AirAsia X announced in 3Q24 the company delivered a strong passenger load factor (“PLF”) of 84%, up by four percentage points compared to the preceding year on the back of a 34% increase in the number of passengers carried standing at 1,084,049 passengers during the quarter under review. This performance was realised as more aircraft returned to service over the past year, effectively ramping up seat capacity by 27% year-on-year (“YoY”) at 1,284,871 seats while Available Seat per Kilometre (“ASK”) capacity grew by 17% YoY at 5,141 million in 3Q24.
In terms of network in 3Q24, AirAsia X launched flights to Changsha (four times per week), Medina (twice per week) and also reintroduced its Taipei-Osaka route (seven times per week), capitalising on the fifth freedom right it holds in the market. Connectivity was further enhanced to leverage two of the most profitable routes, namely Hangzhou (to six times weekly) and Xi’an (to four times weekly). As of the end of September 2024, more than half the routes within its network served daily flights as the Company continues to focus on catering to high travel demand.
The company’s associate, AirAsia X Thailand (“TAAX”) recorded a healthy PLF at 80% for the quarter, down by two percentage points compared to the previous year. This came on the back of higher seat capacity which rose to 426,064 seats during the quarter, and TAAX’s number of passengers carried increased to 342,533 passengers. During the quarter under review, AirAsia X Thailand launched flights to Nagoya in Japan, marking its fourth destination in this perennial favourite country for travellers.
AirAsia X’s total fleet size remained at 18 A330s as of 30 September 2024, with 16 aircraft now activated and operational. TAAX’s fleet size stood at eight A330s, with seven aircraft activated and operational.