KUALA LUMPUR, 7 August 2026: Preliminary June 2026 traffic figures released Wednesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed a softening in international passenger demand.
Weaker traffic in some regional markets reflected capacity reductions and higher airfares following the escalation in fuel prices, even as travel approached the peak mid-year season.
Overall, Asia Pacific airlines carried 30.5 million international passengers in June, representing a 1.1% decline from the same month last year. However, demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) rose by 1.1% year-on-year, underscoring continued resilience in longer-haul travel. Growth in demand outpaced a marginal 0.3% expansion in available seat capacity, resulting in a 0.7-percentage-point increase in the average international passenger load factor to 82.6% for the month.
Meanwhile, international air cargo demand remained firm in June, supported in part by robust shipments of AI-related semiconductors and hardware. For the month, demand, as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), increased by 3.2% year-on-year. In comparison, offered freight capacity edged up 0.2%, resulting in a 1.8 percentage-point increase in the average international freight load factor to 62.6%.
Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General Wong Hong said: Passenger traffic moderated in June as higher airfares and capacity adjustments in some regional markets weighed on demand. Even so, international travel has continued to hold up well, with Asia Pacific airlines carrying 192.5 million international passengers during the first half of 2026, 3.2% more than in the corresponding period last year.”
Looking ahead, Wong Hong noted: “Airlines continue to face challenging operating conditions, with persistent uncertainty surrounding the Middle East conflict contributing to fuel price volatility and continued pressure on operating costs. These headwinds, together with more moderate business confidence and heightened geopolitical and trade-policy uncertainty, may temper growth in the travel and air cargo markets in the coming months. Against this backdrop, carriers remain focused on maintaining network flexibility, exercising capacity discipline, and enhancing operational efficiency in response to evolving demand patterns.”
(Source: AAPA)
