NETHERLANDS. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines recorded passenger traffic on the same level as 2002 in October, but with traffic on Asia Pacific routes fully recovering from SARS to be up +4% year-on-year in the month.
Total KLM passenger traffic (measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres or RPKs) was at the same level as last year on -1% lower capacity (measured in Available Seat Kilometres or ASKs). On intercontinental routes, business class travel increased by +4% year-on-year on a +2% increase in capacity.
European traffic edged up by +4% year-on-year in October, whereas capacity increased by +3% and load factor increased by +1.3 percentage points, to 78.6%.
North Atlantic traffic slipped -11% year-on-year, while traffic on Asia Pacific routes increased by +4%, the highest increase recorded since February. Load factor on Asia Pacific routes was up by +1.1 percentage point to 87.9%.
On the Central and South Atlantic routes, traffic recovered from last month’s low level (down -9% year-on-year) and increased by +3% year-on-year in October. Capacity increased by +3%, which stabilised load factor at 78.1%.
KLM said Middle East and South Asia traffic was up +9% year-on-year in October and traffic on Africa routes edged up +4%.
