Preliminary May 2020 traffic figures released today by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed that the COVID-19 pandemic continued to weigh heavily on international air passenger and cargo markets, with the travel and tourism sectors crippled by widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions.
In aggregate, the region’s airlines carried only 785,000 passengers in May, a 97.5% decline compared to the same month last year.
Air cargo demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), fell by 19.0% year-on-year. With offered freight capacity decreasing by 20.1% for the month, the average international freight load factor rose just marginally, by 0.9 percentage points to 60.9%, reflecting the capacity crunch experienced in preceding months as a result of the sharp declines in belly-hold space on passenger aircraft.
Commenting on the results, Subhas Menon, AAPA Director General said: “The plunge in passenger demand in the month of May, and declines in air cargo volumes, underscore the immense challenges that airlines are facing. Overall, the region’s carriers transported more passengers and cargo compared to the previous month. But the prognosis for the industry as well as tourism and trade, remains grim.”
Menon added: “With recent consumer surveys indicating an increasingly cautious stance on air travel, the return to normalcy will likely proceed slowly, reflecting the uncertainty in the outlook, as states remain wary about lifting restrictions and continue to impose onerous conditions on travel.”
