8th Apr 2015 14:47
LONDON (Alliance News) - International Consolidated Airlines Group SA on Wednesday reported a 7.4% increase in traffic in March year-on-year, outpacing an increase in group capacity, with traffic bolstered by single-digit growth at British Airways and double-digit growth at Spanish airlines Iberia and Vueling.
IAG said that traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometres in March increased by 7.4% year-on-year, while passenger numbers increased 11% to 6.3 million in March, compared with 5.7 million in the corresponding month of the prior year.
Capacity measured in available seat kilometres was up by just 4.8%. As a result, passenger load factor, a measure of how full IAG's planes are, increased to 79.5% from 77.6%. Its most profitable premium traffic was up by 5.4%.
Traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometres increased at a slower rate than capacity at budget carrier Vueling, but the reverse was true at both Iberia and British Airways.
Group traffic rose in every region apart from on Africa, Middle East and South Asian routes.
Earlier on Wednesday, fellow FTSE 100 carrier easyJet PLC reported improved passenger numbers and load factor in March year-on-year, while London-listed Irish carrier Aer Lingus Group PLC also said its passenger numbers increased and its load factor improved in the month.
IAG is in talks with the Irish government about its agreed EUR1.35 billion takeover offer for Aer Lingus.
Shares in IAG were down 1.4% at 583.50 pence on Wednesday afternoon.
By Samuel Agini; [email protected]; @samuelagini
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