Malaysia's AirAsia sees 2020 capacity at 45-60% of 2019 levels on virus hit

AirAsia posted a loss of 803.3 million ringgit ($187.91 million) for the quarter ended March, from 96.1 million ringgit net profit in the year-ago period

Malaysia's flagship budget carrier AirAsia Group Bhd expects its 2020 capacity to be just 45%-60% of last year's levels due to the coronavirus outbreak and to fill 70-75% of seats this year compared with the usual 85%.

The forecast was released in a presentation posted on the airline's website on Tuesday, a day after it reported its biggest first-quarter loss since it listed on the Malaysian bourse in November 2004, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.

AirAsia expects travel demand to rebound to an extent in 2021, with capacity reaching 85% of its 2019 levels and load factor, a measure of the percentage