Summary of the headline figures:
Comparisons of October 2002 traffic and capacity statistics with October 2001 must take into account the impact and aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States. In October 2002, overall load factor improved by 10.0 points to 68.5 per cent. Passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was 4.0 per cent below October 2001 while traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres, rose by 11.0 per cent. This resulted in a passenger load factor improvement of 9.8 points versus last year, to 73.0 per cent. The rise in traffic comprised a 26.3 per cent increase in premium traffic and an 8.5 per cent increase in non-premium traffic. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, increased by 15.7 per cent.

Market conditions:

The overall market outlook remains unchanged.

Strategic developments:

British Airways announced the start of the first ever scheduled airline service between the UK and Angola. The weekly service to the Angolan capital, Luanda began on November 1, 2002. Flights will depart from London’s Heathrow airport on a Friday and return from Luanda’s 4 de Fevererio International airport on a Saturday. The services will be operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft with a three cabin configuration, First, Club World and World Traveller.

British Airways and its oneworld partner, Iberia, expanded their codesharing arrangements. From the start of the winter schedule on 27 October, 2002, the Iberia code was added to all British Airways flights from London, Heathrow to Madrid and Barcelona and the British Airways code was added to Iberia flights on the same routes. This means there will be 11 flights a day from Heathrow to Madrid and eight daily flights to Barcelona. This is the first phase in the airlines’ wide ranging commercial agreement which was signed in July 2002 and aims to deepen the relationship between the two businesses. The airlines began working together in 1999 and now codeshare on around 40 UK and internationals routes with sales representation for each other in 27 countries world-wide.

The British Airways London Eye launched a new website, at www.ba-londoneye.com, which is designed to be more interactive and user friendly to enable faster, easier booking on-line.

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