The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has announced that Qantas Airways has joined AAPA with immediate effect. “We are very pleased and honoured to welcome Qantas Airways as a member of AAPA. Qantas, a leading Australian airline with a long heritage, would not only strengthen the association’s voice in international aviation policy discussions, but also reinforce effective regional collaboration on key aviation tenets, namely safety, sustainability and seamless air travel,” said Subhas Menon, director general of AAPA.
Cam Wallace, chief executive officer of international and freight, Qantas, said: “Qantas looks forward to working with members of AAPA as the industry embraces opportunities to meet the evolving needs of customers in a dynamic market, while at the same time confronting challenges such as climate change and supply chain disruptions. There are many areas airlines can share best practices and experiences to benefit the travelling public.”
November 2024 traffic results
Cargo markets maintained robust growth in November 2024 traffic figures released by the AAPA showed further growth in the cargo markets, on the back of robust consumer and business demand. The region’s airlines collectively carried 31.0 million international passengers in November, a 19.8% increase compared to the previous corresponding period. Underpinned by strength on long haul travel markets, demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) grew by 21.7% year-on-year. The average international passenger load factor rose by a solid 2.7 percentage points to 82.0% for the month after accounting for a 17.6% expansion in available seat capacity.
In the air cargo segment, growth in shipment volumes was driven by sustained e-commerce demand and the front-loading of export orders ahead of anticipated US tariff hikes. International air cargo demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), increased by 10.5% year-on-year, slightly outpacing a 10.0% rise in offered freight capacity. Consequently, the average international freight load factor edged up by 0.2 percentage points to 62.3% for the month.
Menon said: “Asia Pacific airlines have led growth in international travel markets this year, benefitting from strong demand for both business and leisure travel. Demand has now fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Overall, for the first eleven months of the year, the region’s carriers recorded a 31% increase in the number of international passengers carried to a combined total of 334 million.”
“Driven by increased demand going into the year-end holiday season, air cargo markets saw healthy growth in November, contributing to a strong 14% year-on-year increase for the first eleven months of the year. Persistent operational challenges in maritime shipping and anticipated US tariff hikes further bolstered demand.”
Looking ahead, he said: “Based on current trends, 2024 is anticipated to conclude on a positive note for the cargo market. However, uncertainty about the global economy and supply chain disruptions pose challenges to the region’s carriers. Asia Pacific airlines remain well-poised to navigate these challenges whilst maintaining the highest safety and service standards.”
Lion roars
In November, Lion Air Indonesia became a member of the association with immediate effect. Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Lion Air is Indonesia’s largest privately run airline and the largest budget airline in Southeast Asia. Founded in 1999, Lion Air today operates both international and domestic air services connecting different Indonesian cities to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and more.
“We are delighted to welcome Lion Air as a member of AAPA. With Lion Air’s strong presence in the budget air travel segment, this important milestone reflects the diversity of the Association’s membership and reinforces its role as the voice of international air carriers in the Asia Pacific region, regardless of business model. Sharing best practices and experiences as we do, will make the industry more resilient as well as ensure its safe, and sustainable growth”, said Menon.
Rudy Lumingkewas, president director of Lion Air, said: “Lion Air is excited to be a member of AAPA. With its excellent connectivity across Indonesia and a growing network of international destinations, Lion Air is committed to expanding accessibility to various regions in Indonesia, and to playing a key role in supporting the country’s economic and social development. Lion Air is looking forward to working with other AAPA members and playing its part in the continued success of the Asia Pacific air transport sector.”
