26 June 2009

AAPA chief challenges official response to swine flu

KUALA LUMPUR - Preliminary figures released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed that its member airlines carried a total of 10.1 million international passengers in May, 14.8 percent fewer than in the same month last year.

Andrew Herdman, AAPA director general, said the operating environment remained Ã¢â¬Åâœextremely challengingÃ¢â¬~.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœFor the first five months of the year, AAPA international passenger numbers were 10.5 percent lower than in the same period last year, but the 14.8 percent decline recorded in the month of May undermines any optimism that a recovery is already underway.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWeÃ¢â¬â¢re still seeing a deterioration in market conditions,Ã¢â¬~ he said.

Herdman added, Ã¢â¬ÅâœAnxieties over the spread of swine flu certainly arenÃ¢â¬â¢t helping.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœDespite clear advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) against the imposition of border controls or travel restrictions, we have seen a number of governments, particularly here in the Asia Pacific region, introducing such measures, in the mistaken belief that the spread of the virus can be contained.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe unfortunate result is that the travelling public is being subjected to unnecessary inconvenience.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœUncertainties over the consequences of such government initiatives are imposing a cost on society which may well exceed any public health benefit.Ã¢â¬~

AAPA airlinesÃ¢â¬â¢ international passenger traffic for May, measured in RPK terms, fell by 15 percent year-on-year.

With overall seat capacity being reduced by only 7.3 percent, the average AAPA passenger load factor tumbled six percentage points to 66.5 percent, the lowest seen so far this year.

Meanwhile, IATA released figures showing that international scheduled passenger traffic demand for May declined 9.3 percent compared to the same month in previous year.

International passenger load factors stood at 71.2 percent, down from 74.5 percent recorded in May 2008.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe may have hit bottom, but we are a long way from recovery,Ã¢â¬~ said Giovanni Bisignani, IATAÃ¢â¬â¢s director general and CEO.