Asia is home to some of the world’s largest and busiest airlines, with China at the top of the list in terms of passenger counts.
Passenger numbers on Singapore Airlines and All Nippon Airways increased significantly in 2022 compared to the previous year, indicating a resurgence in air travel.
IndiGo, India’s low-cost carrier, stands out as the country’s sole representative on the list, with outstanding growth and a considerable share of the domestic market. By both land area and population, Asia is the world’s largest continent. Asian airlines, as a result of their positioning, serve some of the world’s most vital and increasingly popular routes. Asia is divided into 48 countries, the majority of which have their own local or international airlines. Here are the top 10 Asian airlines, according by the number of passengers serviced every full year.
10
Singapore Airlines (SIA)
By passenger traffic, Singapore Airlines is the tenth-largest airline in Asia and the second-largest in Southeast Asia. In 2022, the airline transported 20.7 million passengers. This was a rise of 18.5 million from 2021 and a reduction of 17.4 million from pre-pandemic 2019. Singapore Airlines (SIA) had carried over 12 million passengers by the end of H1 2023. SIA operates 159 aircraft and serves more than 80 destinations from its hub at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).
9
In 2022, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s other powerhouse, served 29.2 million passengers. This was a rise of 10.4 million from 2021 and a reduction of 21.5 million from 2019, when it transported more passengers than Japan Airlines. Following a robust comeback in passenger traffic, ANA recorded its first Q1 operational profit in four years this year.
8
Japan Airlines
Japan’s flag carrier is ranked eighth, ahead of ANA, making it the country’s largest carrier and the fourth-largest in East Asia. It flies to approximately 95 destinations in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.Japan Airlines (JAL) carried 30.1 million passengers in 2022, up 13.9 million from the previous year but down 14.5 million from 2019. By the end of June 2023, the airline has flown over 11 million passengers, with its major hub at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
7
Saudia
Saudia is a relatively new airline that ranks in Asia’s top 10 in terms of passenger numbers. It carried 31.9 million passengers last year, which is fewer than its 2019 capacity of 36.9 million passengers. The Saudi Arabian carrier served nearly 13 million passengers in the first half of 2023, representing a 52% increase in foreign travel.
6
AirAsia Group
AirAsia, which began operations only 26 years ago, has grown to become the continent’s sixth-biggest carrier and the largest in Southeast Asia. The group carried 34.2 million passengers in 2022. By the end of H1 2023, it had already flown 27.4 million passengers, indicating a significant improvement over the previous year.While it shares a terminal with a large full-service carrier, Malaysia Airlines, the low-cost carrier has overtaken the flag carrier in terms of fleet size and routes served. It now serves over 68 locations with an all-Airbus fleet of 99 planes.
5
Air China
Despite being the national carrier, Air China is the country’s third-largest airline, with 38.6 million passengers in 2022. This was a reduction of 30.4 million from 2021. However, the flag airline had already surpassed its 2022 statistics by June 2023, flying over 40 million passengers to nearly 200 destinations.
4
China Eastern Airlines
Another Chinese carrier has entered the top five, with 42.5 million passengers carried in 2022. China Eastern likewise suffered a reduction in passenger traffic when compared to the previous year, when it transported 98.5 million passengers to and from its Shanghai hubs. This year, the airline achieved a historic milestone by flying the first COMAC C919 passenger trip.
3 Emirates
The Dubai-based company offered is one of the world’s major carriers, carrying more passengers in FY2022 than any other Middle Eastern carrier. It transported 43.6 million people, a 24 million rise over 2022 and a 12.6 million reduction over pre-pandemic 2019.Emirates has transported almost 720 million passengers to and from Dubai International Airport (DXB) over the previous thirty years. It is the world’s largest Airbus A380 operator, operating it on over 30 routes.
2
China Southern Airlines
Another Chinese carrier is ranked fourth. China Southern carried 62.6 million passengers last year and has already carried 61.6 million in 2023. Prior to the pandemic, four major Chinese carriers, including Hainan Airlines, ranked in the top four. The Guangzhou-based airline is currently Asia’s largest airline in terms of fleet size.
1
IndiGo
India’s low-cost carrier is the only representative on this list. Last year, over 76.7 million passengers boarded IndiGo flights, which was 28.3 million more than the previous year. The domestic market was led by the LCC with a 58.2% share at the end of June 2023. It placed a record-breaking order for 500 Airbus planes this month, giving it a fleet of more than 1,200 planes. Many factors can influence an airline’s size, including fleet size, destinations served, and revenue. However, in terms of customer numbers, China occupies the top of the list. As such, it is crucial to note that the state mostly supports China’s operations, and the country has the world’s second-largest population. The pandemic has had a significant impact on the operations of many airlines.
READ MORE: https://bangkokone.news
SOURCE: http://simpleflying.com
