AAPA pax numbers up 10.6% in Mar-2012, cargo traffic down 4.5%. Airline margins remain pressured

Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) reports (25-Apr-2012) the following international traffic highlights for its member airlines:

• Mar-2012:
  • Passenger numbers: 17.2 million, +10.6% year-on-year;
  • Passenger load factor: 76.8%, +2.7 ppts;
  • Cargo traffic (FTKs): -4.5%;
  • Cargo load factor: 69.3%, -0.2 ppt;
• Three months ended Mar-2012:
  • Passenger numbers: 50.2 million, +7.6%;
  • Passenger load factor: 76.9%, +0.7 ppt;
  • Cargo traffic (FTKs): -4.1%;
  • Cargo load factor: 65.3%, -1.5 ppts. [more - original PR]

AAPA: "The global macro-economic outlook is still overshadowed by the potentially dampening effects of stubbornly high oil prices, and poor growth prospects in Europe, but Asian economies are still delivering robust growth. Nevertheless, airline margins remain under pressure from high fuel costs, focusing attention on further efforts to tightly control costs and carefully match capacity to market demand," Andrew Herdman, director general. Source: Company statement, 25-Apr-2012.