ASK stands for Available Seat Kilometres. It is an aviation metric that measures the total passenger-carrying capacity an airline offers, taking into account the number of seats available and the distance flown.
ASK is calculated by multiplying the number of seats available on a flight by the distance flown, then adding the results across all flight stages.
Example: Lucknow to Bhubaneswar
Suppose an airline operates a flight from Lucknow to Bhubaneswar with 180 available seats and an assumed flight distance of 1,000 km.
ASK = Available seats × Distance flown
ASK = 180 × 1,000 = 180,000 seat kilometres
Is ASK Important for Passengers Travelling?
No. Passengers booking flight tickets do not need to know about ASK to plan or complete their journeys. It is primarily a financial and operational metric used to assess an airline’s capacity and operating efficiency.
However, ASK is important for investors and other stakeholders who want to understand an airline’s business performance, capacity utilisation, and operational efficiency. It can help them evaluate the airline’s business prospects alongside other financial and operational indicators.
Related Terms
- BELF – Break-Even Load Factor
- PLF – Passenger Load Factor
- RPK – Revenue Passenger Kilometres
- Complete airport glossary
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