The airline has seen a near full-circle recovery.
A Philippines AirAsia A320 aircraft (Photo: aeroprints.com [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)])
AirAsia has seen an upward trajectory during the second quarter of 2024 with a load factor of 90%, seeing an increase of 2% year-over-year. The group carried over 30 million passengers in the first half of the year and passenger numbers are close to pre-pandemic levels.
However, the group hasn’t utilized its entire fleet thus far. As of the end of June, AirAsia has reinstated 195 out of 218 jets.
In the wake of Malaysia and Thailand’s visa-free program being introduced to Indian and Chinese travelers, flight operations to India and China have been with a load factor of 91%. The group has experienced a holistic recovery across AirAsia Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines. But AirAsia Cambodia was left behind with a load factor of 38%.
In the meantime, the group has also seen an increase in ancillary revenue. Santan, the airline’s food and beverage provider, has sold more than 10 million units, an increase of 7% year-over-year. The growth was spread across both domestic and international flights. However, duty-free and merchandise sold declined by 17%
Asia Digital Engineering, the wholly-owned subsidiary, providing engineering services for AirAsia group and other commercial airlines in the region has surged 22% compared to the same time last year.
In addition, the low-cost carrier got into gear and announced the expansion of its network in Kuala Lumpur’s Subang Airport. The airline will operate two domestic services to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in August.
“The decision to operate at Subang Airport as our second home in Kuala Lumpur is driven by several compelling factors and opportunities. The airport’s location and proximity to the city centre and surrounding suburbs offer an optimal travel experience for guests in the vicinity,” Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, Managing Director of AirAsia Malaysia, said.
In April 2021, Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd unveiled the regeneration plans for the former gateway to the country. Under Phase One of the project, the airport could handle eight million passengers by 2030.
Meanwhile, AirAsia X Malaysia, the group’s airline operating long-haul services, has announced that it carried a total of 880,625 passengers in the second quarter of 2024, surging 42% year-over-year. The passenger load factor was 83%, up by 7%. AirAsia X Thailand has also seen a load factor of 84%, compared to 76% during the same time last year.
AirAsia X has been experiencing a travel boom as Africa is on the airline’s radar, announcing that it will enhance its network by adding a Kuala Lumpur – Nairobi route in November.
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