5th Feb 2008 14:15
British Airways PLC05 February 2008 TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS - January 2008 Summary of the headline figures In January 2008, passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was0.6 per cent below January 2007. Traffic, measured in Revenue PassengerKilometres, fell 1.6 per cent. This resulted in a passenger load factor down0.7 points versus last year, to 69.2 per cent. Traffic comprised an 8.8 percent increase in premium traffic and a 3.5 per cent fall in non-premium traffic.Comparatives between January 2007 and 2008 are difficult. In 2007, although afull schedule was operated, bookings were impacted by the threat of industrialaction. In 2008, there were a significant number of cancellations. These werecaused by the landing incident with BA38 on January 17, which impacted runwayoperations for several days. In addition, several instances of fog and highwinds during the month caused flow rates to be reduced, which led to furthercancellations. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, rose by 16.0 per cent. Market conditions As reported in Friday's Interim Management Statement, premium traffic remainsstrong, particularly in the Club World cabin. Longhaul non-premium and shorthaulpremium markets continue to show weakness. Strategic Developments British Airways said its new EU-US subsidiary airline "OpenSkies" will operatedaily flights from Brussels and Paris to New York. The airline will launch inJune 2008 with one Boeing 757 aircraft and plans to operate six B757s by the endof 2009. Following the Government's decision to lift hand baggage restrictions BritishAirways customers flying through and out of Heathrow are now able to take twopieces of free hand baggage on board. The one bag limit is still in place atGatwick. British Airways announced it is to start flights from Heathrow to the Indiancity of Hyderabad from October 27, 2008. Hyderabad will be the airline's sixthIndian destination joining Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai on itsroute network. The new service will be operated by a Boeing 777 with fiveservices per week. British Airways said it is increasing its service to Buenos Aires with dailyflights and non-stop to Rio de Janeiro next winter. The airline is upping itsHeathrow to Buenos Aires flights from four per week to a daily service andflying non-stop from Heathrow to Rio instead of via Sao Paulo, cutting more thantwo hours off the flight time. The airline unveiled a new carbon offset scheme and backing for deforestationprevention in Brazil. It is also supporting research into the effects ofaircraft's non-carbon emissions. The offset scheme uses UN certified emissionsreductions to help finance clean energy projects in developing countries.Customers offsetting their flight emissions will be supporting a new windfarm inone of the poorest regions of China, as well as run-of-the-river hydro electricplants in China and Brazil. British Airways unveiled the latest feature of its new home in Terminal 5 - aluxurious complex of six lounges covering 15,000 square feet, based on the lookand feel of a modern boutique hotel. The lounges or 'galleries' complex is thelargest and most luxurious in the world for the exclusive use of up to 2,500British Airways premium passengers and top tier members of the oneworldalliance's frequent flyer schemes. At the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) hearing on the BAA airport charges review,British Airways urged the CAA to stop BAA delaying the introduction of improvedcustomer service quality targets at Heathrow by up to two years. ends February 5, 2008 015/TC/08 BRITISH AIRWAYS SCHEDULED SERVICES Financial year Month of January April to January 2008 2007 Change (%) 2008 2006/07 Change (%)Passengers carried (000)UK/Europe 1325 1326 -0.1 17221 17253 -0.2Americas 553 542 +2.0 6374 6301 +1.2Asia Pacific 145 145 -0.3 1531 1556 -1.6Africa and Middle East 306 333 -8.0 2957 2979 -0.7Total 2329 2347 -0.8 28083 28089 -0.0 Revenue passenger km (m)UK/Europe 1270 1277 -0.5 17030 17097 -0.4Americas 3750 3686 +1.7 42909 42479 +1.0Asia Pacific 1510 1499 +0.7 15744 15886 -0.9Africa and Middle East 2081 2292 -9.2 19815 20062 -1.2Total 8611 8754 -1.6 95497 95523 -0.0 Available seat km (m)UK/Europe 2294 2292 +0.1 24491 23562 +3.9Americas 5428 5294 +2.5 55437 54712 +1.3Asia Pacific 1926 1989 -3.1 19535 20162 -3.1Africa and Middle East 2801 2946 -4.9 25793 25912 -0.5Total 12449 12521 -0.6 125256 124347 +0.7 Passenger load factor (%)UK/Europe 55.4 55.7 -0.3 pts 69.5 72.6 -3.1 ptsAmericas 69.1 69.6 -0.5 pts 77.4 77.6 -0.2 ptsAsia Pacific 78.4 75.4 +3.0 pts 80.6 78.8 +1.8 ptsAfrica and Middle East 74.3 77.8 -3.5 pts 76.8 77.4 -0.6 ptsTotal 69.2 69.9 -0.7 pts 76.2 76.8 -0.6 pts Revenue tonne km (RTK) (m)Cargo tonne km (CTK) 393 339 +16.0 4059 3978 +2.0Total RTK 1268 1240 +2.3 13681 13650 +0.2Available tonne km (m) 1895 1907 -0.6 19185 19276 -0.5 Overall load factor (%) 66.9 65.0 +1.9 pts 71.3 70.8 +0.5 pts Certain information included in these statements is forward-looking and involvesrisks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materiallyfrom those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, projections relating toresults of operations and financial conditions and the Company's plans andobjectives for future operations, including, without limitation, discussions ofthe Company's Business Plan programs, expected future revenues, financing plansand expected expenditures and divestments. All forward-looking statements inthis report are based upon information known to the Company on the date of thisreport. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise anyforward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future eventsor otherwise. It is not reasonably possible to itemize all of the many factors and specificevents that could cause the Company's forward looking statements to be incorrector that could otherwise have a material adverse effect on the future operationsor results of an airline operating in the global economy. Fuller information onsome factors which could result in material difference to the results isavailable in the company's Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2007, whichis available on www.bashareholders.com. Investor Relations, Waterside (HAA3), PO Box 365, Harmondsworth, UB7 OGB: Tel: +44 (0) 20 8738 6947 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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