AAPA February traffic reveals solid growth
AAPA February traffic reveals solid growth — confirmed details at this stage for Phuket readers.
February 2026 traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) revealed solid growth in both passenger and cargo volumes, with Phuket and other regional hubs benefiting from increased travel demand during the Lunar New Year. The AAPA reported a 9% year-on-year rise in international passengers, reaching 33 million for the month, and highlighted robust air cargo performance despite seasonal factory closures.
Passenger and Cargo Demand Surge
Revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) climbed 8.8% in February, while available seat capacity expanded by 8%, according to the AAPA. The average international passenger load factor improved by 0.7 percentage points to 83.4%.
International air cargo demand, measured by freight tonne-kilometres (FTK), grew 8.7% year-on-year, driven by e-commerce and intermediate goods shipments. The average international freight load factor increased 0.3 percentage points to 58.2%, as demand growth outpaced the 8.3% rise in offered freight capacity.
Economic Trends and Geopolitical Risks
Combined data for January and February showed a 6.3% increase in international passengers, totaling 69 million, supported by strong travel demand across Asian economies, AAPA Director General Subhas Menon stated. Air cargo volumes rose 7.6% over the same period, reflecting positive business sentiment and rising orders for Asian-manufactured goods.
However, Menon noted that escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East at the end of February have created new operational challenges for Asian airlines. Reduced airspace availability along key Asia–Europe corridors has constrained capacity and limited network flexibility for some carriers.
Source: https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2026/04/aapa-february-traffic-revealed-solid-growth/
