Retail News CRM

Tag: Holiday

  • Vietnam to welcome nearly 800,000 international visitors for reunification holiday

    Vietnam to welcome nearly 800,000 international visitors for reunification holiday

    Vietnam is preparing for a surge in air traffic during its five-day reunification holiday, with 792,000 international visitors expected, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

    From April 30 to May 4, Vietnamese airports are forecast to handle around 5,000 international flights, averaging 830 flights a day, a 20% increase compared to the same period last year. The busiest international hubs will be Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by Noi Bai in Hanoi, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc.

    Domestically, the southern metropolis of HCMC remains the country’s top traffic hub. Tan Son Nhat Airport alone will account for 70% of all domestic flights, with more than 5,000 flights scheduled over the holiday period. The popular Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City route is also booming, with over 1,200 flights planned, up 16% from 2024.

    Vietnamese airlines will operate over 7,500 domestic flights, offering around 1.5 million seats, representing a 21% jump from the same period last year. Tan Son Nhat Airport is ramping up operations to handle the influx, increasing flight frequency to 46 flights per hour between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., compared to the usual 40–42.

    Airlines like Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air are also expanding their schedules, boosting night flights by approximately 20% to meet heightened demand. Although Tan Son Nhat’s new domestical terminal T3 has been completed ahead of schedule, most domestic operations for Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet will continue at the existing T1 terminal for now.

    Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport is preparing for around 370 domestic flights on its peak day, serving roughly 68,000 passengers. The airport has also introduced biometric identification technology via mobile app VNeID to streamline domestic flight procedures.

  • How Vietnam is overtaking Thailand as favorite destination for Indian travelers

    How Vietnam is overtaking Thailand as favorite destination for Indian travelers

    Vietnam’s landscapes, growing upscale tourism infrastructure, globally recognized cuisine, and expanding network of direct flights have made it a top destination for travelers from India in Southeast Asia, steadily surpassing Thailand.

    For years, Thailand was the go-to destination for Indian travelers visiting the region. However, more Indian tourists are now turning their attention to Vietnam, which offers a similar experience at more affordable prices. In late March, The Economic Times published an article titled “Forget Thailand, Vietnam is the new playground for Indian tourists,” noting that Vietnam is now drawing more interest from Indian travelers than any other Southeast Asian destination.

    New playground for India’s wealthy

    Vietnam has become a strong contender among high-end Indian travelers, as they seek alternatives to Japan and Singapore after visiting Thailand’s popular islands like Koh Samui and Phuket. The rising presence of luxury hotels, particularly in beach destinations like Phu Quoc, is attracting India’s elite.

    The Economic Times highlights that India’s wealthy organize approximately 5,000 ultra-luxury weddings annually, with budgets ranging from $250,000 to $500,000. Despite intense competition, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay successfully hosted the wedding of Indian billionaire Rushang Shah in 2019 and another billionaire couple’s ceremony in early 2024. The arrival of luxury brands like The Luxury Collection and Ritz Carlton Reserve in Phu Quoc further bolsters the island’s appeal.

    Beyond luxury stays, Phu Quoc offers a range of experiences that appeal to Indian travelers.

    Sun Paradise Land in southern Phu Quoc features attractions like the Guinness World Record-holding “Kiss of the Sea” multimedia show, nightly fireworks, the world’s longest three-wire cable car, and the Kiss Bridge.

    “Phu Quoc offered so many surprises. A morning cable car ride over the sea, fireworks at night… I’ve never experienced anything like that anywhere else,” said Rohan Khanna, a visitor from New Delhi.

    In addition to Phu Quoc, Ha Long Bay is also becoming a popular destination for Indian travelers. More and more wealthy Indian families are choosing Phu Quoc and Ha Long for milestone events, positioning Vietnam as a top Asian wedding destination. With its natural beauty, luxury hotels, and professional event services, both locations are proving ideal for hosting special moments.

    Outstanding culinary experiences

    Food plays a decisive role for Indian tourists when choosing a travel destination. Given the diversity in dietary and religious preferences across India, catering to halal or halal-friendly standards is essential to ensure repeat visits.

    Top tourist destinations in Vietnam, such as Sun World Ba Na Hills in Da Nang and Sun World Fansipan Legend in Sa Pa, have embraced these dietary needs, offering Indian tourists familiar flavors that meet their cultural requirements.

    Da Nang, which was added to the Michelin Guide’s 2024 expansion, has seen a significant increase in Indian visitors.

    Da Nang welcomed 222,000 Indian tourists in 2024, accounting for 5.3% of total international arrivals. Nearly 50% of Indian visitors to Vietnam chose Da Nang as their primary destination, solidifying its position as the most popular Vietnamese city among Indian travelers.

    Affordable food prices in Da Nang and other beach destinations like Phu Quoc also add to Vietnam’s appeal.

    Compared to regional competitors like Thailand, seafood in Vietnam is significantly more affordable. Thailand’s Nation Story even noted that seafood in Phu Quoc costs about half as much as in Thailand.

    More direct flights

    Vietnam’s growing network of direct flights from major Indian cities is also contributing to the rising demand. There are currently around 56 direct flights per week between the two countries. Several new direct routes, including one from Ahmedabad to Da Nang, were launched in 2024.

    Sandeep Arya, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, shared that aviation authorities from both countries are planning to add 14 more flights connecting cities like New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai with Vietnam. India is also encouraging airlines like Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, and IndiGo to open more direct routes to boost tourism.

    According to the General Statistics Office, international arrivals to Vietnam in the first quarter of 2025 exceeded 6 million, a 29.6% increase year-on-year. Over 143,000 of these visitors were from India, continuing the trend of double-digit growth compared to the same period last year.

    In 2024, Vietnam welcomed more than 500,000 Indian tourists, making India one of its most promising inbound markets. With an expanding range of competitive offerings, Vietnam is well on its way to becoming the top destination for Indian travelers in Southeast Asia by 2025.

    Lees ook:
    Lees ook:
  • Samsonite reopens at Hong Kong’s IFC mall with pop-up cafe concept

    Samsonite reopens at Hong Kong’s IFC mall with pop-up cafe concept

    Samsonite has reopened its flagship store at Hong Kong’s IFC Mall with the launch of a limited-time pop-up cafe.

    Running until April 20, the Samsonite Cafe offers visitors a curated space to explore the brand’s sustainability initiatives in a lifestyle-driven setting.

    The cafe aims to complement the newly renovated outlet, which showcases the brand’s first dedicated sustainability-led design.

    As part of the activation, customers can enjoy complimentary coffee by registering as a Samsonite member at the pop-up store, or with any purchase made at the Samsonite IFC Mall store upon registering. Lifetime, Black, Platinum, and Gold Club members are eligible for complimentary coffee without any purchase.

    Constructed using FSC-certified plywood and low-emission gypsum board, the store features display podiums and wall panels made from repurposed luggage shell edges and leftover backpack fabric.

    To further lower its carbon footprint, more than 75 per cent of the renovation waste was sorted for recycling and processed by certified partners.

    The store also incorporates motion-sensor LED lighting and enhanced air quality systems in line with global retail standards.

    “Our inaugural sustainability concept at IFC Mall underscores our commitment to eco-friendly practices,” the company said.

    “This approach exemplifies our belief that sustainability can redefine the retail experience and transform the lifestyle bag and luggage industry.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vietjet hikes Singapore-HCMC flight frequency

    Vietjet hikes Singapore-HCMC flight frequency

    Vietjet is set to boost its number of flights between Singapore and HCMC starting March 30.

    There will be three flights a week, up from the current two. There are now 35 flights between the two cities per week.

    The announcement comes with a 50% off sale on eco-class tickets for all Vietjet routes, including those to Hanoi and Da Nang (currently served by one daily flight each).

    Last year Vietjet added 10 aircraft to its fleet, bringing the total to 115. It operated on 170 routes.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Google Flights introduces a new “Cheapest” tab for budget-conscious travelers

    Google Flights has launched a new “Cheapest” tab to help travelers find the most affordable flights, even if it means sacrificing some convenience. The new feature comes as October is considered the ideal time to book holiday flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    Google Flights already offers various ways to save on travel, but this new feature aims to make finding the lowest prices even easier. The “Cheapest” tab will display options with the lowest fares, which may include longer layovers, self-transfers, or booking different legs of the trip through multiple airlines or booking sites.

    The new “Cheapest” tab complements the existing “Best” tab, which prioritizes a balance of price and convenience. While the “Best” tab shows the most convenient flights based on factors like travel time and number of stops, the “Cheapest” tab focuses solely on finding the absolute lowest fares, regardless of the potential inconveniences.

    This new feature is beneficial for travelers who are flexible with their travel plans and prioritize cost savings over convenience. By using the “Cheapest” tab, travelers can explore a wider range of options and potentially find significant discounts on their airfare.

    Google’s latest insights indicate that the cheapest fares for U.S. domestic trips around Thanksgiving and Christmas are usually available in October, which makes this the perfect time to roll out this tool. The new addition will effectively enable travelers to easily compare prices and find the best deals for their holiday travel plans. Rollout should begin globally over the next two weeks, wherever Google Flights is available —  this means both on mobile and the web.
    This update will provide travelers with an additional tool to make informed decisions and find the most affordable flights for their next trip, and it could be a game-changer for budget-conscious travelers like myself. The ability to prioritize price over convenience opens up a whole new world of possibilities for finding affordable flights. I’m eager to try out the “Cheapest” tab and see how much I can save on my future travels.
    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Cathay Pacific cancels 90 flights over aircraft engine issue

    Cathay Pacific cancels 90 flights over aircraft engine issue

    Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific Airways has canceled 90 flights this week due to an engine component issue affecting its Airbus A350 fleet.

    The firm initially canceled 48 flights on Tuesday and 20 on Wednesday before axing another 22 from Thursday to Saturday.

    All the flights canceled this week are for regional destinations except for one long-haul flight on Monday, the airline said.

    The canceled flights on Tuesday and Wednesday included routes between Hong Kong and cities such as Sydney, Osaka, Tokyo, Taipei, Bangkok, and Singapore.

    The airline announced on Tuesday that all affected travelers had been notified and provided with alternative travel options.

    To help passengers adjust their travel plans, Cathay Pacific waived ticket change fees, including charges for rebooking and rerouting.

    The flight cancelations followed a component failure on Monday that led Cathay Pacific to ground and inspect its entire Airbus A350 fleet.

    The inspection found that 15 planes required fuel line repairs, six of which have been fixed and cleared to operate as of Wednesday.

    Cathay Pacific said no further flight cancelations were expected, and all affected aircraft are anticipated to resume operations by Saturday.

    The cancelations have caused confusion and frustration among customers, many of whom had to make last-minute travel rearrangements.

    Lim and his family from Singapore were looking forward to their five-day trip to Hong Kong when their Tuesday flight was delayed and then canceled.

    They were later rebooked on a flight departing 12 hours later than originally scheduled.

    “We’re very disappointed in the way Cathay has handled this issue,” Lim said. “Until now, no one has come to let us know the cause of the delays and cancelations. I had to google media reports to find out what happened. They don’t even have a statement on Facebook.”

    Complaints about canceled flights have also surfaced on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, where users traveling from Hong Kong to Singapore and other cities voiced their frustration over disrupted travel plans.

  • Qatar Airways passengers endure 3-hour delay without air conditioning

    Qatar Airways passengers endure 3-hour delay without air conditioning

    During a Qatar Airways flight from Athens to Bangkok via Doha, passengers suffered extreme discomfort when they were confined for more than three hours in oppressive heat due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system.

    The incident, which occurred on Monday while the plane was on the Athens International Airport’s tarmac, caused temperatures inside the cabin to soar to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius).

    Referencing a Matichon reporter on board, stated that despite the malfunction, the captain decided against allowing passengers to disembark, leading to the distressing situation.

    South African sports therapist Garth Collins, a passenger on the flight, shared his experience, stating: “Passengers were literally dehydrating and passing out on the plane.”

    “They were left stranded on the plane for 3.5 hours with doors closed and no air conditioning.”

    As seen in videos circulating online, a passenger had to resort to stripping off their clothes while others fanned themselves with safety instruction cards during the delay.

    Garth noted that after enduring the heat, passengers were finally permitted to leave the aircraft and return to the cooler confines of Athens International Airport. However, the relief was fleeting as they encountered extensive delays without communication from the airline. He emphasized that many missed their connecting flights in Doha due to the incident.

    Criticizing the airline’s response, Garth remarked that the assistance provided, which included only a cup of water and a small soft drink, was “completely insufficient to rehydrate an individual after the enforced sauna on the plane.”

    The flight was carrying 49 members of the Thai boxing team and accompanying reporters returning from the IFMA Senior World Championships in Patras, Greece. Among them, footage highlighted Muay Thai fighter Damian Collins visibly overwhelmed by the heat.

    “Damian is a fit, conditioned athlete, imagine the stress and danger for any normal individual,” commented Garth.

    Thai boxer Thannachai Sidsongpeenong also expressed his astonishment at the conditions and reflected on his relief at surviving the ordeal: “Now I feel that I was lucky to get through that situation.”

    The flight ultimately arrived in Doha at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, significantly delayed from its expected arrival time of 6:20 p.m. the previous day.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Korean Air to launch new route to Macau

    Korean Air to launch new route to Macau

    Flights depart from Incheon International Airport at 9:15 pm and arrive at Macau International Airport at 11:55 pm. The return flight departs from Macau International Airport at 1:10 am the next day and arrives at Incheon International Airport at 6:00 am. The flight time is approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes.

    Macau, a special administrative region of China, offers a unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures. With its mild winters, it is considered a great travel destination year round. Visitors can explore exotic streets, historic buildings and the vibrant skyline as well as enjoy many activities such as night bus tours and fountain shows.

    Macau’s proximity to Hong Kong, accessible within an hour by ferry or bus, offers further travel convenience. Korean Air also operates four daily flights between Seoul Incheon and Hong Kong.

    In response to growing travel demand, Korean Air is restoring services and exploring new markets to strengthen its China network. The airline has resumed three weekly flights between Seoul Incheon and Zhangjiajie and four weekly flights between Seoul Incheon and Zhengzhou from April 23 and 24, respectively.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vietravel Airlines reports first profits in 3 years

    Vietravel Airlines reports first profits in 3 years

    Vietravel Airlines has reported a profit of VND10 billion (US$400,128) for the first three months of the year, achieving its first profitable quarter since its inception in 2021.

    As a subsidiary of the tour operator Vietravel, the airline announced first-quarter revenues exceeding VND491 billion, surpassing its initial target by 42%.

    The profits stemmed from increases in domestic airfare prices, which typically reach their peak during the two or three weeks around the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. This year, the holiday period was from February 7 to 14.

    Typically, airfare prices start to decrease gradually after Tet. However, this year, prices have not followed the expected post-holiday downturn and have remained elevated.

    Factors contributing to sustained high prices include rising operational costs and a shortage of aircraft, particularly as numerous airlines have been forced to ground A321 planes, commonly used for domestic flights, for engine maintenance.

    With a modest fleet of just three A321 aircraft, Vietravel Airlines is nevertheless setting ambitious goals, targeting VND1.05 trillion in revenues for the next quarter. The airline is expanding its network with new routes and increasing the frequency of flights both within Vietnam and internationally.

    Currently, Vietravel Airlines operates charter flights to Japan, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Takamatsu and Da Nang with Fukushima, among others.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia to Open Bali-NTT Domestic Route in December

    AirAsia to Open Bali-NTT Domestic Route in December

    AirAsia airlines will open a new domestic route of Denpasar, Bali-Kupang, NTT beginning on December 16, 2023. The Bali-NTT route will serve three flights a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

    “AirAsia opens the [route] with a special price of Rp1.5 million for one trip,” said Corporate Communication Manager Indonesia of AirAsia, Ageng Wibowo on Friday, November 17, 2023.

    According to Ageng, this new route will create an opportunity for foreign tourists and Kupang residents to travel through Denpasar, Bali, and extend their trips to various domestic and international destinations such as Surabaya, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, and Perth.

    This route also opens Kupang to various sources of foreign tourist markets such as Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

    Kupang is the gateway to all areas in NTT, especially Rote Island, Sabu Island, Timor Island, Alor, Sumba, and Flores. Thus, this route will boost the tourism and economy of the region.

    Additionally, Kupang itself has a promising tourism potential, proven by the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the province. The diverse social and cultural spheres supported by Kupang’s geographical conditions attracted visitors to the region.

    “Kupang has many tourist attractions consisting of Marine, Nature, Culture, and Historical destinations, such as Oenesu Waterfall, Tablolong Beach, Crystal Cave, and Manikin Beach,” he said.

    AirAsia, Ageng added, is committed to connecting tourists with their chosen cities by offering flight choices to various interesting destinations.

    Lees ook:

  • Capital A increases its presence in Cambodia

    Capital A increases its presence in Cambodia

    Capital A, the entity behind the AirAsia Aviation Group of airlines, remains committed to a November 2023 launch of AirAsia Cambodia (Phnom Penh). It comes as Capital A steps up its involvement in the Cambodian market and takes a 60% stake in a local ground services company called ADE Cambodia.

    In late 2022, ch-aviation reported that Capital A had set up a joint venture company, AirAsia (Cambodia) Co., Ltd, to facilitate its entry into Cambodia with the AirAsia brand. The start-up is a 51/49 joint venture with the hospitality group Sivilai Asia.

    This week, Capital A announced another joint venture agreement with Sivilai Asia. A September 20 Bursa Malaysia filing said the principal activities of ADE Cambodia will be engineering maintenance services, component and warehouse services, engineering support services, and digital and innovation services to aircraft, including repair and maintenance of aircraft and/or engines, consultancy, and training. Capital A says ADE Cambodia will support its local low-cost carrier.

    “This will create an opportunity for ADE to establish its operation in Cambodia,” the filing reads, noting that ADE will also hunt for business from other airlines flying into the country. “The objective is to optimize utilization of ADE’s assets at maximum capacity to reach utmost productivity […] enabling Capital A to capitalize on cost-saving opportunities and potentially capture surpluses from new revenue streams generated.”

    Capital A is making the USD1.2 million investment via its subsidiary, Asia Digital Engineering Sdn Bhd, a Malaysia-based business principally engaged in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Sivilai Asia is a Cambodia-based incorporated in early 2022. Its core business is providing consulting services to the hospitality industry.

    The Capital A investment, which is funded from internal cash reserves and not subject to approval from Capital A shareholders, is expected to be finalized by the end of 2023.

  • Prime minister asks ministries to support Bamboo Airways

    Prime minister asks ministries to support Bamboo Airways

    Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked relevant ministries to find solutions to Bamboo Airways’ issues on capital, transfer of shares to new investors, and its fleet expansion.

    The airline has recently faced many difficulties, especially in finance.

    In mid-July, it was rumored Bamboo Airways asked the government for bankruptcy protection, but the private airline denied this.

    In early July, Bamboo Airways sent the prime minister a report on its operation and difficulties.

    Chinh assigned the Ministry of Transport to maintain the airline’s operating conditions to ensure security and safety in civil aviation transport, and the Ministry of Finance to remove difficulties in transferring its shares to new investors.

    He also asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to quickly appraise a proposal allowing Bamboo Airways to increase its fleet to more than 30 aircraft, because the lengthy process would slow down the airline’s recovery and development as well as reduce its business opportunities.

    In addition, he proposed the State Bank of Vietnam work with the airline to remove financial difficulties, facilitating commercial banks’ contribution of capital to the airline.

    The prime minister requested the ministries and the central bank to report the results of their troubleshooting before September 15.

    Vietnam’s aviation industry has been recovering domestically but is still struggling to reclaim its share of the global market.

    In the first six months, the domestic market increased by 8% compared to pre-pandemic levels, but the international market remained 40% lower.

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia Philippines gears up for holiday season

    AirAsia Philippines gears up for holiday season

    AirAsia Philippines is gearing up for the holiday season and expects a surge in air passenger traffic after the foreign traveler vaccine certificate requirement was lifted.

    The Department of Health Circular 2023-06 applies to all airports and seaports in the country and states that all arriving international travelers will be accepted regardless of their vaccination status. The circular took effect on Aug. 12, 2023, and follows the Transportation Department’s earlier announcement of the scrapping of face masks for public transportation.

    AirAsia spokesperson Steve Dailisan said the latest development is timely with the upcoming “Ber” months (referring to September, October, November and December), which are usually the busiest time for airlines and peak season for travel in the country.

    He said the lifting of the vaccine certificate travel requirement is a significant step towards making travel more seamless and will encourage travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, to experience the Philippines.

    The Department of Tourism aims to achieve 4.8 million international tourist arrivals this year, and AirAsia is committed to helping achieve this target by providing exceptional services and value deals for flights and other travel-related services through its Airasia Superapp.

    Lees ook:

  • Air New Zealand’s ‘Mission Next Gen Aircraft’ calls for airports

    Air New Zealand’s ‘Mission Next Gen Aircraft’ calls for airports

    Air New Zealand is looking for two airports to further support its efforts towards decarbonization and has opened an expression of interest as part of selecting a route to fly its commercial demonstrator aircraft from 2026. 

    The move is part of the airline’s ‘Mission Next Gen Aircraft’ launched in December last year, where the carrier announced partnerships with Eviation, Beta, VoltAero and Cranfield Aerospace with plans to launch the first-zero emissions demonstrator flight by 2026. 

    Air New Zealand is working towards its ambition of flying next-generation aircraft on its domestic network from 2030. The airline will work with its partners to develop the technology and associated infrastructure required to make this a reality. The commercial demonstrator aircraft will be either electric, hybrid or hydrogen fuel celled, initially operating as a cargo-only service. The airline said it will announce the type of demonstrator aircraft it will use from 2026 by early next year. 

    “Decarbonising aviation is not easy, and we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but we’re committed to reducing our emissions as quickly as we can, and this process is another step in the right direction,” said Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand’s chief sustainability officer. 

    “While we’re looking forward to bringing two frontrunner airports on board, it’s also important to note that all airports in New Zealand play an important role as we work towards bringing next-generation aircraft into our network here in Aotearoa at scale.  

    “The selected airports will be leaders in supporting the implementation of this new technology and will be the conduit of information between airports across the motu as we drive the change required in advance of our larger fleet replacement needs from 2030.” 

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia Doubles Passengers In 2Q And Powers Capital A Growth

    AirAsia Doubles Passengers In 2Q And Powers Capital A Growth

    Today Malaysia’s Capital A Berhad (Capital A) announced its operating statistics for the second quarter of its financial year 2023. The announcement details the performance of Capital A’s aviation, digital, logistics and aviation services segments from April 1st to June 30th, 2023 (2Q2023).

    With the operating segments so closely interconnected, a strong performance in Aviation drives equally strong performances throughout the Capital A group. That was certainly the case in 2Q when the four consolidated airlines virtually doubled the passengers carried in the same quarter last year.

    AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia and AirAsia Philippines carried 14.2 million passengers in 2Q, compared to 7.2 million in 2Q 2022. Across the aviation group, 16.2 million seats were available, and this capacity management resulted in a load factor of 88%, up from 82% last year.

    The consolidated AirAsia airlines operated 146 of their 166 activated aircraft and have now recovered to 73% of capacity and 74% of passengers carried compared to the pre-pandemic first half of 2019. The group operated 88,900 flight stages with an average length of 1,165 kilometers (724 miles) and, at the end of the quarter, was operating 146 aircraft from its total fleet of 210 aircraft.

    In terms of individual airlines and their share of group passenger traffic, AirAsia Malaysia (MAA) led the way with 6.45 million at a load factor of 87%, followed by AirAsia Thailand (TAA) with 4.64 million at 89%, AirAsia Philippines (PAA) with 1.63 million at 91% and AirAsia Indonesia (IAA) with 1.52 million at 84%.

    MAA used 66 aircraft to fly 40,385 stages, TAA used 44 to fly 28,475, PAA used 15 to fly 9,921, and IAA used 21 to fly 10,119. IAA had the longest average stage length of 1,433 kilometers (890 miles), followed by MAA, TAA and PAA with 908 kilometers (564 miles).

    Summarising the quarter, Capital A said the domestic performance was incredibly strong and the international market remained buoyant with favorable load factors. It added that more aircraft have now been allocated to international routes in response to the strong resurgence in demand.

    Capital A has three businesses in its Aviation services segment: Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), Santan and Ground Team Red (GTR), which each supply services to the operating airlines and external customers. ADE is the maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in the region.

    In 2Q, it completed 22 base maintenance checks, up from 12 in the same period last year, which was made possible by adding two additional maintenance lines in Senai, Malaysia. Its line maintenance activities grew by 179% year-on-year, with 98% performed on narrowbody aircraft and just 2% on widebodies.

    Santan is the group’s inflight service provider, selling 4.8 million units in 2Q, up 189% YoY. Among those, 98% were perishable and non-perishable food and beverage items, with the balance from sales of duty-free and merchandise products. Capital A said the surge in demand was directly attributable to the increase in flight frequencies and the higher number of passengers carried by the group’s airlines.

    GTR is the group’s affiliated ground handling services company, and in 2Q, it managed 37,000 flights, of which 94% were AirAsia branded, and handled 5.7 million passengers. GTR also managed 16,787 tonnes of cargo, up 39% YoY due to the increased belly hold capacity as more flights operated on domestic and international routes.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: