KUALA LUMPUR (July 31): Budget airline AirAsia Bhd carried 10% more passengers to 12.4 million in the second quarter of 2015 (2Q15), in line with the 10% increase in capacity.

As at June 30, 2015, the airline’s total fleet size stood at 172, an additional of six aircraft from the year-ago period. The capacity measured in available seat kilometres (ASK) rose by 10% to 18.05 million from 16.39 million in 2Q14.

It also recorded 14.26 million revenue passenger-kilometres (RPK) for 2Q15, up 11% from 12.81 million in 2Q14. AirAsia maintained a load factor of 79% in 2Q15.

Market segment wise, AirAsia said its Malaysia AirAsia (MAA) operations saw the number of passengers carried in 2Q15 rose 7% year-on-year to 5.95 million, which is in line with the increase in capacity of 7%.

“The increase in the number of passengers carried was also attributed to the recovery of demand from China from May onwards. MAA ended the second quarter with a total fleet of 80 aircraft,” it added.

MAA’s load factor was also maintained at 80% in 2Q15.

Meanwhile, the number of passengers carried under Thai AirAsia (TAA) increased by 26% year-on-year at 3.54 million in 2Q15, slightly ahead of the 23% increase in capacity.

AirAsia said this was resulting from the improvement in the political situation in Thailand, which led to a more favourable performance in the tourism sector.

“During the quarter under review, TAA took in one additional aircraft and comparing year-on-year, TAA has added six aircraft allowing them to end the quarter with a total of 43 aircraft,” the airline said.

TAA posted a load factor of 80% in 2Q15, up 2% year-on-year.

The number of passengers carried by Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) stood at 1.63 million on the back of a 12% decrease in capacity as IAA goes through a rationalisation exercise.

“This involves shifting focus to international market where the associate has the number one market share and where the load factor is higher than the domestic routes,” the airline said.

IAA ended the quarter with a total fleet of 29 aircraft, down one from the same quarter last year. It recorded a load factor of 73% in 2Q15, down 5% year-on-year.

AirAsia said this is as expected as the lack of marketing in the first quarter of 2015 following the QZ8501 incident had affected the forward bookings in 2Q15.

Throughout 2Q15, Philippines’ AirAsia (PAA) carried 980,000 passengers, up 6% year-on-year ahead of the 1% increase in capacity. No additional aircraft were added into PAA during the reported period, which stood at 15 at the end of June 2015.

PAA’s load factor was 80% in 2Q15, up 3​% year-on-year.

In India, AirAsia India carried a total of 300,000 passengers in 2Q15, and reported a load factor of 83%.

AirAsia India’s total fleet stood at five aircraft as two aircraft were added during the quarter under review.
 
AirAsia (fundamental: 0.2; valuation: 1.4) shares closed two sen or 1.49% higher at RM1.36 today, giving it a market capitalisation of RM3.73 billion.

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