Capital A’s passenger capacity surges

Group carries 7.8 million in 4Q, up 187% year-on-year

“For financial year 2022, the consolidated airlines saw an increase in the number of passengers to 24.2 million, up by 404% y-o-y, exceeding the jump in capacity of 345% y-o-y.” Capital a Bhd

KUALA LUMPUR: Capital A Bhd’s (formerly Airasia Group Bhd) consolidated airlines carried over 7.8 million passengers in the fourth quarter of 2022 (4Q22), an increase of 187% year-on-year (y-o-y).

The group said this was achieved on the back of a 9.1 million seat capacity injected during the quarter, leading to a consistent quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) 86% load factor.

Capital A said that in 4Q22, the school holidays, festive seasons and general election peak periods led to the consolidated airlines achieving almost 50,000 flights, up by 171% y-o-y.

The consolidated airlines operated 84 aircraft, an additional 16 operating aircraft from the preceding quarter.

“Correspondingly, available-seat-kilometres (ASK) grew by 258% y-o-y to about 10 billion, approaching 53% of pre-covid ASK in the same period, while revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) reached 54% of 4Q19 level,” it said in a statement.

“For financial year 2022 (FY22), the consolidated airlines saw an increase in the number of passengers to 24.2 million, up by 404% y-oy, exceeding the jump in capacity of 345% y-o-y,” Capital A said.

It added that this resulted in 84% load factor, one percentage point away from achieving pre-covid load factor.

Seats sold for international flights continued to surge by 3,536% y-o-y as international borders reopened alongside the loosening of travel restrictions regionally, while seats sold for domestic flights were up by 290% y-o-y.

Its ASK and RPK rose by 410% and 488% y-o-y, respectively, in tandem with the increase in capacity and passengers carried.

For Airasia Malaysia, Capital A said it recorded a load factor of 87% in 4Q22, a one-percentage-point improvement from the preceding quarter and five percentage points from 4Q19.

Compared to 4Q21, 38 additional international destinations were resumed in the same period this year, contributing to a surge in seats sold for international flights by 6,424% y-o-y and 26% q-o-q.

In total, Airasia Malaysia flew to 17 domestic destinations and 48 international destinations in 4Q22.

For the full year of 2022, Airasia Malaysia successfully achieved a pre-covid load factor of 84%, while carrying 48% of FY19 passengers at 16.8 million.

Capital A said Airasia Indonesia posted a lower load factor of 78% in 4Q22, down by three percentage points y-o-y and four percentage points q-o-q, owing to a notable 43% y-o-y capacity increase in the market.

For FY22, Airasia Indonesia flew 3.25 million passengers with close to 23,000 flights on 16 operational aircraft.

Airasia Philippines recorded a healthy load factor of 87% in 4Q22, up by two percentage points y-o-y and down by two percentage points q-o-q, yet still higher than the 4Q19 load factor of 85%.

For FY22, Airasia Philippines flew 4.2 million passengers, equivalent to 49% of pre-covid passengers carried, resulting in a load factor of 89%, the highest among all air operator certificates.