Traffic Result of the Austrian Airlines Group for November: Significant Passenger Growth Confirms New Market Strategy

In November 2010, Austrian Airlines again achieved a significant growth at the passenger statistics: With a plus of 8.6 percent, this growth was particularly strong in the scheduled service – that is in the Europe and Intercontinental segments. This confirms the new market strategy and its focus on the scheduled service, which was implemented by Austrian Airlines from the second quarter 2010.

Austrian Airlines carried almost 800,000 million passengers in November (exact number: 798,100). This means Austrian Airlines carried a total of 6.8 percent more passengers in November 2010 than in November 2009. The flight load factor rose by 0.4 percentage points to 73.1 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced the Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) slightly by 0.1 percent to comply the capacity cap imposed by the EU. Demand measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) rose by 0.4 percent.

In the period from January to November 2010, the number of passengers carried, at around 10.2 million, was 9.9 percent above the previous year’s figure. The load factor rose by 3 percentage points to 77.2 percent. The figure for ASK rose slightly by 0.1 percent. RPK rose by 4.2 percent.

Europe
In November, around 657,200 passengers flew with Austrian Airlines within Europe. Compared to the same month last year, this means 10.9 percent more passengers flew with us. The load factor rose by 7.3 percentage points to 71.1 percent. We reduced the ASK slightly by 0.5 percent. RPK rose by 10.9 percent.

In the period from January to November 2010, Austrian Airlines carried around 7.9 million passengers in Europe. This means we are 15.9 percent up on the previous year. The load factor rose by 4.3 percentage points to 72.1 percent. The figure for ASK rose by 8 percent, and that for RPK by 14.9 percent.

Intercontinental
The number of passengers carried in the Intercontinental segment fell by 2.1 percent to 125,900 in November. The ASK rose by 4.6 percent, and the load factor fell by 5.5 percentage points to 74.3 percent. The figure for RPK fell by 2.6 percent.

In the period from January to November 2010, Austrian Airlines carried 1,555,600 passengers, the equivalent of an increase of 4.8 percent on the same period last year. The load factor improved by 3.3 percentage points and reached 81.1 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced its ASK by 0.9 percent. RPK rose by 3.2 percent.

Charter
With its new market strategy, Austrian Airlines is deploying more of its available capacity in the scheduled segment. This is leading to a planned reduction in charter business in 2010. Austrian Airlines carried 15,000 passengers in the Charter segment in November, 43.2 percent fewer than in the comparison month last year. The load factor rose by 0.8 percentage points to 80.3 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced its ASK by 43.8 percent. The figure for RPK fell by 43.2 percent.

In the period from January to November 2010, Austrian Airlines carried 715,000 passengers in the Charter segment in Europe. This figure is 24.8 percent lower than last year. The load factor fell by 0.5 percentage points to 80.8 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced its ASK by 25.3 percent. The figure for RPK fell by 25.8 percent.

Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines is Austria’s largest carrier and offers a global route network of round 130 destinations. In Central and Eastern Europe, the route network is particularly dense: With 44 destinations Austrian Airlines is the market leader throughout the region. Thanks to its favourable geographical location at the heart of Europe, the company’s hub at Vienna International Airport is the ideal gateway between East and West. Austrian Airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline group, and a member of the Star Alliance, the first global alliance of international airlines.