The Lufthansa Group showed a slight upward trend in the first nine months of this year. Although its traffic performance was still significantly affected by the continuing weak global economy, the effects of the SARS outbreak and the consequences of the Iraq war, Lufthansa succeeded in raising passenger numbers and, thanks to flexible capacity management, achieved a good load factor.

From January to September of this year the Lufthansa Group airlines carried 33.5 million passengers, 1.4 per cent more than in the same period last year. Due to difficult market conditions, however, the 2.8 per cent increase in available capacity could not be fully utilised. Sales increased by 0.6 per cent. While the passenger load factor for the first half of 2003 was only 71.9 per cent, Lufthansa was able to boost its seat occupancy rate in the first nine months of the year to 73.3 per cent.

The weak economy continued to have a negative impact on airfreight business. From January to September Lufthansa Cargo transported 4.4 per cent less freight and mail. The cargo load factor fell by 2.3 percentage points to 64.1 per cent.

The Lufthansa Group achieved an overall load factor (passenger business and cargo) of 69.2 per cent, which represents a decline of 1.9 percentage points.

The Lufthansa Group`s financial result for the first nine months of 2003 will be published on 12 November 2003 and can then be downloaded in German and English from the Internet at www.lufthansa-financials.com.

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