Original title: The operating data of many listed airlines in January has increased significantly, and the performance of international routes is particularly bright.
Reporter Li Wanchenxi.
On February 20, listed airlines such as Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and HNA Holdings successively disclosed their monthly operations in January 2024.
Yuan Shuai, deputy secretary-general of the Zhongguancun Internet of Things Industry Alliance and executive director of the high-quality development promotion project of specialized and special new enterprises, said in an interview with the reporter that the operating data of many airlines in January showed an obvious recovery and growth trend. Whether it is capacity investment, passenger turnover or passenger load factor, there have been significant improvements month-on-month and year-on-year, among which the performance of international routes is particularly bright.
This shows that the traffic of the civil aviation industry will continue to recover in 2024 and is expected to continue to maintain a steady recovery and growth trend. At the same time, with the gradual recovery of international routes and the increase in market capacity investment in neighboring countries, the overall scale of the industry will be further expanded. Yuan Shuai said.
Operational key metrics have improved dramatically
In terms of capacity, in January, Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and HNA Holdings invested 285 passenger capacity (in terms of available seat kilometres) respectively3.3 billion kilometers, 3034.6 billion km, 2487.7 billion km and 1198.2 billion kilometers, up year-on-year95% and 3241%。
In terms of passenger turnover, Air China's passenger turnover increased by 69% year-on-year in January1%, up 121%；China Eastern's passenger turnover, measured in passenger kilometers, increased by 87. year-on-year97%；According to the announcement of China Southern Airlines, the passenger turnover of the company and its subsidiaries increased by 56% year-on-year47%。
According to the announcement of HNA Holdings, in January, the revenue of the company and its subsidiaries increased by 32% month-on-month29%, up 3081%；Passenger traffic rose 31 percent month-on-month88%, up 2279%；Passenger capacity input (measured in available passenger kilometres) increased by 2533%, up 3241%。
In terms of load factor, Air China's average load factor was 77 in January6%, up 7. year-on-year3 percentage points, up 22 percentage points; China Eastern Airlines has a load factor of 7742%, up 9 percent year-on-year07 percentage points; China Southern Airlines has a load factor of 8101%, up 833 percentage points; HNA Holdings' load factor was 7855%, up 413 percentage points.
In terms of private listed airlines, in January, the overall operation of Spring Airlines has caught up with the same period in 2019, among which the passenger capacity, passenger turnover and passenger capacity of domestic routes increased year-on-year respectively47%, an increase from the same period in 201979% and a load factor of 9157%。Judging from the main operating data released by Juneyao Airlines in January, during the period, the passenger turnover increased by 55% year-on-year6%, an increase of 3453%；Passenger capacity 223730,000 person-times, an increase of 49 year-on-year58%, an increase of 27 from the same period in 201955%；The load factor was 8351%, up 939 percentage points, an increase of 1 from the same period in 201911 percentage points.
The Spring Festival that started on January 26 also brought traffic revenue to airlines. Many airlines increased domestic capacity in January, encrypting routes such as ice, snow and warm winters. For example, China Eastern Airlines opened Beijing Daxing-Changbaishan in the domestic market in January; Encrypt Shanghai Hongqiao-Haikou, Shanghai Hongqiao-Nanning and other routes.
According to the data of Feichang Quasi, in January, the average daily flight volume of China's domestic routes was about 12,835, an increase of 11 month-on-month17%。The average daily flight volume increased by 20 percent year-on-year88%, an increase of 9 from the same period in 201968%。
International routes and capacity have increased significantly
Han Tao, an expert from the civil aviation think tank, said in an interview with the ** reporter that due to multiple factors such as the significant increase in demand for visiting relatives and friends abroad or returning to China and the introduction of visa-free policies in some countries, the growth data of international passenger capacity investment and international flight encryption of major airlines in January was eye-catching.
In January, Air China's international passenger capacity investment increased by 844 year-on-year9%, up 40%, and the passenger turnover increased by 1093 year-on-year3%, up 100%, and international routes increased by 15 year-on-year4 percentage points, up 4 percentage points from the previous month0 percentage points; China Southern Airlines' investment in international passenger capacity and international passenger turnover increased year-on-year respectively42%；China Eastern's passenger capacity investment on international routes (measured in available seat kilometres) increased by 891 year-on-year74%, and the passenger turnover of international routes increased by 994 year-on-year99%；Juneyao Airlines' international passenger capacity, passenger turnover, and passenger capacity increased year-on-year respectively16%；Spring Airlines' international routes saw year-on-year growth in passenger capacity, passenger turnover and passenger capacity, respectively06%, recovering to % of the same period in 2019, with a load factor of 8662%。
Many airlines added and resumed flights and encrypted a number of routes in January. China Eastern Airlines has launched new international routes such as Sanya-Shanghai Pudong-London Heathrow, Beijing Daxing-Kuala Lumpur, etc.; From January 21, HNA Holdings has added a new route between Shenzhen and Cairo (three flights per week). Juneyao Airlines has added new routes from Haikou to Shanghai Pudong to Osaka, Shanghai Pudong to Bali, and Shanghai Pudong to Asahikawa. Spring Airlines has added new routes between Shanghai Pudong and Okinawa, Shenzhen and Yangzhou and Shenzhen and Mianyang, and added one A321neo aircraft.
Yuan Shuai said that the increase in international flight capacity and airlines' international routes in the New Year will have a positive impact on the recovery of airlines' performance in 2024.
First, by adding international flights and routes, airlines can expand their market share and increase revenue**. Second, as international travel resumes, the increase in passenger numbers and turnover will lead to an increase in airline profitability. The increase in international flight capacity and airlines' international routes will provide strong support for the recovery of airlines' performance. Yuan Shuai said.
Zhan Fen, an associate researcher at the China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology, believes that the resumption of international routes is conducive to improving the utilization rate of wide-body aircraft, improving the economic operation capacity of aircraft, helping enterprises reduce losses, and stabilizing employees. "At present, it is a critical period to seize the resources of international routes, and it is also a window period to recover the market, and the recovery of international routes is conducive to the recovery and expansion of route networks by airlines and the improvement of international competitiveness. Zhan Fen said.
Zhu Keli, executive director of the China Information Association, said in an interview with the first reporter that with the recovery of market demand, the aviation industry is gradually coming out of the trough and showing a strong recovery momentum.
For future market changes, major airlines are also actively preparing to seize the opportunity of industry recovery.
HNA Holdings told reporters that the expansion of the company's route network, the improvement of service quality and the rapid response to market demand will bring more passenger flow and income to the company, and provide strong support for the company's long-term development and performance growth.
Spring Airlines insiders said that the company's medium and long-term international routes are still dominated by Southeast Asia and Northeast Asian markets, and they are still in the process of recovery. In 2024, with the introduction of a series of entry and exit facilitation policies and measures, the recovery of the international passenger transport market will be accelerated.