Franco-Dutch airline Air France-KLM SA (AFRAF.PK) Tuesday reported a rise in the passenger traffic for the month of March, while capacity remained stable. Load factor improved 1.7 points from last year. In its cargo activity, traffic, capacity and load factor declined from the prior year. Early timing of Easter this year with improved leisure traffic led to a rise in load factor. In 2012, Easter fell in April.
Air France-KLM's passenger traffic, in terms of revenue pax-kilometers, improved 2.2 percent to 18.75 billion. Capacity, measured in available seat-kilometers, edged up 0.2 percent to 22.26 billion.
The group carried 6.45 million passengers, up 1.3 percent from March 2012. Total group's load factor rose 1.7 points to 84.2 percent. Unit revenue per available seat kilometer, or RASK, excluding currency was also higher than the prior year.
On a geographical basis, traffic on the European network, including France, improved 1.8 percent, though capacity reduced 2.5 percent. Load factor rose 3.2 points to 75.1 percent.
March traffic includes activity of Airlinair for the whole of the first quarter, following launch of "Hop!" regrouping Air France's French regional activity. On a comparable basis, the European network traffic rose 1.0 percent and capacity dropped 3.6 percent. Load factor stood at 75.6 percent, up 3.5 points.
On the Americas network, traffic improved 0.5 percent, for capacity decline of 0.6 percent. Load factor was 89.1 percent, up 1.0 point from the preceding year.
In Asia / Pacific network, traffic rose 5.1 percent, with capacity up 4.9 percent,. Load factor gained 0.2 points and stood at 86.9 percent. Traffic on the Africa and Middle East network grew 3.2 percent, capacity was up 1.3 percent and load factor gained 1.5 points to 80.3 percent.
The Caribbean and Indian Ocean network recorded a 1.0 percent improvement in traffic, while capacity was down 2.8 percent. Load factor increased 3.3 points to 87.5 percent.
In its cargo activity, traffic however declined 12.1 percent in March; capacity was down 6.6 percent and load factor fell 4.1 points to 65.1 percent. The company said its cargo business reflected lacklustre international trade, disruption due to snowy conditions as well as industrial action in Paris.
Year-to-date, passenger traffic increased 0.8 percent to 52.129 billion. Capacity improved 0.2 percent to 63.517 billion and load factor was up 0.5 percent to 82.1 percent. For the quarter, the company carried 17.327 million passengers, a decline of 0.8 percent from last year. The company is scheduled to announce its first-quarter results on May 3.
In Paris, Air France-KLM shares are currently trading at 6.76 euros, up 2.89 percent.
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