SIA passenger load factor improves to 82.2% in March

It improved for all regions except Europe, where demand is low and competition is high.

Singapore Airlines's (SIA) passenger load factor (PLF) grew 2.1ppt to 82.2%. According to its operating results, passenger carriage increased 4.1% compared to last year, against a 1.4% increase in capacity.

"PLF improved for all route regions, except Europe which saw a marginal decline as capacity growth outstripped demand. The operating landscape remains challenging with efforts to balance yields against current market competitive pressures," the airlines added.

The airline's group PLF improved 3.2ppt to 82.9%. Passenger carriage increased 8.4% compared to last year, outpacing capacity injection of 4.2%.

Overall cargo load factor (CLF) was 2.8ppt lower, with cargo traffic (measured in freight-tonne-kilometres) declining 0.8% against capacity growth of 3.5%. "CLF declined across all route regions as demand did not keep pace with capacity changes," SIA said.

SIA added that it took delivery of the world's first Boeing 787-10. Osaka and Perth will be the first scheduled destinations to be served by the new aircraft from May 2018.

Meanwhile, SilkAir’s systemwide passenger carriage increased by 23.7%, ahead of capacity growth of 17.5%. Consequently, PLF increased 3.6ppt to 72.8%. "Strong growth in demand exceeded capacity injections across North Asia and West Asia," SIA said.

Scoot recorded passenger carriage growth of 20.9%, exceeding capacity expansion of 10.8%. Consequently, PLF rose by 7.5ppt to 89.2%. "PLF on all route regions improved as demand outpaced changes in capacity. Selected routes to India, South East Asia, China, Australia, and fifth freedom routes to North Asia and America continued to improve," the airlines concluded.

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