AirAsia load factor up 2%

KUALA LUMPUR Low-cost airline giant, AirAsia Berhad, reported, earlier this week, marginal increases in load factor, up 2%, against a backdrop of a slight reduction of 1% in capacity across the group’s airlines.
The airline group* reported overall performance as well as individual airline operational profiles for the third quarter 2014 (“3Q14”).
In 3Q14, the Group* recorded a higher load factor of 78%, up 2 percentage points from the same period last year.
inside no 4.1 Number of passengers carried increased 1% to 10.7 million, while capacity dropped 1% year-on-year. During the quarter under review, a net 4 additional aircraft were added into the system (34 additional aircraft y-o-y), bringing the total fleet size of the group to 171 at the end of 3Q14. This quarter is the first time AirAsia India is included in the Group’s statistics.
Malaysia AirAsia (“MAA”) maintained its load factor of 77% in 3Q14, no change as compared to the same period last year. The number of passengers carried increased by 0.5% y-o-y to 5.3 million, in line with the increase in capacity y-o-y.
As the third quarter is seasonally a weak quarter for Malaysia due to the month of Ramadhan falling in July, the management allocated only one aircraft for MAA this quarter. This brings MAA’s total fleet to 81 aircraft, an additional of 15 aircraft year-on-year.
MAA introduced five new international routes in 3Q14: Johor Bahru – Ho Chi Minh City, Lombok and Yogyakarta; Kuala Lumpur – Danang and Cebu. Frequencies were also increased on 14 routes: Krabi – Kuala Lumpur; Kuala Lumpur – Ho Chi Minh City, Sibu, Penang and Singapore; Johor Bahru – Sibu and Penang; Kuching – Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Sibu and Miri; Kota Kinabalu – Kuala Lumpur; Langkawi – Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
Thai AirAsia (“TAA”) again recorded a high load factor of 82% this quarter, albeit down by one percentage point mainly due to the political situation and sluggish economic growth.
inside no 4To stimulate the tourism sector, the Thai Government took positive measures including the introduction of scheme such as a three-month visa fee waiver for Chinese and Taiwanese tourists and declared extra holiday in the month of August. This helped to push TAA’s number of passengers carried up by 12% y-o-y to 2.9 million, in line with the 13% increase in capacity y-o-y.
TAA took in three aircraft in 3Q14, bringing its total fleet size at the end of September to 40, up nine aircraft y-o-y. Frequencies were increased in two routes: Chiang Mai – Phuket; Bangkok – Khon Kaen.
Indonesia AirAsia (“IAA”) recorded a four percentage points y-o-y increase in load factor to 79%. Number of passengers carried during the quarter was 1.8 million, down 10% y-o-y, together with 15% decrease in capacity as the Management continued with its route rationalisation exercise during this challenging time where the country was hit by a depreciating Rupiah and caused increase in operating cost.
No additional aircraft was added into IAA in 3Q14, hence its total fleet still stands at 30 aircraft, up four aircraft y-o-y. Frequencies were increased on two routes: Bandung – Singapore and Pekanbaru.
Philippine AirAsia (“PAA”) reported a load factor of 65%, a big increase of six percentage points from 59% recorded during the same period last year. The number of passengers carried was reported at 0.62 million, down 15% y-o-y together with a 23% drop in capacity in 3Q14.
This quarter, PAA sold one of its older aircraft that came together with the acquisition exercise in 2013, which brings PAA’s total net fleet to 18 aircraft (up four aircraft y-o-y). No new routes or frequency increased in PAA’s network this quarter as Management is focused on turning around the current operating routes.
AirAsia India’s (“AAI”) operating statistics are disclosed and included in the group’s numbers for the first time this quarter. In its first full quarter of operations, AAI carried a total of 0.13 million passengers with a good load factor of 75%. It received an additional aircraft in 3Q14, which brings its total fleet to two aircraft. From its hub in Bengaluru, AAI launched 3 new routes: Bengaluru – Kochi, Jaipur and Chandigarh. Frequencies were increased in two routes: Bengaluru – Kochi and Goa.
sourced:ttrweekly.com