Traffic Results of Austrian Airlines for July 2013: Capacity Utilization Surpasses the 80 Percent Threshold

· January to July 2013: passenger load factor up to 77 percent
· July 2013: Reduction in number of flights due to modifications on long-haul aircraft and a currency related smaller demand for flights to/from Japan

The number of passengers carried by the Austrian Airlines Group in the period January to July 2013 declined by 2.6 percent from the previous year to approximately 6.4 million. This is due to the intentional 6.1 percent reduction in capacity. Within the context of a fleet harmonization program, the domestic airline streamlined its fleet by four medium-haul aircraft. In addition, up to two long-haul aircraft were taken out of service in the period January to July 2013, and were being equipped with the new cabin interior. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) were down by 4.6 percent in the period January to June 2013. Capacity utilization (passenger load factor) improved overall by 1.3 percentage points from the prior-year level to 77 percent.

Considering the month of July 2013 in itself, Austrian Airlines carried more than 1.1 million passengers. This comprises a slight decline of 0.6 percent. The offering in available seat kilometers (ASK) rose by 0.8 percent because of the newly-introduced flights to Chicago. Furthermore, one long-haul aircraft was being refitted in July. Therefore Austrian Airlines implemented targeted reductions in frequency on several long-haul destinations for a limited time period. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) fell by 1.1 percent. The passenger load factor of Austrian Airlines flights was down by 1.6 percentage points to 83.5 percent. This can be attributed to both the conversion of the long-haul cabins as well as to the currency related smaller demand for flights to/from Japan.

“We offered fewer flights in July than in the previous year, and as expected we carried fewer passengers “, says Karsten Benz, Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines. “Nevertheless, in July we once again clearly surpassed the 80 percent threshold for capacity utilization. We are on the right path with respect to productivity and profitability.”

Europe
In July 2013, a total of 954,600 passengers flew with Austrian Airlines in Europe. This comprises a rise of 0.5 percent compared to the previous year. However, the passenger load factor fell by 2.1 percentage points to 81.7 percent.

In the period January to July 2013, Austrian Airlines carried about 5.5 million passengers in Europe, corresponding to a decline of 1.6 percent. The passenger load factor during this period rose by 2.3 percentage points to 75.6 percent.

Intercontinental
In July 2013, one long-haul aircraft was being converted and was therefore not in service. For this reason, the number of passengers carried on intercontinental flights declined by 6.8 percent from the previous year. On balance, a total of 153,900 passengers were carried by Austrian Airlines on its intercontinental flights in the month of July 2013. The passenger load factor was down by 1.0 percentage point to 85.5 percent.

In the period January to July 2013, Austrian Airlines carried a total of 910,500 passengers on its intercontinental flights, a drop of 8.1 percent from the prior year. In contrast, the passenger load factor climbed 0.3 percentage points to 78.3 percent.