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SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines Group (SIA) saw a 98.1 percent year-on-year decline in passenger transport in October, despite moves to open Singapore’s borders to more locations.
“Demand for air travel remained tepid as border controls and travel restrictions were maintained in most countries to curb the spread of COVID-19,” the SIA said on Monday (Nov 16) when it published its operating results for October.
Overall passenger transport was 98.1 percent lower, resulting in a passenger load factor, which measures the percentage of available seating capacity that is filled with passengers, of 15.8 percent.
This marked a decrease of 68.6 percentage points year-on-year, the SIA Group said.
The Group’s passenger capacity for October was also down 89.9% year-on-year.
READ: SIA Group passenger transport fell 98.1% in September amid ‘soft’ demand for air travel
SIA’s capacity was 87.9% lower compared to last year, with a “skeletal network up and running.”
In October, the airline added Dhaka and Johannesburg to a list of 30 cities it served in September.
SIA’s passenger transport decreased 97.8 percent, resulting in a passenger load factor of 15.6 percent.
SilkAir’s passenger transport also fell 99.2% year-on-year versus a 98.2% cut in capacity. Its passenger load factor was 33.7 percent, SIA Group said.
The airline continued to operate flights to Cebu, Chongqing, Kuala Lumpur, Medan and Phnom Penh, adding Penang to this list.
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Meanwhile, budget airline Scoot’s passenger transport declined 99.1% year-on-year versus a 95.1% capacity contraction, leading to a passenger load factor of 16.1%.
“Scoot now serves 18 destinations, restoring flights to Manila and Tianjin,” SIA Group said, adding that operations to West Asia and Europe remained suspended.
Cargo load factor was 23.7 percentage points higher year-on-year, as the 57.8% year-on-year capacity contraction outpaced the 41.7% drop in freight traffic (measured in ton-kilometers of freight ).
All route regions saw year-on-year increases in cargo load factor in October, the SIA Group said.
Despite the results, the SIA Group said there were “positive developments” in October.
This included the announcement of the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble, which is scheduled to begin on November 22.
“Singapore also continued to add additional destination cities from which passengers can travel, via Singapore, to other destinations,” said SIA Group.
“These positive developments have continued to support the SIA Group of airlines’ ongoing recovery from COVID-19.”
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