Competition in Southeast Asia's low-cost airline sector heats up as capacity surges

Southeast Asia continues to experience rapid LCC expansion even though some key markets are approaching saturation. The region's LCC fleet is poised to grow by about 20% in 2013, approaching 500 aircraft at year-end. With some of the largest airline orders in recent years coming from ASEAN-focused LCC groups, rapid growth for the sector is assured for the medium to long term.

The LCC penetration rate within Southeast Asia is now above 50%, having steadily increased over the last 10 years from less than 5% in 2003. Even in the intra-Southeast Asia international market, which is about one-third the size of the region's domestic market, LCCs now account for 50% of total seat capacity - a remarkable figure given that ASEAN has not yet moved to a single market concept like the EU.

Opportunities still remain for LCC market share gains in some countries, particularly Myanmar and Vietnam. These important pioneer markets have the lowest LCC penetration rates among the seven main ASEAN countries but LCC start-ups from both countries are expanding rapidly.