Australian passenger numbers back to 'normal'

BTN News
Thursday, 23 May 2024

Australia’s aviation sector appears to have recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic as passenger levels and capacity return to pre-pandemic levels, the ACCC’s latest Domestic Airline Competition in Australia report reveals. 


Australia’s  airlines - Bonza, Jetstar, Qantas, Rex and Virgin Australia  - carried 4.9 million domestic passengers in March 2024, which represented 98.8 per cent of passenger figures in March 2019. 

The airlines also flew around 6.2 million seats in March 2024, which was just below seat capacity recorded in March 2019.

“After four years of instability, the domestic airline industry has returned to more typical seasonal levels that were last seen before the pandemic,” said Anna Brakey,  ACCC commissioner. 

“The increase to airline seat capacity has contributed to lower airfares for consumers on domestic routes. We hope to see this trend continue as the airline industry returns to a more stable market.”

In March 2024, average revenue per domestic passenger decreased in both nominal terms (by 1.4 per cent) and real terms (by 4.8 per cent) compared to March 2023.

The report found that airfares spiked on some routes in February, likely due to the high demand caused by multiple major events like Taylor Swift’s world tour that included Melbourne and Sydney.

Australian passenger numbers back to 'normal'

BTN News
Thursday, 23 May 2024

Australia’s aviation sector appears to have recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic as passenger levels and capacity return to pre-pandemic levels, the ACCC’s latest Domestic Airline Competition in Australia report reveals. 


Australia’s  airlines - Bonza, Jetstar, Qantas, Rex and Virgin Australia  - carried 4.9 million domestic passengers in March 2024, which represented 98.8 per cent of passenger figures in March 2019. 

The airlines also flew around 6.2 million seats in March 2024, which was just below seat capacity recorded in March 2019.

“After four years of instability, the domestic airline industry has returned to more typical seasonal levels that were last seen before the pandemic,” said Anna Brakey,  ACCC commissioner. 

“The increase to airline seat capacity has contributed to lower airfares for consumers on domestic routes. We hope to see this trend continue as the airline industry returns to a more stable market.”

In March 2024, average revenue per domestic passenger decreased in both nominal terms (by 1.4 per cent) and real terms (by 4.8 per cent) compared to March 2023.

The report found that airfares spiked on some routes in February, likely due to the high demand caused by multiple major events like Taylor Swift’s world tour that included Melbourne and Sydney.