image by AirAsia
Amidst the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, AirAsia X has emerged triumphant, concluding 2023 on a robust note and gearing up for a promising 2024. Having successfully overcome Malaysia's financial restrictions, AirAsia X is now eyeing the acquisition of AirAsia Aviation Group from Capital A.
Last week, the airline released its operating statistics for Q4 23 and FY23. Notably, AirAsia X has strategically managed its fleet, transitioning from operating six aircraft at the end of December 2022 to an impressive 16 out of its 18 Airbus A330-300s by the close of 2023, with the remaining two listed as stored.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, AirAsia X experienced a substantial surge in passengers, carrying 890,289 with a load factor of 82%, compared to 336,954 passengers at a load factor of 79% in the same period in 2022. The increase in passenger count was coupled with a prudent capacity growth strategy, resulting in a load factor boost.
The addition of ten A330s significantly expanded AirAsia X's available seat kilometres (ASKs) to 4,77 million, a 2.8 times YoY increase, while revenue passenger kilometres surged three times to 3,84 million.
AirAsia X initiated a new seven-times weekly route to Hong Kong during Q423 to meet escalating market demands. The airline also ramped up frequencies to Seoul, Sydney, Melbourne, and Bangkok, culminating in a total weekly flight frequency of 144 by the end of 2023.
For the entire FY23, AirAsia X carried 2.82 million passengers at an 80% load factor, a substantial leap from the 417,195 passengers at 78% in FY22. The airline operated 9,799 flights, covering an average stage distance of 4,410 kilometres, launching eight new routes and serving 22 destinations.
The associate airline, AirAsia X Thailand, mirrored this success by carrying 387,217 passengers at an 86% load factor in Q423, marking an impressive growth from 224,536 passengers in the same period in 2022. With expanded seat capacity and resumed services to Sapporo in Japan, AirAsia X Thailand concluded the quarter with 52 flights per week across its network.
For the full year, AirAsia X Thailand carried 1.33 million passengers at an 83% load factor, a substantial increase from the 293,163 passengers in FY22 at a load factor of 87%. Operating 4,299 flights with an average stage length of 4,528 kilometres, the airline operated seven of its eight A330 by the end of the year.
As AirAsia X charts its course for 2024, the airline's robust recovery and strategic expansion plans position it as a key player in the dynamic aviation landscape.