AirAsia India flew 4.4 mn passengers in 2017

Budget passenger carrier AirAsia India flew 4.44 million passengers during the calendar year 2017, 81 per cent more passengers than during 2016, the company said on Friday.

"AirAsia India carried 4.44 million passengers from January to December 2017, recording an average load factor (measure of airline's capacity utilisation) of 87 per cent for the year," the company said in a statement announcing the quarterly results of AirAsia Berhad.

Headquartered in Bengaluru, AirAsia India is a joint venture between Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia Berhad and Tata Sons.

During the Q4 of the 2017 calendar year from October to December, the low-cost airline had carried 1.42 million passengers, an increase of 79 per cent compared to the same period in 2016, the company said.

"AirAsia India ended the Q4 with a fleet size of 14 aircraft after adding one aircraft during the quarter and six during the full year," the statement added.

During the quarter, the airline had increased the frequency of its flights from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, and started operating on three new routes to Ranchi from Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad.

--IANS

bha/pgh/bg