ASIA PACIFIC. Preliminary figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show that its member airlines carried a total of 9.9 million international passengers in June, -16.5% fewer than in the same month last year.
Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General Andrew Herdman said: “Overall, for the first half of 2009, AAPA international passenger numbers were down by -11.5% compared to the same period last year.
“The trading environment for Asia Pacific airlines remains extremely challenging, with further recent declines in passenger demand reflecting ongoing economic weakness as well as public anxieties over government initiatives related to the widening swine flu [H1NI -Ed] pandemic. As a result, we still haven’t seen a floor in terms of overall passenger demand.”
He added: “Airlines have been responding to the sharp falls in demand by progressively reducing capacity, although not quickly enough to prevent falls in average load factors. Efforts to stimulate demand through highly competitive fares and discounted travel packages are having some effect, but lower yields are further undermining revenues.
“A number of carriers have taken steps to strengthen their balance sheets through a variety of new financing initiatives, in order to ride out the prolonged economic storm.”
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*ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION OF ASIA PACIFIC AIRLINES
The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines is the trade association of major scheduled international airlines based in the Asia Pacific region, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Collectively the 17 AAPA member airlines carry 290 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo representing about one-fifth of global passenger traffic and one-third of global air cargo traffic respectively.
Its members are Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, Dragonair, Eva Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Vietnam Airlines.
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MORE COVERAGE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ASIA PACIFIC AIRLINES
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