The Philippine unit of AirAsia said Tuesday passenger traffic dropped 9 percent in the first quarter amid the increasing and unprecedented travel restrictions because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Air Asia Philippines said it carried 1.80 million in the first three months, lower than 1.97 million passengers it flew in the same period last year.
The airline’s capacity also decreased 1 percent year-on-year as domestic routes and international routes were halted beginning mid-March 2020. The government issued the enhanced community quarantine last March 15 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Load factor was at 84 percent, down 7 percentage points from 91 percent last year.
The airline operates several flights to and from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Clark and Iloilo in the Philippines. It operates international flights to and from Shanghai, Taipei, Incheon (Seoul), Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Guangzhou, Vietnam, Shenzhen, Kaohshing, Bali, Shenzhen, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.
