Malaysia: Preliminary traffic results for full CY-2020 released on Friday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) underlined collapse of international airline operations as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.

The 69 million passengers carried by Asia Pacific airlines in 2020 represented only 18 pc of volumes recorded in 2019, an extent of decline in one year not seen in the region’s history of commercial aviation.

Offered seat capacity was similarly just 19 pc of the levels recorded in 2019 while international passenger load factor averaged a lowly 61 pc.  Asia Pacific airlines account for over a third of global air cargo traffic with strong networks and logistics expertise built up over the years.

During global pandemic, the region’s carriers played a vital role in transporting medical supplies including vaccines, personal protective equipment and other essential goods even though capacity was severely restricted as a result of wide-scale grounding of passenger aircraft. As global economic activity rebounded in the latter half of the year, increase in export orders grew with rising demand for the speedy delivery of merchandise by air.

In December 2020, air cargo demand improved further in freight tonne-kilometers, recording a single-digit year-on-year decline of 6.4 pc. For the calendar year, international air cargo demand fell by 15.5 pc while offered freight capacity plunged by 24.4 pc.

The average international freight load factor rose significantly by 7 percentage points to 66.4 pc in 2020 with cargo yields offering a welcome boost to operating revenue, although airlines continued to face an existential crisis with commercial passenger operations remaining at a standstill.

China to donate 3 lakh Covid jabs to Sri Lanka after India's gift to the nation

Vietnam accounts 9 more COVID-19 infections as outburst reaches Hanoi

Fans or No Fans? Tokyo Olympic Organizers Still Mum