AirAsia X Reports Strong Operational Performance in First Quarter of 2024

AirAsia X Berhad has reported impressive operational data for the first quarter of 2024, demonstrating the company’s strong recovery and growth trajectory. During 1Q24, AirAsia X achieved a robust passenger load factor (PLF) of 83%, marking a three-percentage-point increase compared to the same period last year. This increase reflects the strong demand for air travel, even as the company expanded its available seat per kilometer (ASK) metric by 74% year-on-year to 5,039 million. The increase in ASK capacity was primarily driven by the addition of more flights to its growing network. AirAsia X surpassed the growth in ASK capacity, with a 90% year-on-year rise in passengers carried, reaching 959,623. This increase in passengers is attributed to the company’s efforts to meet the escalating travel demands during peak periods such as key festive seasons and school holidays. In terms of network expansion, AirAsia X Malaysia successfully launched its inaugural flight to Almaty, Kazakhstan, in March 2024, marking its entry into Central Asia with four times weekly flights. Additionally, the company increased flight frequencies on popular routes in China like Chengdu (7 times per week), Beijing (7 times per week), and Shanghai (11 times per week), along with ramping up flights to Bali, Indonesia (9 times per week). These initiatives contributed to an 85% year-on-year increase in the company’s number of flights to 3,184 during the reviewed quarter. Meanwhile, AirAsia X Thailand achieved a strong PLF of 89%, a slight increase of 1 percentage point driven by a 51% year-on-year growth in the number of passengers carried, totaling 437,764 during the reviewed quarter. With the reactivation of one aircraft into its operational fleet in 1Q24, AirAsia X Thailand reported a 50% year-on-year increase in the number of sectors flown to 1,329, while its ASK capacity grew by over 37% year-on-year to 2,199 million during the quarter. As of the end of March 2024, AirAsia X’s total fleet size remained at 18 A330s, with 16 aircraft activated and operational. Meanwhile, AirAsia X Thailand’s fleet size stood at seven A330s, with six aircraft activated and operational.