Kuala Lumpur - Airlines in the Asia-Pacific are preparing for increasingly difficult times as passenger and cargo traffic dips in the global economic downturn, a regional airline group said Friday.

In response, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines appealed to governments, airports and aviation service providers in the region to refrain from putting further financial strains on the industry through excessive taxes and charges.

"In the short term, airlines are bracing themselves for tough times as the global recession bites hard in 2009," association director general Andrew Herdman said. "Carriers are taking steps to closely match capacity to expected demand whilst seeking every opportunity to reduce unnecessary costs."

Passenger and cargo demand has already reportedly fallen dramatically in 2008 with expectations of a further deterioration during the first half of 2009, the group said in a statement.

Herdman said other resolutions adopted by the association as part of efforts to cushion airlines against the effects of the global downturn include boosting the efficiency of air traffic management, improving passenger facilitation, and balancing efficiency and security considerations for air cargo. (dpa)