SIA Group passenger capacity up 9.7% in September, outpacing passenger traffic growth

In total, the national carrier and its low-cost arm Scoot carried 3.1 million passengers that month

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) Group posted a 9.7 per cent increase in passenger capacity in September, outpacing the 7.7 per cent growth in passenger traffic recorded that month.

The national carrier and its low-cost arm Scoot flew a total of 3.1 million passengers in September, up 7.9 per cent from the year before, the group’s latest operating update indicated on Tuesday (Oct 15).

Group passenger load factor clocked in at 86.1 per cent, with SIA and Scoot posting monthly load factors of 85.7 per cent and 87.3 per cent, respectively. The passenger load factor measures how much the airline’s passenger capacity has been utilised. It is calculated by dividing the airline’s revenue passenger kilometres by its available seat kilometres.

Cargo loads rose by 12 per cent on the year, supported by stronger demand due to new mobile product launches, said SIA. This surpassed the expansion of cargo capacity, which was up 10.4 per cent.

Cargo operations consequently saw a load factor of 58 per cent, up 0.9 percentage point from a year ago.

During the month, Scoot launched services to Subang, Malaysia, and Kertajati, Indonesia, expanding SIA Group’s network in South-east Asia.

As at the end of September, the group’s passenger network covered 127 destinations in 36 countries and territories. SIA served 78 destinations, while Scoot served 71 destinations.

The group’s cargo network comprised 131 destinations in 37 countries and territories.

Shares of SIA closed at S$6.39 on Tuesday, down 0.3 per cent or S$0.02, before the update.