AirAsia X Berhad (“AAX” or “the Company”), the long-haul, low cost airline affiliate of the AirAsia Group is pleased to announce its operating statistics for the 3rd Quarter 2014 (“3Q14”).

AAX continues to stimulate demand to fill up new capacity injected during 3Q14, by achieving a passenger load factor of above 80%, on the back of 24% year-on-year (“y-o-y”) growth in Available-Seat-KM (“ASK”) to 6,366 million in 3Q14, despite significantly softer market conditions. The capacity added was lower than earlier planned, as more aircraft capacity was withdrawn from scheduled services during lean periods and re-deployed to charters and wet leases in other regions that generated positive margins. In terms of quarter-on-quarter (“q-o-q”) growth, ASK grew by a mere 2% from 6,265 million recorded in 2Q14, primarily contributed from the launch of new a service to Xian, China, on 2 July 2014. The intended slower injection of capacity growth from 3Q14 onwards is to allow the previously added capacity in 2013 to mature and progress towards profitability.

In maintaining its clear market leader position in term of passengers carried on direct flights between Malaysia to each of its core markets in Australia and North Asia, the Company persistently achieved strong passenger traffic in Revenue-Passenger-KM (“RPK”), from 4,227 million to 5,129 million (+21% y-o-y), where 1.04 million passengers were carried during the quarter as compared to 0.84 million passengers carried same period last year.

Cargo segment on the other hand, saw an improvement of 21% y-o-y in total cargo carried to 9,771 tonnes from 8,079 tonnes same quarter last year, with 41% load factor for the quarter.

The Company had during the quarter took delivery of 1 A330-300 on operating lease, bringing its total number of A330-300s to 21, 2 A340-300s, and 1 A330-200 (to be returned by end 2014). Its fleet size has now expanded to 24 aircraft from 17, in the same period last year.