AirAsia has committed to continue to take delivery of 358 Airbus A321neo aircraft this 2023. These jets will be distributed among all subsidiaries, with priority on subsidiaries with high traffic demand. So far, the Philippines subsidiary, AirAsia Philippines, has had the highest load factor among all in recent times
It is no doubt indeed that the AirAsia Philippines may be at the top of Tony Fernandes’ priority list for the A321neo. I am personally excited to see AirAsia Philippines be part of the league of Airbus A321neo operators in the country, together with Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.
AirAsia’s Airbus A321neo
AirAsia’s Airbus A321neo, or A321-251NX, makes use of CFMI LEAP-1A turbofan engines giving the aircraft 10% less fuel burn compared to its predecessors. It also makes use of ACF or Airbus Cabin Flex. This allowed AirAsia to comfortably fit in up to 236 all-economy seats. The ACF feature enables a new rear section and a modified passenger door configuration. The door located forward of the wing is removed and new overwing emergency exits in the center section are introduced.
I am sure there will be no changes in the cabin interiors when it comes to the Philippines. AirAsia’s A321neo cabin is fitted with 236 all-economy seats which seem comfortable and stylish.
Here are pictures of how the cabin of AirAsia’s A321neo looks.
Chances of AirAsia Philippines to receive the A321neo soon
I honestly believe that AirAsia Philippines is on the top priority list to receive this aircraft due to the following assumptions.
First, it addresses the airport congestion problem. Due to the congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA in Manila, airlines find it a challenge to increase capacity by adding frequency. Thus, the best way to increase capacity is to make use of bigger aircraft.
Currently, AirAsia Philippines uses 180-seater Airbus A320-200. The A321neo seats 236 passengers, which translates to 56 additional seats. This will mean more revenue for AirAsia Philippines without having to pay for additional gate rentals. With limited gates, AirAsia will still be able to add more capacity with the additional seats that the A321neo can hold.
Second, AirAsia Philippines enjoyed the highest load factor among all subsidiaries at 86% in the first quarter of 2022. This means that there is a huge likelihood that AirAsia Philippines can fill up the aircraft with more passengers and cargo as the country further boosts its tourism efforts.
To compare, AirAsia Malaysia’s load factor is 74%, AirAsia Indonesia at 76%, and AirAsia Thailand at 73%.
Third, AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla is indeed pulling all the stops to acquire the Airbus A321neo. Mr. Isla firmly believes that the A321neo is essential for AirAsia Philippines to operate better and more efficient. He remains very confident that the Philippines subsidiary will be able to fill-in the cabin given its promos, forward bookings, and demand for domestic and regional air travel.
While there is still no official confirmation, I am very confident that AirAsia Philippines will be able to operate this beautiful bird soon. The only question is when. The year 2023 is indeed exciting for AirAsia as the company resumes delivery of more aircraft.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
