Passenger numbers at Qantas and Jetstar higher in July

A file image of Jetstar and Qantas aircraft. (Seth Jaworski)

Qantas and Jetstar have reported improved passenger numbers and yields in the Australian domestic market in July.

The airline group’s monthly traffic figures published on Tuesday showed Qantas lifted domestic passenger numbers 0.8 per cent to 1.913 million in July, compared with the prior corresponding period. And with capacity, measured by available seat kilometres (ASK) down by 0.3 per cent, load factors rose one percentage point to 77.8 per cent.

Jetstar’s domestic network carried 1.185 million passengers in July, a 4.4 per cent increase from the prior year, while ASKs were up 3.1 per cent in June. Load factors rose 3.2 percentage points to 86.7 per cent.

Qantas said the reduction in its mainline domestic capacity was the results of cuts in the mining-dominated states of Queensland and Western Australia that were partially offset by growth on east coast routes.

Meanwhile, the company said Jetstar was experiencing improving leisure demand in key markets.

“Group domestic revenue per available seat kilometre saw a strong increase compared to the prior corresponding period, reflecting improved passenger loads and higher yields at both Qantas Domestic and Jetstar Domestic,” Qantas said in a statement on Tuesday.

On the international front, Qantas said higher load factors at Qantas International and Jetstar International were offset by lower yields.

Qantas’s international operations, which returned to profitability in 2014/15, grew passenger numbers 5.3 per cent to 535,000 in July, with ASKs up 2.7 per cent in the month. Load factors increased two percentage points to 85.4 per cent.