with demand growth, keeping a tight rein on costs to maintain profitability."