5th Apr 2006 14:15
British Airways PLC05 April 2006 TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS - March 2006 Summary of the headline figures In March 2006, passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was2.5 per cent above March 2005. Traffic, measured in Revenue PassengerKilometres, was higher by 1.8 per cent. This resulted in a passenger loadfactor down 0.5 points versus last year, to 75.2 per cent. The increase intraffic comprised a 15 per cent increase in premium traffic and a 0.4 per centdecrease in non-premium traffic. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres,rose by 3.5 per cent. Overall load factor fell by 0.2 points to 70.5 per cent. The timing of Easter this year has benefited premium volumes and reducednon-premium volumes in March. This effect will reverse next month For the January to March quarter, ASKs rose by 2.8 per cent, with RPKs rising by2.9 per cent. This resulted in an increase in passenger load factor of 0.1points, to 73.1 per cent. This comprised a 10.1per cent increase in premiumtraffic and a 1.6 per cent increase in non-premium traffic. CTKs rose by 0.9per cent. Market conditions Market conditions remain broadly unchanged as significant promotional activityis required to maintain seat factors. Strategic Developments The company announced a proposal to clear the £1 billion past service actuarialdeficit in its New Airways Pension Scheme (NAPS). The proposal is based on afinal salary pension scheme with no changes to past service benefits or staffcontribution rates but with changes to members' future benefits. The airlinewill make a payment of £500 million into NAPS after the changes are accepted. The airline announced its two year business plan to March 2008 to drive downcosts and strengthen customer service. It is targeting a £450 million reductionin costs with £225 to be delivered in each year. It also included investment ofnearly £200 million in new products. BA announced the restructure of parts of its UK direct sales operations with theproposed closure of British Airways' Travel Shops and the airline's Belfastbased customer call centre by August 2006. The move comes in response tochanging customer behaviour and increased sales on its ba.com website. The summer 2006 schedule was announced with British Airways' first ever flightsto Tirana in Albania and Varna on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. Four other newdestinations from London Gatwick airport include Reykjavik in Iceland, Izmir inTurkey, Kiev in the Ukraine and Athens, Greece. The airline announced a series of service enhancements to be introduced ahead ofits move into Heathrow airport's Terminal 5. The first change will be launchedfrom April 25, when the airline introduces self-service check-in for allcustomers travelling on UK domestic flights. Customers planning to visit the United States from March 7 are being urged toinput relevant data on ba.com or via their travel agent to comply with the newAdvanced Passenger Information (API), introduced for all passengers flying tothe US. ends April 5, 2006 028/TC/06 BRITISH AIRWAYS MONTHLY TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS Month of March Financial year April through to MarchBRITISH AIRWAYS Change ChangeSCHEDULED SERVICES 2005 2004 (%) 2005 2004 (%)Passengers carried (000)UK/Europe 1871 1935 -3.3 23086 23491 -1.7Americas 610 615 -0.9 7337 7227 +1.5Asia Pacific 166 152 +9.5 1906 1683 +13.3Africa and Middle East 294 280 +5.0 3182 3122 +1.9Total 2941 2981 -1.3 35511 35523 -0.0 Revenue passenger km (m)UK/Europe 1677 1725 -2.8 21212 21010 +1.0Americas 4115 4127 -0.3 49304 48368 +1.9Asia Pacific 1702 1582 +7.6 19634 17333 +13.3Africa and Middle East 2002 1890 +5.9 21554 20938 +2.9Total 9496 9324 +1.8 111704 107649 +3.8 Available seat km (m)UK/Europe 2590 2616 -1.0 31587 30995 +1.9Americas 5224 5255 -0.6 62674 62227 +0.7Asia Pacific 2178 1988 +9.5 25545 23261 +9.8Africa and Middle East 2635 2463 +7.0 27917 27404 +1.9Total 12627 12323 +2.5 147723 143888 +2.7 Passenger load factor (%)UK/Europe 64.8 65.9 -1.1 pts 67.2 67.8 -0.6 ptsAmericas 78.8 78.5 +0.3 pts 78.7 77.7 +1.0 ptsAsia Pacific 78.2 79.6 -1.4 pts 76.9 74.5 +2.4 ptsAfrica and Middle East 76.0 76.7 -0.7 pts 77.2 76.4 +0.8 ptsTotal 75.2 75.7 -0.5 pts 75.6 74.8 +0.8 pts Revenue tonne km (RTK) (m)Cargo tonne km (CTK) 457 442 +3.5 4928 4951 -0.5Total RTK 1402 1369 +2.4 16086 15704 +2.4Available tonne km (m) 1989 1935 +2.8 23076 22528 +2.4 Overall load factor (%) 70.5 70.7 -0.2 pts 69.7 69.7 +0.0 pts Certain statements included in this statement may be forward-looking and mayinvolve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differmaterially from 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 and financing plans, expected future revenues andexpenditures and divestments. All forward-looking statements in this report arebased upon information known to the company on the date of this report. Thecompany 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 itemise 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. Investor Relations Waterside (HCB3) PO Box 365 Harmondsworth UB7 OGB Tel: +44 (0) 20 8738 6947 Fax: +44( 0) 20 8738 9602 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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