KUALA LUMPUR: Capital A Bhd’s consolidated air operator’s certificates (AOCs) recorded a healthy load factor of 76 per cent and capacity of 4.9 million passengers carried in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022.
The holding company of the AirAsia Aviation Group said the AOCs posted another significantly improved results across key operational metrics during the quarter under review.
“The number of passengers carried increased by 284 per cent to 3.7 million year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q1 2022, leading to a 9.0 percentage points (ppts) improvement in load factor,” it said in a statement today.
Capital A also said the group introduced additional capacity of 238 per cent y-o-y to support the surge in demand, alongside relaxed travel restrictions across the group.
“As a result, available seat kilometres (ASK) soared by 223 per cent and revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) jumped by 264 per cent y-o-y, primarily attributable to the strong domestic travel rebound and the gradual further easing of travel restrictions in Q1 2022,” it said.
For AirAsia Malaysia, it said, the number of passengers carried and the capacity improvement jumped 464 per cent and 455 per cent respectively, compared to the same quarter in the previous year, off the back of the resumption of a significant number of additional domestic flights and the relaunch of numerous domestic routes to connect people between major cities, particularly during the festive season.
In Q1 2022, the load factor increased by 1.0 ppt y-o-y to 74 per cent, while ASK surged 475 per cent and RPK jumped 476 per cent y-o-y.
“These very promising achievements were driven by added frequencies of domestic flights in line with increased demand and were also attributed to the promotional campaigns that took place in Q1 2022,” it said.
Capital A said AirAsia Indonesia also achieved a much improved load factor of 76 per cent in the quarter, surging 20 ppts y-o-y, with passengers carried and capacity improving by 126 per cent and 141 per cent quarter-on-quarter, respectively.
Meanwhile, AirAsia Philippines continued to record the group’s highest quarterly load factor at 86 per cent, which rose by 12 ppts y-o-y, uninterrupted by the steep rise of Omicron variant cases in the Philippines during the period.
“In Q1 2022, the number of seats sold and capacity increased 233 and 186 per cent, respectively, compared to the same period last year.
“Similarly, ASK and the number of flights flown rocketed 203 per cent and 186 per cent y-o-y, with the support of the huge summer demand following the Philippine government’s confirmation of further relaxed travel protocols,” it said.
As for AirAsia Thailand, Capital A said it carried 1.45 million passengers, up 48 ppts y-o-y, mainly due to a strong recovery in travel demand and the easing of the entry rules as well as the reopening of the Thailand Pass (Test & Go).
Noticeably, it said, international tourist arrivals to Thailand increased as a result.
“Furthermore, AirAsia Thailand has increased its flight frequency and routes to cater for the evolving resurgence in travel demand, eventuating in a 32 per cent growth in flights flown to 11,002 flights, in part from a resumption of international flights. Similarly, the ASK and the seating capacity also improved by 34 per cent on a robust rebound.
“Moreover, AirAsia Thailand has reallocated its capacity and flights to align with the reviving demand. As a result, the load factor in the reporting quarter was recorded at 73 per cent, rising 7.0 ppts from the same period last year,” it said. – BERNAMA