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Thai AirAsia Aiming To Increase Market Share
12th Feb 2013
Hoping to capture a larger market, Thai AirAsia will have its focus on domestic operations by augmenting its flight frequencies on existing routes deemed lucrative for the airline. The budget carrier has already a captive market of 38% but it is aiming to increase it to 40% this year.
The airline expects to take delivery of 7 new Airbus A320 aircraft this year to support its expansion effort. With the arrival of another set of 6 A320 planes every year through 2015, it is projecting its domestic share to more than half the size of the total market in Thailand.
By 2015, Thai AirAsia will have a total fleet of 46 aircraft or a dozen more than its current fleet of 34, including the 7 new planes it expects to take delivery this year.
On Tuesday, it welcomed its newest aircraft, an Airbus A320, its 28th overall. The aircraft is said to be equipped with "sharklet", a fuel-saving technology, a feature exclusive to the Airbus A320 family. The technology is visibly found on its wings, as blended winglets, which help reduce fuel burn allowing the aircraft to save on fuel.
Thai AirAsia currently serves 12 domestic and 18 international destinations, with 174 flights daily from its hub in Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport. Its major domestic market includes Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket and Hat Yai. While bullish on domestic prospect, the airline is also planning to increase frequencies on existing routes overseas such as China and mainland Southeast Asia.
The budget carrier is aiming to carry 10 million passengers this year, or 20% over the 2011 figure of 8.3 million. Though it keeps its projection of 82% for its cabin factor this year, similar to the previous year's figure.
According to its CEO, Tassapon Bijleveld, the airline will open four more destinations this year. Though he didn't give details, he disclosed that two of them will be in China, one from a Southeast Asian country and the other one will come from an Indian subcontinent country, either Nepal or Bhutan.
The airline introduced 9 destinations to its route network, both domestic and overseas. Three of those new regional destinations are in mainland China, including Chongqing, Wuhan and Xi'an cities. This triumvirate yields a combined 82% cabin factor.
The carrier has recently celebrated its 9th anniversary this month. It was founded in 2003 and began operations in February 2004 with its maiden flight to Hat Yai from Bangkok.
Thai AirAsia has been steadily growing since it commenced operations. Its revenue hit the Bt16 billion mark in 2011.
Although Tassapon didn't reveal its targeted specific figure this year, he noted, however, that it is expecting to grow by 20% annually this year. With the stable political situation in the country, its business outlook for this year is good.
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