Traffic Results of Austrian Airlines for the First Quarter of 2014: Upward Trend in Capacity Utilization Continues

ˇ Q1 2014: capacity utilization up by 0.2 percentage points
ˇ Crises in the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine negatively impact demand
ˇ Increase in capacity utilization on long-haul routes confirms the ongoing success of the North America strategy

Austrian Airlines carried more than 2.2 million passengers in the first quarter of 2014, which comprises a decline of 2.3 percent from the prior-year level. Capacity was increased slightly by 0.4 percent. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) were up by 0.7 percent in the first three months of the year. As a result, capacity utilization (passenger load factor) improved by 0.2 percentage points from the previous year to 74.2 percent.

In the month of March 2014, Austrian Airlines carried approximately 850,000 passengers, corresponding to a decrease of 4.4 percent year-on-year. Amongst other reasons, this drop is due to the fact that the Easter holidays were in March last year instead of in April as in 2014. The offering measured in available seat kilometers (ASK) was reduced by 1.1 percent. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) fell by 2.9 percent, and capacity utilization of the flights in March 2014 declined overall by 1.4 percentage points from the previous year to 75.9 percent.

“The trouble spots in the Middle East, Russia and the Ukraine tended to dampen demand. For this reason we correspondingly adjusted our capacities“, explains Karsten Benz, Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines. “The improved capacity utilization on our long-haul routes once again showed that we are on the right path with our expansion in North America”.

Europe
In the first quarter of 2014, close to 1.9 million passengers flew with Austrian Airlines in Europe. This comprises a drop of 2.7 percent compared to the previous year. The passenger load factor fell by 0.7 percentage points to 70.4 percent

In March 2014, Austrian Airlines carried approximately 719,700 passengers in Europe, corresponding to a decline of 4.2 percent from the prior-year level. The passenger load factor was decreased by 0.9 percentage points to 73.7 percent.

Intercontinental
In the first three months of 2014, about 354,300 passengers were carried on intercontinental flights operated by Austrian Airlines. This represents a drop of 0.4 percent year-on-year. The passenger load factor was up by 0.9 percentage points to 77.7 percent.

In March 2014, Austrian Airlines carried a total of about 130,100 passengers on its intercontinental flights, a decline of 5.6 percent from the prior-year level. The passenger load factor fell by 2.1 percentage points to 77.8 percent.