Bumpy recovery for Asia’s aviation sector as flight disruptions persist amid pilot shortage, supply chain woes
- The later restart of the Asia-Pacific aviation industry meant it coincided with severe supply chain issues caused by geopolitical and trade tensions, analysts noted
- Pilot shortage is expected to worsen over the next decade, posing significant challenges for airlines, while slot hoarding by airports will also hamper recovery efforts
While the global airline industry shows signs of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Asia-Pacific region continues to face significant operational challenges, with industry data showing that issues such as slower border reopenings, pilot shortages and supply chain disruptions are hampering recovery efforts.
According to aviation analytics firm OAG, global airline capacity is at about 97 per cent of its pre-2020 levels, with scheduled flights at 91 per cent, while the International Air Transport Association reports a near 30 per cent increase in seat capacity over the year, signalling a robust rebound.
However, flight disruptions, including delays and cancellations, remain a significant issue globally, exacerbated by delayed aircraft deliveries, shortages of parts for existing fleets, and a critical shortage of specialised aviation labour.
“Although there has been progress, the reality is that a full recovery – and indeed four years’ lost capacity growth – is going to be a struggle,” OAG said in an analysis earlier this month.
The Asia-Pacific region shares these global disruptions but faces additional challenges, such as less efficient airports struggling to handle sudden spikes in passenger volumes. OAG’s 2023 punctuality league showed a decline in the number of Asia-Pacific airlines among the top 20 most on-time and least cancelled airlines worldwide.
The average on-time rate for Asia-Pacific airlines is now at 86 per cent, slightly below 2019’s 87.02 per cent, with a higher average cancellation rate than the global average.
Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines, noted the later restart of the Asia-Pacific aviation industry compared with other parts of the world meant it coincided with severe supply chain issues caused by geopolitical and trade tensions.