The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has confirmed yet another weak month of international passenger volumes in 2021.
So much so, international passengers traveling on Asia Pacific airlines totaled just 1.5 million people. That is an astounding miniscule 4.6% of the 33 million people that flew the region’s airlines in July, 2019.
The drop in passengers occurred amid Asian governments around the region continuing to mandate lockdowns, quarantines and travel bans due to their panic over Covid-19 infections.
Lockdowns and bans that are destroying the financial future of most Asia Pacific airlines, and the employees working for them.
In a press release, AAPA director general Subhas Menon commented about the dire situation, saying
More than a year into the pandemic, strict border restrictions and quarantine measures continue to have a devastating impact on international air travel.
The director general went on to add it would be necessary for governments in the Asia Pacific region to begin to relax border restrictions in the not to distant future, and to coordinate with other governments in the region before they do so.
Otherwise, yet more Asia Pacific airlines could close permanently.
One piece of good news, however, is the demand for shipments by air has increased during the same period, with Asia Pacific airlines recording an increase of almost 27% in international air cargo demand compared to the same period last year.
As passenger numbers remain catastrophically low, this alone is helping many of the region’s airlines stay afloat.
Sixteen member airlines make up the AAPA at the moment. They are:
- Air Astana
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airlines
- Bangkok Airways
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- China Airlines
- EVA Airways
- Garuda Indonesia
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
- Malaysia Airlines
- Philippine Airlines
- Royal Brunei Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Airways International