AirAsia India experienced a sharp rise in passenger traffic in the first quarter of 2017, as the fledgling low-cost carrier continued to expand its operations.

For the three months to 31 March, the airline carried a total of 840,000 passengers, up 57% compared to the same period last year. This growth outpaced a 50% increase in seat capacity, allowing AirAsia India’s average load factor (or the number of seats filled per flight) to rise three percentage points to 89%.

Three new routes, linking Delhi with Srinagar, Bagdogra and Pune, were launched in the quarter, while the frequency of the Delhi-Goa route was increased. By the end of the quarter, the LCC’s fleet had increased to nine aircraft.

The Indian performance contributed to a strong first quarter for the AirAsia Group; in total AirAsia’s five short-haul budget airlines carried a total of 15.23 million passengers in Q1 2017, up 9% year-on-year.