The air travel in the Asia Pacific region saw a decline of about 5.7 percent in passengers in 2009 compared to a year ago. The airline industry went on to say that recovery will remain fragile.

Regional airlines are expected to report a significant loss for 2009, following heavy losses seen in 2008 as well. The Kuala Lumpur-based Association of Asia pacific Airlines did not provide any figures so far. The association did go on to say that 17 of its member airlines flew 132.9 million passengers last year compared to the 140.9 million in 2008.

Passenger traffic, which is measured in revenue per passenger per kilometer, fell by 6.5 percent. This indicates a weakness in demand on long haul routes. Available seat capacity was reduced by 6.1 percent, which resulted in a marginal drop in the average passengers carried by an airplane by 0.4 percent to 74.6 percent.

The association’s director general, Andrew Herdman, said that they have been through downturns before. None of them, however, have been as severe as this one. The collapse in corporate travel and intense price competition saw airline revenues fall by 20 to 25 percent last year. Oil prices, the single biggest cost for airlines, eased last year from its peak in 2008, but remained very strong.

Herdmnan did go on to say that cargo business and passenger demand on short haul leisure routes within the region have picked up in the past few months. This has been in line with the improving global economic outlook. He said that Asia pacific airlines remain focused on conserving cash and rebuilding the damage that has been done to their balance sheets.