São Paulo, January 21, 2013 – GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (BM&FBOVESPA: GOLL4 and NYSE: GOL), (S&P: B, Fitch: B+, Moody’s: B3), the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, announces the preliminary air traffic figures for the month of December 2012.
Domestic Market
During the month of December, GOL continued with its strategy of streamlining supply in the domestic market. The closing of Webjet’s operations, at the end of November, contributed to a 21.0% decrease in supply on the domestic market. GOL is focused on accelerating the resumption of its positive operating margins and it has shown a 5.4% reduction in domestic supply, year over year, approximately 1 p.p. above the forecast announced for 2012. As such, the Company is reaffirming its commitment to the rational addition of supply to the domestic market.
The domestic market’s load factor was up 2.9 p.p. from December 2011, reaching 72.7% for the period. Due to the reduced supply cited above, demand for the period dropped 13.9% from the previous year.
International Market
The international supply for the month of December increased 13.9% over the same period last year, mainly due to the approximately 50% increase in international charter operations seeking to meet the additional international demand for the high season and the new daily operations to Santo Domingo and Miami, which began in December 2012.
Demand for the period increased 10.8% due to the increased supply described above. The international load decreased by 1.6 p.p. year over year.
Load Factor, Yield and Fuel Prices
GOL’s total load factor reached 70.9%, up 4.9 p.p. from the same month last year.
In the same period, consolidated net yield increased by close to 7%*, to between 23.0 and 23.5 centavos (R$). The consolidated net yield for 4Q12 increased by approximately 5% YoY, to between 21.9 and 22.4 centavos (R$).
PRASK once again showed double digit growth in the year over year comparison, up approximately 14% from December 2011*. This increase was due to steps taken to rationalize the domestic supply, which GOL began in March 2012. PRASK in 4Q12 was up approximately 11% over 4Q11.*
Fuel prices** for the month increased approximately 25% year over year. Fuel prices in 4Q12 were up approximately 20% over 4Q11, to between R$2.39 and R$2.44.