Starlux Airlines' Q1 Revenue Reaches New High, Tigerair Taiwan Records 92% Load Factor

Starlux Airlines' March revenue reached NT$4.727 billion, a 33% year-on-year increase. Its cumulative revenue for the first quarter of this year was NT$13.76 billion, a 23% year-on-year growth, setting a new quarterly high. Passenger revenue in March was NT$3.76 billion, up 31% year-on-year. Due to the conflict in the Middle East, some travelers rerouted through Taiwan, driving up load factors and ticket prices.

In terms of cargo, Starlux Airlines stated that March cargo revenue was NT$432 million, a 23% month-on-month increase and a 15% year-on-year increase. Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, some sea freight orders shifted to air freight, coupled with increased shipping demand at the end of Q1. This dual effect of "sea-to-air" conversion and "quarter-end effect" boosted cargo volume and supported high freight rates.

Starlux Airlines noted its continued expansion of its central Taiwan route network. Its fourth aircraft entered the central Taiwan market, launching Taichung-Tokyo and Taichung-Kumamoto routes on March 30 and March 31, respectively, with plans for gradual frequency increases. With the addition of the Tokyo and Kumamoto routes, and the planned Busan route in June, Starlux Airlines will gradually open up to 10 international destinations from Taichung, enhancing convenience for central Taiwan travelers.

Regarding its fleet, Starlux Airlines indicated that this year is a peak period for aircraft deliveries. Its second A350-1000 was delivered to Taiwan on March 18, and three more A350-1000s are expected this year, becoming the main aircraft for Starlux Airlines' expansion into the US and European long-haul markets. The fleet size is projected to reach 43 aircraft by the end of the year. With continuous new aircraft introductions, Starlux Airlines plans to deploy larger aircraft and add flights on popular routes. Furthermore, given the unresolved situation in the Middle East, Starlux Airlines will continue to monitor market changes, carefully adjust flight capacity and schedule configurations, and maintain operational flexibility and efficiency.

Tigerair Taiwan's self-reported revenue for March was NT$1.79 billion, an increase of approximately 27% year-on-year, setting a historical second-highest record. Its consolidated revenue for the first quarter of this year was NT$5.538 billion, breaking a new historical high, with a year-on-year increase of nearly 20%. The first quarter coincided with the winter vacation, a 9-day Lunar New Year holiday, the WBC World Baseball Classic preliminary rounds in Tokyo Dome, Japan, and the early blooming of cherry blossoms, which collectively boosted passenger numbers. Strong travel demand in Q1 pushed the average quarterly load factor to a record-breaking 92%.

Additionally, in response to recent global energy market fluctuations caused by the Middle East situation and the rising trend of aviation fuel prices (MOPS), Tigerair Taiwan stated that during periods of oil price volatility, it will strengthen cost-effective route capacity, continue to cultivate high-demand, high-load-factor short-haul markets like Japan and Korea, ensure optimal network profitability, and comprehensively review and adjust operating costs to proactively respond to market changes. (Editor: Chang Jo-yao) 1150410