Southeast Asia’s low cost airline fleet expands by 13% in 2015 as short haul capacity growth slows

Southeast Asia's low cost carrier fleet has passed the 600 aircraft mark as the region's 23 LCCs added about 70 aircraft in 2015, resulting in 13% growth. The region's LCC fleet has expanded by 50% in only three years, from 400 to just over 600 aircraft.

Nevertheless, LCC capacity growth within Southeast Asia slowed significantly in 2015 for the second consecutive year, as several carriers made adjustments in response to challenging market conditions. For the first time since the birth of LCCs in Southeast Asia 15 years ago there was a drop in the LCC penetration rate within Southeast Asia.

There was faster LCC capacity growth in medium/long haul markets connecting Southeast Asia with other regions, driven by a 37% expansion of the Southeast Asian LCC widebody fleet. There are now seven LCCs in Southeast Asia operating widebody aircraft, compared with only seven in the rest of the world.