Positive sentiment boosts int’l travel, trade

Airlines in Asia Pacific saw solid gains in international passenger trips and cargo in May, according to the region’s flagship association.

In a statement, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines said the growth in May 2017 reflected “positive business and consumer sentiment across advanced and emerging market economies.”

Specifically, the association said the region’s airlines carried a total of 25.2 million international passengers, up 5.4 percent.

Measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), demand grew by 9.4 percent, which showed strong demand in long haul travel markets.

Moreover, the association said international load factor was up 2.2 percentage points to 77.4 percent. This came after capacity expanded by 6.4 percent. Load factor measures the utility of flights relative to the number of seats available.

“During the first five months of the year, the number of international passengers carried by Asia Pacific airlines increased by 5.8 percent to an aggregate total of 129 million. The same period saw a strong 10.5-percent increase in international air cargo demand,” Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General, said in the statement.

The association also noted that trade activity remained robust through May.

It said Asian carriers saw international air cargo demand, as measured in freight ton kilometers (FTK), registering a solid 12.2-percent increase compared to the same period last year.

“The outlook for both air passenger and air cargo markets remains positive, supported by broad-based expansion across sectors,” Herdman said.