Singapore Airlines Group capacity rises slightly

The Singapore Airlines Group’s (SIA) passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometres) grew on the back of a calibrated increase in passenger capacity (measured in available seat-kilometres) over the past 12 months, which saw SIA Group’s passenger capacity rise to around 28 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels by June 2021. Passenger load factor (PLF) for the month increased 3.9 percentage points year-on-year to 16.1 percent. SIA Cargo registered a monthly cargo load factor (CLF) of 87.6 percent, which was 5.1 percentage points higher year-on-year, as cargo traffic (measured in freight tonne-kilometres) rose by 52 percent on the back of a capacity expansion of 43.3 percent. Americas and West Asia and Africa route regions recorded year-on-year increases in CLF during the month. At the end of June 2021, the group’s passenger network covered 63 destinations including Singapore. The full-service network which includes both widebody and narrowbody operations, covered 491 destinations. Scoot, SIA’s low-cost carrier subsidiary, served 241 destinations as at end of June. Operations to West Asia on the low-cost segment remained suspended. The group continues with a calibrated expansion of the passenger network and is expected to reach around 33 percent of pre-Covid-19 levels passenger capacity by July 2021. In May, Singapore Airlines said its group’s passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometres) grew on the back of a calibrated increase in passenger capacity (measured in available seat-kilometres) over the past 12 months, which saw SIA Group’s passenger capacity rise to around 27 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels by May 2021. Passenger load factor (PLF) for the month increased 5.7 percentage points year-on-year to 14.3 percent. SIA said in May that it posted a net loss of S$4.27 billion (US$3.19 billion) for the financial year ended March 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on international aviation. The airline said group passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometres) shrank 97.9 percent in the financial year ended 31 March 2021 from a year before and that group revenue fell by S$12 billion or 76.1 percent year-on-year to S$3.816 billion due to the plunge in passenger flown revenue across Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot – the three passenger airlines within the group. This was partially offset by higher cargo flown revenue, which rose by S$758 million or 38.8 percent year-on-year to S$2.709 billion. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]