ASIA PACIFIC. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has reported resilient international passenger demand for April, despite mounting geopolitical and economic uncertainty, and sharply higher fuel costs.
Asia Pacific carriers transported a combined 32.4 million international passengers during the month, broadly in line with April 2025 levels. In revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms, traffic rose +3.3% year-on-year, supported by stronger demand on longer-haul routes.
Available seat capacity increased by a modest +1.4%, reflecting cautious capacity deployment as airlines responded to escalating fuel prices. International passenger load factors rose 1.6 percentage points to an average 84.8%.
AAPA Director General Wong Hong said, “International passenger traffic continued to show resilience in April, supported by sustained demand on longer-haul routes.
“Overall, Asia Pacific airlines carried a combined total of 135 million international passengers during the first four months of the year, representing a +5.1% increase compared to the corresponding period last year.”
He added, “The conflict in the Middle East continues to add volatility to energy markets, keeping jet fuel prices elevated and further intensifying cost pressures for airlines.
“In April, jet fuel prices rose to an average of US$165 per barrel, reaching levels last seen in 2022 following the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war.”
Looking ahead, Hong cautioned that inflationary pressures and broader macroeconomic uncertainty are expected to weigh on passenger markets.
“Despite signs of the conflict easing, growing macroeconomic uncertainty, coupled with inflationary pressures continue to weigh on the outlook for both passenger and air cargo markets in the months ahead,” he said.
“Nevertheless, Asia Pacific airlines remain vigilant in managing costs and carefully deploying capacity to optimise yields and profitability in this challenging operating environment, without compromising safety standards.” ✈
