AirAsia X closes the year with record 84% load factor
06-Feb-2013 AirAsia X, the long-haul low fare affiliate of the AirAsia Group announced another strong growth in Quarter 4, 2012. Similar to its 2012 third quarter growth of 40.7% passengers carried, AirAsia X carried 0.67 million passengers in the fourth quarter of 2012; a growth of 40.5% over the same quarter in 2011 for continuing routes.
On 15 October 2012, AirAsia X discontinued services to Tehran, and currently operates to 14 destinations across China, Taiwan, Australia, Korea, Japan, Nepal and Jeddah. The company has fully turned around with a strong second half of 2012 performance after the route network consolidation earlier in the year, making up for the losses in the first half of 2012, validating the network strategy undertaken.
In terms of passenger traffic, AirAsia X achieved 3.3billion Revenue-Passenger-Kms (RPKs) for Q4-2012. Capacity wise, the airline recorded 4.0billion Available-Seat-Kms (ASKs), with a load factor of 83%, similar to third quarter of 2012; solidifying its position as the second-largest low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia, after AirAsia Malaysia. This is an increase of 1.1 percentage-points from the same quarter in 2011, where AirAsia X registered a load factor of 82%. All routes that AirAsia X has operated for over a year have yielded a positive increase in load factor.
Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X said, "In 2012, AirAsia X carried a total of 2.58million passengers which reflected an increase of 2.2% growth compared to the same period in 2011. Although RPKs and ASKs contracted by 8.0% and 3.8% respectively in comparison with 2011, the company recorded higher load factors of 84%, up 3.7 ppt year on year. The airline also recorded an increase in ancillary revenue of 18% in 2012 compared to the previous year; with key contribution from Japan and Australia."
"The company has, since the route network consolidation, fully turned around with a strong second half of 2012 performance, making up for the losses in the first half of 2012, validating the network strategy undertaken. AirAsia X is positive with its financial outlook in 2013 with deliveries of seven new A330-300 aircrafts. These aircrafts will be deployed across its core markets in Asia Pacific by opening new routes and increasing flight frequencies on existing routes," concluded Azran.
Cargo operations continues to be strong, with AirAsia X carrying 7,555 tonnes of freight in the fourth quarter and 27,269 tonnes for the year, registering a 18% growth from a year ago for its continuing routes.