ANA, CAL recovering, Indian traffic 30% above pre-crisis levels. Air NZ to buy into Virgin Blue?
India's airlines handled over 4.5 million passengers last month - a 21.9% increase year-on-year. Indian aviation, which entered negative territory earlier than others in Asia and the rest of the world, has also recovered more quickly. Volumes are now some 30% over mid-2008 levels and 26% above mid-2007.
India's Ministry of Civil Aviation yesterday reported the following Indian domestic traffic highlights in Jun-2010:
- Passenger numbers: 4.5 million, +21.9% year-on-year;
- Air India: 760,000, +17.8%;
- Jet Airways: 840,000, +37.3%;
- JetLite: 351,000, +29.5%;
- Kingfisher: 944,000, +4.8%;
- SpiceJet: 598,000, +26.2%;
- Paramount: 13,000, -82.2%;
- GoAir: 261,000, +29.9%;
- IndiGo: 737,000, +46.2%;
- Seat factor:
- Air India: 72.3%;
- Jet Airways: 80.5%;
- JetLite: 83.6%;
- Kingfisher: 85.1%;
- SpiceJet: 88.5%;
- Paramount: 86.8%;
- GoAir: 84%;
- IndiGo: 90.7%.
See the CAPA Country Profile on Indian Aviation
ANA, CAL and SIA report June traffic
China Airlines' passenger traffic rose 17.6% year-on-year in Jun-2010 and yields also retraced some of the significant lost ground last year:
- Passenger traffic (RPKs): +17.6% year-on-year;
- Passenger load factor: 83.3%, +10.6 ppts;
- Passenger yield*: USD7.37 cents, +34.4%;
- Cargo traffic (FTKs): +47.6%;
- Cargo yield: USD28.36 cents, +71.4%.
ANA Group's international passenger numbers meanwhile rose by a third last month, with load factors also improving:
- Passenger numbers:
- Domestic: 3.2 million, +7.1% year-on-year;
- International: 413,029, +33.3%;
- Passenger load factor:
- Domestic: 62%, +6.6 ppts;
- International: 80.9%, +13.7 ppts.
Singapore Airlines also reported its Jun-2010 traffic highlights, showing a considerable improvement on last year, but a wide gap to pre-crisis activity levels in 2008. See related report: Singapore Airlines' contraction strategy as load factors and yields dominate
Air NZ to buy into Virgin Blue?
The Age newspaper reports that Air New Zealand is considering acquiring a cornerstone 15% stake in Virgin Blue to seal its alliance with the Australian airline. If correct, the move would represent Air New Zealand's second foray into the Australian market, after its disastrous acquisition of Ansett Australia.
In share trading yesterday, China Airlines rose 2.5%, followed by Jet Airways (+1.9%) and Thai Airways (+1.6%). SIA and Virgin Blue were flat, while ANA eased 0.3% and Air New Zealand fell 1%.
Asia Pacific selected airlines daily share price movements (% change): 15-Jul-2010