Perth Airport crossed the pre-pandemic passenger traffic mark in February 2023 with 1,09 million passengers, recording an increase of 2% from the 1.07 million passenger number reported in February 2019. The airport attributes these figures to the return of many international carriers along with opening of new airlines.
Perth airport recently welcomed its first-ever nonstop Philippine Airlines flight from Manila. This service was previously scheduled to start in March 2020 but got delayed due to pandemic.
Citing this as a big win for the airport, Kate Holsgrove, Acting CEO, Perth Airport said: “This will be a popular route and we expect strong two-way passenger numbers. It will give a real boost to our states' effort to attract more international students and tourists to WA. It's also going to be easier for Western Australians to experience the 7,000-plus islands and amazing beaches on offer in the Philippines."
In terms of international traffic, Perth airport has recovered around 85% of its pre-pandemic numbers. In February 2023, 276,000 international passengers passed through the airport, compared to 325,000 in February 2019. The comparable domestic passenger figures were 395,300 this year compared to 427,000 in 2019, reporting 93% recovery from pre-COVID traffic.