BITRE releases insights into international activity for FY2016-17

22 November, 2017

Australia's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) has released insights into Australia's international airline activity for the financial year 2016-17. This includes traffic and passenger results, capacity information and freight.


Summary:

  • 62 international scheduled airlines operated services to/from Australia during FY2016-17;
  • International scheduled passenger traffic increased by 6.7% year-on-year to 38.66 million;
  • Qantas Airways had the largest share of the market with 15.9%.

A total of 62 international scheduled airlines operated services to/from Australia during FY2016-17. This includes five dedicated freight airlines but excludes those operating via code share arrangements.

International scheduled passenger traffic in FY2016-17 was 38.66 million compared to 36.23 million in FY2015-16, an increase of 6.7% year-on-year. From FY2006-07 to FY2016-17, each year has recorded an increase in traffic compared to the previous year.

Source: BITRE

Each month in FY2016-17. Recorded an increase compared to the same month in the previous year. Mar-2011 was the last time that monthly passenger traffic recorded a decrease.

Source: BITRE

In FY2016-17, Qantas Airways had the largest share of the market with 15.9%, followed by Jetstar with 9.2%, Emirates with 8.5%, Singapore Airlines with 8.1% and Air New Zealand with 6.6%.

Source: BITRE

Qantas Airways' share has decreased by 12.4 percentage points, compared to FY2006-07. Jetstar's share has increased by 6.1 percentage points (commenced international operations in December 2005), Emirates' share has increased by 1.5 percentage points, Singapore Airlines' share has decreased by 3.3 percentage points and Air New Zealand's share has decreased by 2.5 percentage points. The decrease in share for the Qantas group (Qantas Airways, Jetstar and Jetstar Asia in 2016-17 compared to Qantas and Jetstar in 2006-07) was 5.7 percentage points.

The share of passenger traffic accounted for by Australian designated airlines increased from 32.6% in FY2006-07 to 32.8% in FY2011-12, only to decrease to 31.5% in FY2016-17.

Capacity, or available seats, on international scheduled operations in FY2016-17 totalled 50.60 million, an increase of 7.8% compared to FY2015-16. Overall load factor decreased from 79.7% in FY2015-16 to 79.3% in FY2016-17.

Low Cost Carriers accounted for 17.7% of total international passenger traffic. These airlines included AirAsia X, Cebu Pacific Air, Indonesia AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia Extra, Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, Scoot and Tigerair Australia. This is an increase of 0.7% year-on-year.

International scheduled air freight traffic increased by 4.8% year-on-year to 1,044,806 tonnes. Inbound freight increased by 8.3 to 531,823 tonnes. Outbound freight increased by 1.4% to 512,982 tonnes. Scheduled dedicated freighter operations accounted for 20.1% of scheduled inbound air freight to Australia, 14.4% of scheduled outbound air freight from Australia and 17.3% of total scheduled air freight.