AirAsia notes hike in baggage take-up rate

CEBU, Philippines —  AirAsia Philippines observes an uptrend in take-up rate across all of its baggage products as the country ushers in the holiday season.

“Rebound travel is in full swing and we are expecting activity to grow significantly as holidays approach,” said AirAsia Philippines Head of Communications and Public Affairs Steve Dailisan.

AirAsia domestic passengers are purchasing more baggage products as of September first week during their ticket purchase and even as they check-in at the airport.

This is evidenced by the 10 percent increase in take-up rate versus pre-pandemic records in the same period. International guests of the airline show higher demand for additional baggage allowance with more than half of passengers availing of the ancillary product. 

The historical data of AirAsia show that baggage take-up rate, which corresponds to total baggage products availed versus passenger count, gradually increases at the start of September and peaks in January of the following year.

Dailisan noted that along with the increase of travel activity is the increase in demand for products such as baggage allowance.

“We attribute this incremental month-on-month growth in baggage demand in fourth quarter to the pasalubong tradition and general gifting culture of Filipinos during Christmas,” explained Dailisan.

To support this development, AirAsia vowed to maintain the competitiveness of its baggage products, which Dailisan described as “offering the best value-for-money our guests deserve and expect from AirAsia.”

Filipino leisure travelers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and foreign tourists flying to and around Philippines are encouraged to leverage AirAsia Philippines’ “No Limit on Check-in Baggage Count” policy, which allows guests to load as many pieces of luggage as they require as long as total weight does not exceed their baggage allowance.

AirAsia Philippines also currently boasts of competitive market pricing on baggage allowance from 20kg to 40kg. Guests of the world’s best low-cost airline also get to enjoy free 7kg for their carry-on cabin baggage. 

An end-2021 survey by AirAsia Philippines showed that baggage allowance ranks number one in list of priority add-on purchases of traveling Filipinos in the new normal.

Ancillary products are now considered by several airlines as key growth and revenue drivers in the age of revenge travel.