SINGAPORE: The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) is calling for industry players especially governments and fuel suppliers to step up efforts on sustainability and ensure that the aviation sector will achieve its net zero carbon emissions goal by 2050.
AAPA director general Subhas Menon said achieving sustainability goals is important to the future success of international air transport industry and its continuing role as an agent for social and economic development.
"Sustainability will be the core focus of discussions amongst airline leaders gathering at the 67th assembly of presidents of the AAPA in Singapore this week," he said at a media roundtable here today.
The AAPA assembly will also commend the airline industry's return to growth and profitability.
AAPA member airlines continue to see strong air travel recovery despite a dampened global economic climate due to inflation and aggressive monetary policies.
In September 2023, the number of international air passengers in Asia Pacific reached 79 per cent of 2019 levels, behind other regions given that borders in Asia were fully re-opened six to 12 months after the rest of the region.
"Demand is robust with international air passenger traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) growing by 171 per cent in the first nine months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022," Subhas said.
Seat capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), rose130 per cent in the first nine months of 2023 due to supply chain constraints affecting the timely delivery of new aircraft and essential spares for maintenance.
Load factors have recovered to pre-pandemic levels and airfares remain high on the back of strong demand for air services in the region.
Subhas said air cargo had shrunk by six per cent in the nine months to September 2023 compared to 2022 due to the shift of services and the re-opening of sea lanes for maritime trade.
"In spite of this, air cargo demand in the region is expected to improve as the global economy stabilises, manufacturing output strengthens and inventories accumulated during past years are drawn down."
"Cargo is a bellwether for the global economy while passenger demand reflects consumer spending habits which have shifted to services and tourism-related sectors instead of manufacturing," Subhas said.
He added that the robust growth of air travel demand will keep the industry on track to full recovery.