Preliminary traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) for the month of February 2016 show continued growth in international air passenger demand in Asia Pacific. The month saw the region’s airlines carry 23.7 million international passengers, an 8.2 per cent increase compared to February 2015. The growth in leisure travel volumes associated with the Lunar New Year festive period as well as strong long haul passenger demand, translated to a 9.5 per cent surge in traffic in revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) terms. Capacity expansion matched demand growth, with load factors for the month marginally lower at 78.2 per cent.
“The solid growth trend in passenger volumes seen throughout last year has been maintained, with Asian carriers reporting 9.3 per cent growth in the number of international passengers carried in the first two months of 2016. The region’s carriers remain positive on the outlook for further growth in travel demand in the coming year, but are continuing to focus on disciplined cost management efforts, including the effects of low oil prices and currency volatility in an intensely competitive market place,” said Andrew Herdman, director general, AAPA.
