KUALA LUMPUR: Asia Pacific airlines carried 117 million international passengers from January to April this year and the number is expected to continue increasing throughout the year.
Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) director general Subhas Menon said the number of international passengers carried went up by 51 per cent from the first four months of 2023 driven by the improving economic sentiment in the region.
He said the increase was also led by high demand on major routes from Asia to Europe and Southwest Pacific that resulted in the growth of long-haul travel markets and the easing of visa policies globally.
"During the same period, Asia Pacific airlines also posted an encouraging 15 per cent year-on-year increase in air cargo traffic volumes with the pick-up in global demand supporting export activity from major manufacturing hubs located in the region, in particular China," Menon said in latest AAPA's Asia Pacific airlines traffic report.
April 2024 showed a steady growth in air passenger and cargo markets.
A total of 28 million international passengers flew with the region's airlines in April, an increase of 32 per cent from the same month in 2023 while traffic averaged 87.3 per cent of 2019 volumes.
AAPA said demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) went up by 33.7 per cent year-on-year showing growth on longer haul routes while available seat capacity grew by 30.4 per cent.
The international passenger load factor stood at 81.6 per cent on average.
The higher demand for consumer and intermediate goods had resulted in the ongoing positive momentum in air cargo markets.
The association said international air cargo demand for Asia Pacific region's airlines, measured in freight tonne kilometres, recorded a 13.7 per cent year-on-year growth in April 2023 while offered freight capacity expanded by 14.4 per cent.
Subhas said positive business and consumer confidence levels would support the continued growth in air passenger and cargo markets throughout 2024.
"Nevertheless, supply chain constraints and higher operating costs remain a concern, while geopolitical tensions continue to cloud the outlook of the industry."
"Against this background, the region's carriers remain focused on improving operational efficiency and growing sustainably, while upkeeping safety standards," he added.