GOING VIRAL on social media is a photo of AirAsia’s boss Tony Fernandes flying to Beijing on a Thai Airways flight on Oct. 23 because his own airline’s flights were sold out, Thai Rath newspaper said late yesterday (Oct. 28).
Fernandes wrote, “Continuing my travels. I most fly more than a crew. Onto Beijing on @thaiairways. Airasia again sold out. Loke my track suit @danawhite.”
Thai Rath Money checked the claim and found out that Capital A Group, owner of AirAsia in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Cambodia, has seen the number of passengers jump higher than seats available.
The airline’s average passenger load factor is as high as 89% since the beginning of this year – the highest in five years.
Moreover the third quarter operating statistics of AirAsia group, including AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia, AirAsia Philippines, and AirAsia Cambodia, showed the airline maintained the 84% passenger load factor even though there is a seasonal slowdown this quarter.
However the passenger load factor on the China and India routes stayed steady at 89% since the beginning of this year.
Furthermore, passenger volume in the third quarter increased by 8% year-on-year to almost 16 million, driven by growth in line with capacity.
At the same time, the company has added three new Airbus A321neo aircraft and put three more into service, bringing the total fleet to 202 from 216 available, enabling AirAsia to fully capitalise on the growing demand for travel across the region.
Looking at the historical load factor statistics, we see continuous recovery, with the 89% average load factor from the beginning of this year till the third quarter being highest in five years as follows
– 2019 at 85%
– 2020 at 74%
– 2021 at 74%
– 2022 at 84%
– 2023 at 88%
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Top and Front Page: The photo AirAsia boss Tony Fernandez shared online. Credit: Thai Rath
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