British Airways mainline scheduled passenger traffic in the month, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), showed growth of 5.1 per cent from last year with growth in the premium cabins of 5.5 per cent compared against growth in the non-premium cabin of 5.0 per cent. Mainline scheduled passenger capacity (measured in available seat kilometres - ASKs) grew by 8.5 per cent, resulting in a 2.4 point decline in passenger load factor to 73.8 per cent compared against last year`s level.

For the three months ended March 31, mainline scheduled traffic grew 4.5 per cent with premium growth of 1.8 per cent compared against non-premium growth of 5 per cent. With capacity (ASK) growth of 9.0 per cent, the passenger load factor of 67.9 per cent was down by 3.0 points from last year.

For the full financial year ended March 31, mainline scheduled RPK growth of 4.4 per cent growth on ASK growth of 7.1 per cent resulted in a passenger load factor of 71.3 per cent, down 1.9 points on last year.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

British Airways announced that it has reached agreement on pay negotiations for the vast majority of employees within the airline until the turn of the century with the conclusion of negotiations with its 14,000 cabin crew for a two-year pay deal.
The cabin crew deal provides a 4.2 per cent increase in basic pay in year one, effective from January 1, 1998 and Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 0.5 per cent in the second year, effective from January 1, 1999. It is the final part of negotiations, the result of which is to increase British Airways` UK-base wage costs by an average of 3.8 per cent for 1998/99.
Six unions representing over 35,000 airline employees including flight and cabin crew, aircraft engineers, baggage handlers, and office workers have agreed the corporate pay deal.
The pay award for some 5,000 employees has been restricted by local agreements reached as part of the airline`s business efficiency programme.

Brymon Airways, the West Country-based operator of British Airways services announced that it was acquiring eight new Dash-8Q 300 series turboprop aircraft valued at over £60 million.
With an existing fleet of nine Dash-8s flying scheduled services, and two Dash-7s serving the airline`s charter business, Brymon will be among the world`s largest operators of this aircraft type.
The aircraft will come into service on new routes, replace some of the current fleet and provide capacity for further growth on existing services. Deliveries begin April 1998 through to early 1999.

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