Number of LCC seats in Asia jumps 28.7% in H1

EMERGING markets in Asia are fuelling capacity growth in the global low-cost carrier (LCC) segment, with the number of LCC seats in Asia jumping nearly 30 per cent year-on-year in 1H 2013, a report said.

According to the study by technology travel firm Amadeus, Asia, the Middle East and Africa are experiencing sharp growth in LCC capacity while more mature markets such as Europe and the Americas are seeing flat or marginal increases.

Asia reported 129.3 million LCC seats in the first six months of 2013, up 28.7 per cent, driven largely by budget carriers in Indonesia, India, Thailand and Malaysia. The four markets collectively account for over half of total global LCC growth.