Kenya Airways releases its operating results for the first quarter ended 30th June 2012.

Kenya Airways releases its operating results for the first quarter ended 30th June 2012.

The company put into the market place capacity totalling 3,363m seat kilometres which was at par with last year’s level. There were compensating changes evidenced in the network with incremental destinations launched to Delhi (India), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) while Europe shrunk due to capacity rationalization and the suspension of Rome flight.

The capacity into Middle East and Far East regions grew by 15.0%. This was largely due to the introduction of direct flights to Delhi and Jeddah and the deployment of the larger B777 on the Bangkok-Guangzhou and Bangkok-Hong-Kong routes as opposed to B767 evidenced last year. Capacity offered into Europe shrunk by 18.8% compared to the same quarter of prior year due to capacity rationalization occasioned by the Euro zone crisis.

The Northern Africa region grew by 21.2% in capacity owing to the introduction of double dailies to Juba in Southern Sudan on the Embraer aircraft and increased frequency to Djibouti via Addis Ababa. There was also an equipment mix using the larger B737 and Embraer E190 as demand dictated. Capacity availed into the East African region remained at par though growth was evidenced on the Seychelles and Dar-es-salaam route by 25% compared to last year. This was mostly due to increased deployment of larger equipment.

Capacity in Southern Africa region grew by 1.3%. Luanda and Nampula route registered the highest growth. West African region grew by 6.7% mainly from the new circular routes linking Lagos and Accra, Ouagadougou and Dakar and Cotonou and Bamako cities.

On the Domestic front, capacity reduced by 5.0% compared to similar period prior year. This was as a result of aircraft downgrade to Mombasa from the larger B737 aircraft to the smaller Embraer E190. Kisumu registered a 33.6% growth in capacity due to increased frequencies during peak and use of the larger Embraer E190 compared to the E170 used in prior year.

Uptake of total production at 2,203m revenue passenger kilometres was 4.5% below similar period last year. Europe recorded the highest reduction due to the economic challenges facing the Euro-Zone economies. Northern Africa region led the growth with a record of 28.7% mostly due to Juba double dailies.

The total passenger tally, which closed at 841,238 was at par with similar period last year resulting to a reduced cabin factor of 65.5% level.

Cargo capacity dropped by 7.6% with a disproportionate decrease in tonnage of 3.9%. Exports from Kenya dropped on account of unfavourable weather patterns in April and market capacity. Volumes from Europe shrunk reflecting the volatile economic conditions.

Passenger uplift to Europe at 89,852 was a reduction on last year’s level of 108,835 following the 18.8% capacity reduction. This resulted to 66.8% seat occupancy level that was marginally better than prior year’s level of 65.2%.

In the Middle East, Far East and India regions, uplifted passenger traffic at 124,056 was at par with prior year against a capacity growth of 15.0%. The realised cabin factor of 68.1% was below prior year’s level of 78.3%.

Within Africa but excluding Kenya, passengers uplifted totalled 445,143 indicating a growth of 2.9% on the back of 4.7% capacity growth. The resultant passenger cabin factor of 62.5% was 1.6 percentage points lower than similar period last year.

Passengers uplifted within Kenya at 182,187 reduced by 1.4%. The resulting cabin factor of 73.2% was above 71.9% achieved last year.