MEL and SYD domestic passenger numbers drop

[Melburnian1]

The decline was not large in percentage terms, but in November 2013 domestic pax numbers at both SYD and MEL across the total airline network dropped compared with the same month in 2012.

Many of us know 'one swallow....' but together with what is a slowdown in international airline passenger growth for SYD and MEL airports, is this an example of a slowing economy, uncertain consumer (lack of discretionary) spending combined with a higher propensity to save, a reaction about the $A's drop or just an aberration that does not match previous month's trends/ Economists call the latter an 'outlier' if I recall.

What the figures do not state is whether any decline in air travel is due to both reduced business and leisure travel, or only one of these.

If this continues, it hardly bodes well for our five main airlines (QF, VA, TT, JQ and ZL) as all have very high fixed costs. It might take a while to reduce flying hours or sell aircraft.

 

[casanovawa]

With the A$ dropping hopefully more foreign tourists will come...

So how does it stack up for the rest of Australia??

 

[Melburnian1]

With the A$ dropping hopefully more foreign tourists will come...

So how does it stack up for the rest of Australia??

BNE reported in early November 2013 that for the latest quarter, its domestic passenger numbers were up 0.6 per cent in the latest quarter, but that figure is dated compared with the MEL and SYD monthly updates. 0.6 per cent is anaemic growth, below the population growth rate for Australia of about 1.7 per cent annually.

I could not find any publicly available reports for PER, but the BITRE figures show it's done well in the last few years, although logic tells me it is unlikely to be growing fast domestically now due to the slowdown in the mining sector. International may be better as PER is attracting new carriers or more flights from existing airlines, a notable exception being QF International. Perth based AFF members have had a bit to say about the latter.

 

[sydstar]

International may be better as PER is attracting new carriers or more flights from existing airlines, a notable exception being QF International. Perth based AFF members have had a bit to say about the latter.

I assume you missed the part about QF now operating PER-AKL on the 330 - more flights from an existing airline!

 

[Melburnian1]

Fair point, status_seeker, but those extra flights are small fry compared with these QF reductions or cancellations between various other airports internationally and PER:

Qantas rejigs flights and times for Singapore, Hong Kong - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

 

[JohnK]

I dont know about November but I was on a BNE-SYD flight a few days ago at 6:55pm on a Friday night and there were only 100 on board. That is very yield in my experience.