AirAsia Group carried 50.68 mln passengers in 2015

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Group carried 50.68 million passengers in financial year ended 2015 (FY15), up 11 per cent from 45.58 million passengers in financial year 2014.

In its preliminary operating statistics released yesterday, the low-cost airline said its capacity rose nine per cent to 63.34 million versus 58.16 million previously.

"The load factor rose by two percentage points year-on-year (yoy) to 80 per cent," the company said.

It said Malaysia Air Asia( MA A) posted a 10 percent increase in the number of passengers carried last year to 24.25 million, gained seven percent in capacity to 30.08 million and added two percentage points in load factor.

As for its units in other countries, AirAsia India saw the number of passengers it carried soared by 324 per cent to 1.46 million in 2015 versus 345,298 in 2014 while capacity increased by 322 percent to 1.82 million from 430,560 and load factor gained one percentage po int yoy to 81 percent.

However, Indonesia Air Asia recorded a decrease of 17 percent in the number of passengers carried to 6.52 million last year compared with 7.85 million, capacity down 13 per cent to 8.76 million from 10.04 million and load factor eased four per cent to 74 percentage points yoy.

For the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2015 (4Q15), the load factor increased by five per cent to 83 per cent compared with the same quarter a year ago.

It said the number of passengers carried rose by 12 per cent yoy to 13.5 million, ahead of the six per cent increase in capacity.

"At the end of 2015, the group has a fleet size of 170 aircraft (171 including one aircraft that was delivered to AirAsia Japan in 4Q15, which has not commenced operation)," it said.

It said MAA posted a load factor of 85 per cent in 4Q15, up seven percentage points yoy.

AirAsia said demand exceeded capacity with 10 per cent increase in the number of passengers carried at 6.5 million and one per cent yoy increase in capacity.

"MAA ended the quarter with a total fleet of 80 aircraft. Three new routes commenced operations during the quarter: Kuala Lump ur-Male, Changsha and Colombo. Frequencies were added on three routes: Ku ala Lump ur-Koc hi and Jakarta; and J oh or Ba ha ru-Ho Chi Minh City," it said.

Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia recorded a load factor of 82 per cent in 4Q15, up three per cent percentage points yoy, while Indonesia Air Asia maintained its load factor at 80 per cent, it said.

As for the Philippines' AirAsia, it said, its load factor was up by nine per cent to 81 per cent and AirAsia India recorded a load factor of 84 per cent, one per cent better compared with the same period last year. — Bernama