May 01, 2026
Asia Pacific Airlines saw resilient growth in passenger and cargo traffic in March
Preliminary March 2026 traffic figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed robust growth in international passenger traffic, reflecting healthy travel appetite. Asian carriers also benefited from an upsurge in demand on Asia-Europe routes, as travellers shifted to alternative routings following airspace closures and operational disruptions at Middle East hubs.
For the month, a combined total of 33.9 million passengers flew on the region's carriers, representing an 8.5% year-on-year increase.
Supply chains were also disrupted by the war, resulting in cargo flight cancellations and the subsequent rerouting of Asia - Europe cargo flows away from key Middle East hubs. Against this backdrop, international air cargo demand, as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), rose by 2.5% year-on-year in March, supported by an increased demand for timely shipments. Offered freight capacity rose by 3.8%, resulting in a 0.7 percentage point decline in the average international freight load factor to 62.3%.
Commenting on the results, Mr. Wong Hong, AAPA Director General, said, "The aviation industry faced multiple challenges in March, as military conflict in the Middle East led to flight cancellations and a sharp increase in jet fuel prices. Asia Pacific airlines responded swiftly by making network adjustments, including adding flights on key Asia - Europe routes, and trimming unprofitable routes in the face of higher fuel and operating costs. This supported both passenger and cargo demand during the month, bringing first quarter growth to 6.2%, with 102 million international passengers carried, and a 5.7% increase in air cargo demand."
Source: AAPA