AirAsia X delivered strong operating statistics during the third quarter of 2024, with a passenger load factor of 84%, up by four percentage points compared to the same period of the year prior.
The airline carried a total of 1.08 million passengers during the quarter which is an increase of 34% when compared to the third quarter of 2023. This performance was achieved as more of the airline’s aircraft returned to service over the past year, ramping up seat capacity by 27% compared to the same time last year, while available seat per kilometre capacity grew by 17% compared to the same quarter of last year to 5,1 million.
During the quarter, the airline launched several new routes and expanded existing services, strengthening its international connectivity. The airline introduced flights to Changsha, operating four times per week, and Medina twice weekly. Additionally, it reintroduced its Taipei-Osaka route with daily services, leveraging its fifth freedom rights in the market.
In response to strong demand, AirAsia X increased the frequency of two of its most profitable routes, boosting Hangzhou flights to six times weekly and Xi'an to four times weekly. By the end of September 2024, over half of the routes in its network operated daily flights.
The airline’s associate, AirAsia X Thailand (TAAX) reported a load factor of 80% for the third quarter, a slight decline of two percentage points compared to the same time last year. This performance came amid a rise in seat capacity, which increased to 426,000 seats during the period, while the number of passengers carried grew to just of 342,000.
TAAX also further expanded its network by launching flights to Nagoya, Japan, its fourth destination in the country.
As of September 30, 2024, AirAsia X's total fleet size remained at 18 A330 aircraft, with 16 currently activated and operational. TAAX reported a fleet of eight A330s, with seven of those aircraft in active service.