Japan Airlines' air passenger traffic dives in March
Passenger traffic at Japan Airlines (JAL) fell in March against flight reductions amid the Covid-19 pandemic, latest figures from the company show.
JAL carried 1.526mn passengers in March, 51pc less than in February and 60.5pc less than in March 2019. This included 207,320 international passengers, 62.6pc less than in February and 73.8pc less than a year earlier. JAL carried 1.32mn domestic passengers in March, 48.6pc less than in February and 57.1pc less than a year earlier.
The airline handled 64,175t of international and domestic air cargo and mail in March, 3.42pc higher than in February but 10pc less than a year earlier.
Latest estimates from the International Air Transport Association (Iata) in mid-April showed that Asia-Pacific airlines will see a 50pc year-on-year fall in passenger demand in 2020. The estimates were based on a scenario of severe travel restrictions lasting for three months, gradually lifted in domestic markets, followed by regional and intercontinental ones. Iata also predicted a 50pc year-on-year fall in passenger demand for Japan, which amounts to a loss of 93.86mn passengers.
Japan produced about 875,097 kilolitres (177,557 b/d) of jet fuel in March, 15.4pc less than in February and 29.8pc less than in March 2019, according to data from the Petroleum Association of Japan.
JAL on 28 April announced further reductions of 6,468 domestic flights from 1-17 May. It is also operating cargo-only flights using passenger aircraft on select routes within Japan.
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