Despite intense competition the strong traffic growth of Austrian Airlines Group has continued in March.’‘Even in the transition period from winter- to summer timetable the Austrian Airlines Group was able to achieve a disproportionately high traffic growth. The Focus East areas and the transfer traffic via Vienna have been once again the crucial factors for that development. Apart from opening new routes to Eastern Europe, frequencies to existing destinations are increased and we will be able to offer a third daily flight to Moscow starting at the beginning of June”, Austrian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Vagn Soerensen comments on the positive traffic results and refers to the quick implementation of the new flight to Moscow due to the recently obtained additional traffic rights.

The number of revenue passenger kilometers on scheduled services (RPK), increased by 17.4%, compared to the same period the previous year. This was accompanied by an expansion in available seat kilometers by 16.4%. The load factor on scheduled services stood 0.6 percentage points above the figure for last year, reaching 71.1%. In March the Austrian Airlines Group carried around 710,000 passengers on scheduled services - an increase of 15.5%. With a double-digit growth of 12.4% in its overall passenger numbers, the Austrian Airlines Group again reported an increase compared to March 2005. A total of 776,000 passengers was carried on scheduled and charter flights.

The traffic result of the Austrian Airlines Group, measured in passenger kilometers on scheduled services (RPK) increased again in the first quarter 2006 by 20.3%. Compared to the same period of the previous year, available seat kilometers (ASK) rose by 12.9%. The passenger load factor on scheduled services improved by 4.5 percentage points, reaching 72.4% compared to 2005. A total of 2.12 million passengers were carried on scheduled and charter services, 13.7% more than in the first quarter 2005. Considering the general situation the positive traffic results have still to be seen alongside the high fuel costs and the continued price pressure on the market.
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