Austrian Airlines: significant passenger growth confirms new market strategy

Austrian Airlines carried almost 1.1 million passengers in August. This means Austrian Airlines carried a total of 11.3 percent more passengers in August 2010 than in August 2009. The flight load factor rose by 1.5 percentage points to 83.3 percent. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) rose by 0.9 percent. Demand measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) rose by 2.8 percent. The members of the Austrian Airlines Executive Board, Andreas Bierwirth and Peter Malanik, said the following: “Our new market strategy in April 2010 with its strong focus on scheduled traffic is having an effect. Austrian has noticeably regained its attractiveness for the customers.”

In the period from January to August 2010, the number of passengers carried, at around 7.3 million, was 10.1 percent above the previous year’s figure. The load factor rose by 3.4 percentage points to 76.7 percent. The figure for ASK fell by 0.2 percent. RPK rose by 4.4 percent.

Europe
In August, around 827,600 passengers flew with Austrian Airlines within Europe. Compared to the same month last year, this means 23.5 percent more passengers flew with us. The load factor rose by 6.2 percentage points to 78.1 percent. The figure for ASK rose by 13 percent. RPK rose by 22.7 percent.

In the period from January to August 2010, August Airlines carried around 5.6 million passengers in Europe. This means we are 16.5 percent up on the previous year. The load factor rose by 3.4 percentage points to 70.5 percent. The figure for ASK rose by 9.9 percent, and that for RPK by 15.1 percent.

Intercontinental
The number of passengers carried in the Intercontinental segment rose by 0.8 percent to 165,700 in August. The ASK fell by 0.4 percent, and the load factor fell by 0.4 percentage points to 86.5 percent. The figure for RPK fell by 0.9 percent.

In the period from January to August 2010, Austrian Airlines carried 1,120,700 passengers, the equivalent of an increase of 5.3 percent on the same period last year. The load factor improved by 5.5 percentage points, to reach 81.7 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced its ASK by 2.8 percent. RPK rose by 4.1 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 127,600 passengers in the Charter segment in August, 26.2 percent fewer than in the comparison month last year. The load factor fell by 0.8 percentage points to 89.9 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced its ASK by 25.9 percent. The figure for RPK fell by 26.5 percent.

In the period from January to August 2010, August Airlines carried 540,800 passengers in the Charter segment in Europe. This figure is 25.7 percent lower than last year. The load factor fell by 2.5 percentage points to 79.7 percent. Austrian Airlines reduced its ASK by 25 percent. The figure for RPK fell by 27.3 percent.