Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): AirAsia Group Bhd’s passenger volume, which is consolidated from its Malaysian, Indonesian and Philippines operations, rose 20% year-on-year to 13 million in the third quarter of this year (3Q19), from 10.80 million a year earlier.

This resulted in a 2 percentage point increase in the group's load factor to 84%. In the same period, its capacity grew 17% y-o-y to 15.50 million from 13.23 million, while available seat kilometres (ASK) was 16% higher y-o-y, as the group stays focused on strengthening its market dominance by introducing new routes and adding frequencies on existing ones.

The overall capacity expansion was contributed by a 10% growth in its Malaysian ops to 10.64 million. The local ops also carried 11% more passengers during the quarter at 8.85 million, which exceeded the industry's average growth as it continued to strengthen its market dominance, the group said in a statement today. "Load factor was firm at 83%, despite a seasonally leaner quarter," AirAsia said.

AirAsia Indonesia's capacity, meanwhile, jumped 61% y-o-y to 2.41 million in 3Q19 from 1.50 million, following the transfer of 8 aircraft late last year. Correspondingly, it carried 66% more passengers, as it launched new routes and increased frequencies on high-demand routes,
pushing the load factor up 3ppts to 85%.

In the same quarter, AirAsia Philippines saw a 19% y-o-y increase in capacity due to the commencement of new international routes and increased frequencies of certain domestic and international ones. Load factor grew by a strong 9ppts to 86%, backed by solid passenger growth
of 33% y-o-y to 2.11 million.

Meanwhile, AirAsia Thailand, in comparison, saw only a marginal 3% growth in capacity and passengers, while the load factor was kept at 81%. On the ASK front, AirAsia Thailand grew 10% y-o-y, with the addition of new routes in the first nine months of the year. In 3Q19, capacity was realigned to better match demand during the low season.

As for AirAsia India, it passengers carried grew by 47% y-o-y, surpassing the 25% capacity growth during the quarter, which drove the operation to record a strong 90% load factor.

"AirAsia India closed the quarter with 22 aircraft and is awaiting regulatory approval to commence international flights," AirAsia said.

AirAsia Japan also recorded strong operational improvements, the group said, with an 85% jump in passengers carried to 150,277, while capacity expanded 95% y-o-y to 178,932, backed by the launch of its third route, Nagoya-Sendai, during the quarter. Load factor, on the other hand, was lower at 84% versus 89% in 3Q18.

Shares of AirAsia Group Bhd closed five sen or 2.62% lower at RM1.86, valuing the company at RM6.22 billion. The counter saw some 8.22 million shares traded. 

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