COVID-19: Singapore Airlines April traffic falls off a cliff

In addition to posting its first-ever net loss in its 48-year history, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said on Friday (15 May) that its April 2020 traffic recorded a 99.6 percent year-on-year decline measured in revenue passenger kilometres-RPKs) as travel demand was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with border controls and travel restrictions remaining in place around the world. A screenshot of the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracking site taken on 17 May. To view the live site, click on the image. (PHOTO: Matt Driskill) Overall passenger capacity (measured in available seat kilometres-ASKs) was cut by 96.3 percent in response. Passenger load factor (PLF) fell to 9.1 percent. SIA’s capacity was 95.5 percent lower compared to last year’s, with only a skeletal network in operation connecting Singapore to 14 metro cities. Passenger carriage declined 99.5 percent, resulting in a PLF of 9.3 percent. Singapore Airlines’ low-cost unit Scoot is also suffering from the global shutdown of commercial aviation. (PHOTO: SIA) The airline’s regional SilkAir unit said its passenger carriage decreased by 99.8 percent against a 99.6 percent cut in capacity. PLF declined to 34.1 percent. During the month, SilkAir ceased operations across the network except for flights to Chongqing. SIA’s low-cost unit Scoot said its passenger carriage declined 99.9 percent against a contraction in capacity of 98 percent, which led to a PLF of 5.9 percent. During the month, Scoot temporarily ceased operations to Southeast Asia, West Asia and Europe, while maintaining flights to Hong Kong and Perth. Cargo load factor (CLF) was 17.5 percentage points higher as the capacity contraction of 64.7 percent outpaced the 54.1 percent decline in cargo traffic (measured in freight tonne-kilometres). Capacity contraction would have been much greater, save for the deployment of passenger aircraft on cargo-only flights. All regions registered improvements in CLF. Download the latest issue of Asian Aviation here. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]