3rd Oct 2007 14:15
British Airways PLC03 October 2007 TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS - September 2007 Summary of the headline figures In September 2007, passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres,was 0.3 per cent above September 2006. Traffic, measured in Revenue PassengerKilometres, fell by 0.7 per cent. This resulted in a passenger load factor down0.8 points versus last year, to 78.3 per cent. The decrease in trafficcomprised a 6.6 per cent increase in premium traffic and a 2.0 per centreduction in non-premium traffic. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, fell by 0.4 per cent. For the first half of the financial year, ASKs rose by 0.5 per cent, with RPKsdown 0.7 per cent. This resulted in passenger load factor down 0.9 points to78.4 per cent. Premium traffic rose 2.5 per cent with non-premium trafficfalling by 1.3 per cent. Cargo Tonne Kilometres fell by 1.5 per cent. Market conditions Market conditions are broadly unchanged. The outlook for longhaul premium travelcontinues to be encouraging. Strategic Developments British Airways ordered 12 Airbus A380 and 24 Boeing 787 aircraft with optionsfor a further seven Airbus A380s and 18 Boeing 787s. Both aircraft types willbe powered by Rolls-Royce engines. The aircraft will be greener, quieter and more fuel efficient with significantlylower carbon dioxide emissions and reduced impact on local air quality. The new aircraft will replace 34 of the airline's longhaul fleet and will bedelivered between 2010 and 2014. The order, including options, will give theairline the ability to grow its capacity by up to four per cent per year and theflexibility to tailor its future capacity growth in line with market conditions. Terminal 5 was formally handed over to British Airways and this signalled thestart of an intensive six month period of operational readiness trials ahead ofits opening on March 27, 2008. The trials include familiarisation programmesfor staff and over 70 separate proving trials. These activities will run inparallel to the final completions work that includes fit-out, systemsintegration and finishing works. The British Airways summer 2008 route network from March next year includesdaily flights to Dallas Fort Worth and double daily flights to Houston fromHeathrow airport. Frequencies from Heathrow to New York JFK increase from 51 to55, to Seattle from 10 to 13 and to Washington up from 21 to 24 flights perweek. Flights from Gatwick to Orlando also increase from 7 to 10 flights perweek. Harare services will be re-routed via Johannesburg with the airline'sfranchise Comair and services to Detroit will be suspended. Flights to Algiers will move from Gatwick to Heathrow and Warsaw flights toGatwick. There will also be a new daily service Gatwick to Genoa in Italystarting on April 4, 2008. Earlier in the month British Airways flew the England rugby squad to the RugbyWorld Cup in France. The airline is the official carrier of the team andre-named the aircraft 'Hope and Glory' in their honour. The airline launched a new brand advertising campaign from British Airways witha new television ad, followed by cinema, radio, press and online. ends October 3, 2007 096/TC/07 BRITISH AIRWAYS SCHEDULED SERVICES Month of Sept Financial year April through to Sept 2007 2006 (%) 2007 2006/7 (%)Passengers carried (000) UK/Europe 1877 1896 -1.0 11153 11134 +0.2Americas 636 639 -0.5 3997 4068 -1.7Asia Pacific 161 166 -2.9 934 965 -3.2Africa and Middle East 288 285 +1.0 1748 1704 +2.6Total 2962 2986 -0.8 17833 17872 -0.2 Revenue passenger km (m)UK/Europe 1878 1905 -1.4 11155 11142 +0.1Americas 4287 4316 -0.7 26939 27418 -1.7Asia Pacific 1662 1701 -2.3 9566 9817 -2.6Africa and Middle East 1932 1910 +1.1 11632 11331 +2.7Total 9760 9832 -0.7 59292 59708 -0.7 Available seat km (m)UK/Europe 2497 2395 +4.3 15086 14470 +4.3Americas 5584 5599 -0.3 33763 33824 -0.2Asia Pacific 1924 2030 -5.2 11830 12344 -4.2Africa and Middle East 2453 2403 +2.1 14972 14642 +2.3Total 12458 12426 +0.3 75651 75280 +0.5 Passenger load factor (%)UK/Europe 75.2 79.5 -4.3 pts 73.9 77.0 -3.1 ptsAmericas 76.8 77.1 -0.3 pts 79.8 81.1 -1.3 ptsAsia Pacific 86.4 83.8 +2.6 pts 80.9 79.5 +1.4 ptsAfrica and Middle East 78.8 79.5 -0.7 pts 77.7 77.4 +0.3 ptsTotal 78.3 79.1 -0.8 pts 78.4 79.3 -0.9 pts Revenue tonne km (RTK) (m)Cargo tonne km (CTK) 391 392 -0.4 2365 2400 -1.5Total RTK 1372 1401 -2.1 8336 8453 -1.4Available tonne km (m) 1898 1916 -0.9 11567 11691 -1.1 Overall load factor (%) 72.3 73.2 -0.9 pts 72.1 72.3 -0.2 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 (HCB3) 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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