Summary of the headline figures
Capacity in May, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was 10.5 per cent below May 2000. Traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres, fell 14.6 per cent. The reduction in traffic comprised an 11.0 per cent decline in premium traffic and a 15.3 per cent fall in non-premium traffic. Passenger load factor of 65.1 per cent was 3.2 points lower than May 2000. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, fell by 7.6 per cent.

Market conditions
As indicated in April and in the year end results presentation, trading in May has been broadly similar to April. The slower US economy, foot and mouth and our computer outages have taken their toll on passenger numbers and revenue. The new Club World flat bed continues to perform well.

Highlights
British Airways announced the successor for Derek Stevens, the Group’s Chief Financial Officer, who will retire from the airline this autumn. Mr Stevens will hand over his role to John Rishton who currently holds the position of Financial Controller, Commercial, at British Airways. John will become Chief Financial Officer Designate until he takes up his new appointment as Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2001, when he will also join the Board of British Airways.

British Airways announced the retirement of Captain Mike Jeffery, Director of Flight Operations, after 35 years with the company. Captain Jeffery will leave at the end of June and will be succeeded by his deputy, Lloyd Cromwell Griffiths. British Airways also announced the retirement on 30 September 2001 of Captain Colin Barnes from the British Airways’ Board, after 10 years as a non-executive director. It is intended that Mike Jeffery will join the Board in October and replace Colin Barnes as Chairman of the Safety Review Committee.

Strategic developments
British Airways announced that its deal to acquire British Regional Air Lines Group (BRAL) has been declared wholly unconditional. BRAL’s operations will be combined with those of Brymon Airways, and in time both names will be replaced by British Airways CitiExpress.

British Airways and Iberia notified the European Union of their plans to deepen their co-operation. The partners want to work together widely across the South Atlantic in areas including code-sharing more widely across each other’s networks, developing flying schedules jointly, establishing joint fare products for these routes and liaising closely on sales activities.

British Airways confirmed that it will sign up to the Airline Passenger Service Commitment (APSC). The APSC is a voluntary code of practice that commits signatory airlines to provide clearly defined minimum standards of service and sales information to air travellers.

Designer Julien MacDonald has been chosen to design a new uniform for more than 30,000 British Airways staff.

——-