SWISS Reports Steady Loadings for First Quarter of 2015

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) transported 3,532,472 passengers in the first three months of 2015, a 0.2 percent increase on the 3,525,735 of the same period last year.

A total of 33,339 flights were operated in the period, down 2.9 percent from the 34,321 of January-to-March 2014. Of these, 28,794 were on the European network (down 3.7 percent) and 4,545 (up 2.9 percent) were on intercontinental routes.

“The growth in passenger volumes does not necessarily translate into higher revenue levels”, the airline said in an announcement on Monday.

SWISS offered 2 percent more first-quarter capacity in 2015 in available seat-kilometre (ASK) terms. Total traffic volume, measured in revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs), was raised 2.1 percent.

Systemwide seat load factor showed a corresponding slight improvement, rising 0.1 percentage points from the 78.8 percent of the prior-year period to 78.9 percent. First-quarter seat load factor for the European network showed a 1.4-percentage-point improvement, while seat load factor on intercontinental services declined 0.7 percentage points.

Swiss WorldCargo reported a first-quarter cargo load factor (by volume) of 79.3 percent, down 1.5 percentage points from the 80.8 percent of the prior-year period. Total cargo sales for the period were 1.7 percent up in revenue tonne-kilometre terms.

In the month of March 2015, SWISS carried 1,303,356 passengers, up 0.1 percent on the 1,302,074 of March 2014. Systemwide seat load factor for the month was improved 0.4 percentage points, from 81.2 percent to 81.6 percent. Seat load factor for the European network was up 0.9 percentage points, while seat load factor on intercontinental services suffered a slight 0.1-percentage-point decline. Swiss WorldCargo achieved a cargo load factor (by volume) for March of 82.8 percent, 1.3 percentage points down from the 84.1 percent of the same month last year.