Perth Airport returns to pre-Covid passenger numbers

This figure has been capped off with the highest number of June passengers on record.

Perth Airport Acting CEO Kate Holsgrove said that the rebound out of Covid has been extraordinary and has strengthened the team’s resolve and focus on building further capacity and infrastructure to support aviation in Western Australia.

“International and interstate passenger numbers are still rebounding strongly now down only 11 per cent and 5 per cent respectively on pre-Covid June numbers.

“Regional aviation, however, has soared over the past three years with record numbers in both May and June 2023.

“One of the big highlights of FY23 for us was the record-breaking figure in May when regional passenger numbers surged past 500,000 in a single month for the first time ever.

“June regional passenger numbers were 39 per cent above pre-Covid levels.

“We are at runway capacity in our morning peak periods from Tuesday to Thursday and there are also significant constraints at other times during the day – highlighting the need for Perth ‘s New Runway,” Ms Holsgrove said.

“If we want to grow international and domestic tourism, and if we want the resources sector to continue its growth, we need to get on with construction.

“Interstate capacity is very close to being back to pre-Covid levels, and we continue to work with our domestic airline partners to connect WA to other states and territories. 

“We’ve had some big wins on the interstate and international fronts, which is a credit to the Team WA approach working alongside the State Government to recover and introduce new routes.

“International passenger numbers are also nearly back to pre-Covid levels with some noteworthy achievements from the past twelve months and more exciting routes scheduled before the end of the year.”

Highlights include:

• Emirates reintroduced its flagship A380 on its daily Dubai service.
• Qatar Airways reinduced the A380 on their daily service in December.The 517-seater aircraft delivered a 45 per cent increase in capacity on this route.
• Philippine Airlines launched a new non-stop service to Manila in March 2023 with three flights per week injecting 52,000 seats into the market boosting tourism, trade and education.
• Indonesia AirAsia introduced a Perth to Jakarta service four times a week providing 75,000 new seats in June.
• Citilink returned in July with services to Denpasar and a new service to Jakarta adding almost 190,000 sets to the market. As a significant trading partner with a population of 273 million, these new services to Indonesia only brings further business and trade opportunities.
• From 24 August, Batik Air Malaysia will add a Perth-Auckland service, flying six times a week.There is already strong business and tourism travel between Perth and Kuala Lumpur and adding Auckland flights will further stimulate market demand.
• The ANA Perth - Tokyo service will operate three times per week from 29 October 2023, adding almost 75,000 seats.
• Cathay Pacific is currently operating three flights a week on the Perth-Hong Kong route and from 6 December will increase this to a total of five services per week.
• Air Mauritius will increase from two flights a week to three in December 2023.
• From March 2024, Singapore Airlines will add a fourth daily rotation between Perth and Singapore adding 220,584 seats to the Perth market.

“These are all great wins for Western Australia as a tourism destination and show the confidence that major airlines have in Perth.

“Research confirms that one daily international direct flight has the potential to deliver an additional $70 million to the State’s economy and create more than 600 new jobs.

“It’s imperative that we work together with tourism, business, educational institutions and government to ensure we maximise the opportunities that international aviation services can deliver to Western Australia.

“We are now working with airline partners to secure non-stop flights to India, China and Vietnam, and we have a clear strategy for aviation growth at Perth Airport, for the benefit of all Western Australians”.

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