AirAsia results soar in Q4
KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia’s Consolidated Air Operating Certificates (AOCs) carried 10.44 million carried passengers in the fourth quarter (Q4) ended December 31 2017, which is a 17 per cent increase from 8.25 million in the same period previously.
The low-cost carrier said the improvement was in line with the 16 per cent rise in seat capacity, while load factor increased by one percentage point to 88 per cent compared with the same period in 2016.
AirAsia’s Consolidated AOCs’ total fleet size grew to 116 aircraft with 84 in Malaysia (AirAsia Bhd), 15 in Indonesia (PT Indonesia AirAsia) and 17 i n the Philippines (Philippines AirAsia Inc).
For the full year 2017, AirAsia said the group carried 39.1 million passengers, an increase of 11 per cent y-o-y.
“(AirAsia) Malaysia started five new routes with two in Johor and one each in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Singapore. Philippines AirAsia also started two new routes from Manila.
“Malaysia increased frequencies on nine routes originating from Kuala Lumpur (five) Kuching (two), Johor (one) and Singapore (one),” it said.
Indonesia AirAsia achieved the same full year load factor of 84 per cent as of financial year 2016, despite the Mount Agung volcanic activities that disrupted tourist arrivals into Denpasar, Bali.
Indonesia AirAsia raised frequencies on three routes originating from Bali (two) and Jakarta (one).
Meanwhile, Philippines AirAsia’s passengers rose 32 per cent y-o-y and maintained a full-year high load factor of 87 per cent. It also enhanced frequencies on two routes from Manila.
Thai AirAsia (TAA) reported a load factor of 88 per cent, jumping by six percentage points from the same quarter in 2016.
It said the number of passengers carried during the quarter was 5.34 million, a 22 per cent rise y-o-y, which was higher than the 13 per cent growth in seat capacity.
Its fleet now has 56 aircraft after adding two more in the fourth quarter, and five overall for the whole of last year.