Qantas share of Australia's international air traffic falls

Figures released this week by the Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics show that while total international air traffic is growing, the Qantas Group's share is falling.

The main points of the report include:

* Fifty-five international scheduled airlines operated services to/from Australia during last financial year (including five dedicated freight airlines, but excluding airlines operating only via codeshare arrangements).

* International scheduled passenger traffic in 2010-11 was 27.5 million compared to 25.6 million in 2009-10 – an increase of 7.5 per cent.

* Qantas had the largest share of the market with 18.7 per cent, followed by Singapore Airlines with 9.1 per cent, Air New Zealand with 8.3 per cent, Jetstar with eight per cent and Emirates with 7.9 per cent.

* Compared to 2000-01, Qantas’ share has decreased by 15.6 per cent, Singapore Airlines’ share has decreased by 1.5 per cent, Air New Zealand’s share has decreased by 2.6 per cent and Emirates’ share has increased by 6.5 per cent. (Jetstar did not commence international operations until December 2005.) 

* The decrease in share for the Qantas group, compared to 2000-01, was 7.4 per cent.

* The share of passenger traffic accounted for by Australian designated airlines decreased from 37.5 per cent in 2000-01 to 32.1 per cent in 2005-06; but has increased to 33.3 per cent in 2010-11.

* Seats made available on international scheduled operations in 2010-11 totaled 36.923 million – an increase of 7.6 per cent compared to 2009-10; and an increase of 14.8 percent compared to 2008-09.

* The overall seat utilisation percentage increased from 74.2 per cent in 2008-09 to 75.7 per cent in 2009-10, but has decreased slightly to 75.5 percent in 2010-11.

* In 2010-11, Low Cost Carriers (AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia, Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue and Tiger Airways) together accounted for 19 per cent of total international passenger traffic. This compares to the LCC share of 18.0 per cent in 2009-10 and 13.7 per cent in 2008-09.

* LCCs together carried 5.2 million passengersin 2010-11 compared to 4.6 million in 2009-10 – an increase of 13.3 per cent.

* Jetstar was the largest of the LCCs in 2010-11, with 42.1 per cent of LCC passenger traffic, followed by Pacific Blue with 33.2 per cent and AirAsia X with 14.2 per cent.