ASIA PACIFIC. International passenger traffic continued to improve in Asia Pacific during April, despite a week of disruptions to traffic in and out of Europe following the Icelandic volcanic eruption, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).
A total of 15.2 million international passengers were transported by airlines based in the region in April, a gain of +11.7% year-on-year.
International passenger traffic, in revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms, grew by +8.9%.
AAPA Director General Andrew Herdman said: “Notwithstanding the recent impact of disruptions to European air services, Asia Pacific carriers have recorded positive growth in both passenger and freight demand in April.
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“For the first four months of 2010, international passenger traffic for Asia Pacific carriers achieved +11% growth compared with the same period last year, reflecting the robust recovery in business and consumer confidence across the region.”
Herdman continued: “The +34% growth we have seen in international air cargo traffic for the first four months of 2010 provides further confirmation of the strength of the global economic recovery currently underway, particularly here in Asia.
“Overall, traffic demand is now back to the levels seen before the recession. The outlook for the coming months remains broadly positive, supported by Asia’s buoyant economic growth, although concerns remain over regional imbalances, as well as oil and currency volatility.”
