KLM Cargo managed to profit from the global increase in air cargo traffic. Traffic figures declined 0.7% compare to March 2016, with cargo capacity down 0.3%. Cargo load factor increased by 1.5 percentage point.

This confirms that KLM did well in the first quarter of 2017, with passenger figures up 6.5% during the first three months of the year, which amounts to 430,000 additional passengers. Capacity increased by 4.7%, with load factor up 1 percentage point.

(*) You will find the joint Air France-KLM traffic figures for March 2017 in the download box of this article. 

• 6.3 million passengers, down 0.4%
• Unit revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) ex-currency down compared to March 2014, reflecting the expected capacity/demand balances: good performance on North America, the Caribbean/Indian Ocean and point-to-point, unit revenues under pressure on the other networks

Transavia activity

• 0.6 million passengers, +9.0%
• Ongoing accelerated development of Transavia in France (capacity up 48%) partly offset by seasonal charter capacity adjustments in the Netherlands 

Total group passenger activity

• 6.9 million passengers, +0.4%

Cargo activity

• Unit revenue per available ton kilometer (RATK) ex-currency down compared to March 2014

Recent Developments

1. On March 10^th, Air France-KLM published its 2015 Summer schedule. The Group capacity is increasing by +1.7% compared to Summer 2014 (excluding strike impact). Long-haul capacity is increasing by 1.8%, whereas medium-haul capacity is decreasing by 1.9% on the back of the restructuring of the point-to-point business. Transavia continues its planned strong growth, up 7.8%.
    
2. Air France-KLM is increasing services to Canada and launching two new routes: on March 29^th, Air France started servicing Vancouver, while KLM will start operating flights to Edmonton on May 19^th, the fifth destination of the Group in Canada. The Group is also improving its position in South America thanks to the launch of a new KLM route to Bogota and Cali (Colombia), which started on March 31^st.
    
3. On March 25^th, Air France-KLM has successfully placed an issue of perpetual bonds for an amount of 400 million euros. This issue enables the consolidation of the Group’s financial structure during the Perform 2020 implementation period. In view of this transaction, the Group has updated its net debt target for end 2015 from around 5 billion euros to around 4.6 billion euros.

Agenda

• 30 April 2015: Results of the First Quarter of 2015
• 11 May 2015: April 2015 traffic
• 21 May 2015: Annual General Meeting of shareholders
• 8 June 2015: May 2015 traffic

• On the Americas network, traffic rose by 4.5% for capacity up by 3.4%, leading to a 0.9 point rise in load factor to a very high level of 87.6%. 
• The Asia network saw a 5.3% increase in traffic for capacity up by 6.0%, the load factor losing 0.6 points to 81.4%.
• On the Africa and Middle East network, traffic rose by 6.7% for capacity up by 8.5%, driven by a significant base effect (capacity reduction of 6.8% in May 2012). The load factor declined by 1.2 points to 74.0%.
• The Caribbean and Indian Ocean network posted a 4.7% increase in traffic for capacity up by 4.5%. The load factor remained virtually stable at 81.0% (+0.2 points).
• The European network saw traffic up by 3.5% for capacity down by 1.7%, the load factor reaching a very high 78.1%, up by 3.9 points. Within the framework of the medium-haul action plan, capacity on the French domestic network was down by 6.0%.

Cargo
The cargo business posted a 6.4% decline in traffic for capacity down by 3.5%, the load factor falling by 1.9 points to 62.3%. Unit revenue per available tonne-kilometer (RATK) ex-currency was down versus May 2012.

Recent developments

• As announced at the time of the launch, a progress review on the Transform 2015 plan is scheduled with the Air France unions during the second half of 2013. While the plan is on track, the turnaround in the medium-haul and cargo activities has been slowed by, notably, the difficult economic environment within Europe. Ahead of this update, a series of working groups are starting to review the initial results and potential measures. This preparatory work will enable discussions to be organized rapidly in the autumn.
• As of September 2, Air France will operate three weekly frequencies in Airbus A380s to Shanghai-Pudong airport, thereby becoming the first European airline to serve the Chinese economic capital with its double-decker super jumbo aircraft. The Air France-KLM group is the European leader between China and Europe, operating 93 flights a week linking its Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol hubs to nine destinations in Greater China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Canton, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen and Taipei.
• Within the framework of its commitment to sustainable development, Air France completed the renewal of its 3,650 hold baggage containers on its long-haul aircraft. These new, lighter containers will enable annual savings of 2,500 tons of kerosene and an 8,000-ton reduction in CO2 emissions. For the eighth consecutive year, Dow Jones ranked Air France-KLM the air transport leader and a component of the DJSI index evaluating companies on their sustainability performance. 

Agenda

• July 5, 2013: June 2013 traffic
• July 26, 2013: 2013 first-half results
• August 7, 2013: July 2013 traffic

Passenger
Passenger activity in March 2013 recorded a rise in traffic of 2.2% for virtually stable capacity (+0.2%). The load factor stood at 84.2% (+1.7 points). The group carried 6.45 million passengers, 1.3% more than in March 2012. Unit revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) ex-currency was slightly higher than in 2012.

• On the Americas network, traffic rose by 0.5% for capacity down by 0.6%, leading to a 1.0 point rise in load factor which reached the very high level of 89.1%. 
• The Asia network recorded a rise of 5.1% in traffic with capacity up by 4.9%. The load factor gained 0.2 points to 86.9%.
• On the Africa and Middle East network, traffic was up by 3.2% with capacity rising by 1.3%. The load factor gained 1.5 points to 80.3%. 
• The Caribbean and Indian Ocean network recorded a 1.0% rise in traffic for capacity down by 2.8%. The load factor gained 3.3 points to 87.5%.
• The European network saw traffic up by 1.8% with a 2.5% reduction in capacity. The load factor stood at 75.1%, a rise of 3.2 points. Further to the launch of ‘Hop!’ regrouping Air France’s French regional activity, March traffic includes the activity of Airlinair for the whole of the first quarter. On a comparable basis, the European network would have recorded a 1.0% rise in traffic for capacity down by 3.6%. The load factor would have stood at 75.6%, up 3.5 points.

Cargo
In March 2013, the cargo activity recorded a 12.1% decline in traffic for capacity down by 6.6%. The load factor declined by 4.1 points to 65.1%. In additition to lacklustre international trade this activity was disrupted by the snowy conditions as well as industrial action in Paris. Unit revenue per available ton kilometer (RATK) ex-currency was lower than in March 2012.

Recent developments

• KLM unveiled its new Word Business Class including a “full-flat” seat, fully reclinable and transformed into a real bed during the flight. This cabin will be progressively installed on the KLM long-haul fleet as of July 2013. The group thereby pursues its investments aimed at matching the expectations of its customers and offering them an exceptional and continually improving level of service on board.
• The group continues to develop its network, with notably, as of the Summer season, the launch by KLM of three new routes from Amsterdam to Fukuoka (Japan), Ålesund (Norway) and Manston (Kent, United Kingdom), and by Air France of routes from Paris to Minneapolis (United States), Montevideo (Uruguay) and Kuala-Lumpur (Malaysia).
• Air France and Canada’s WestJet have signed a code share agreement enabling Air France to offer its customers 15 new Canadian routes operated by WestJet.

Agenda

• May 3rd 2013: First Quarter 2013 Results
• May 14th 2013:  April 2013 Traffic
• May 16th 2013: Annual General meeting at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.  All documents relating to the Meeting are now available on the ‘Annual General Meeting’ page of the www.airfranceklm-finance.com website.

Activity in March benefited from a favourable comparison basis due to the Japanese tsunami and the political crisis in Ivory Coast last year.

Passenger business
Passenger activity in March 2012 recorded a 6.8% rise in traffic for capacity up by 1.8%. The load factor improved by 3.8 points to 82.5%. The number of passengers rose 6.3% to 6.37 millions. Unit revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) ex-currency improved in a context of a sharp rise in the fuel price.

• On the Americas network, traffic was up 9.7% and capacity by 2.5%, leading to a 5.8 point gain in load factor to the high level of 88.2%.
• Asia network comparatives benefited from the impact on last year’s data of the Japanese tsunami, and recorded a 6.0% rise in traffic for capacity up by 1.8%. The load factor improved by 3.4 points to 86.7%.
• The Africa and Middle East network saw a 9.3% rise in traffic for capacity up by 2.8%. The load factor gained 4.7 points to 78.9%.
• On the Caribbean and Indian Ocean network, traffic and capacity declined by 1.7% and 2.3% respectively. The load factor improved slightly, by 0.5 points to 84.1%.
• Traffic on the European network rose 7.2% for capacity up by 2.7%. The load factor stood at 71.9% (+3.0 points).

Cargo business
Cargo recorded a 3.4% drop in traffic for capacity down by 0.6%. The load factor declined by 2.0 points to 69.2%. Unit revenue per available ton kilometer (RATK) ex-currency was stable relative to March 2011.

Recent developments

• Air France continues its commercial drive from Nice and Toulouse, having inaugurated on 1st and 3rd April, 18 new routes to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. The target is to transport, in one year, two million additional passengers from its three bases, Marseille, Toulouse and Nice.
• Air France unveiled, with Aéroports de Paris, an ambitious development plan for its Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub. In Summer 2012, Air France will welcome its passengers in new infrastructures, with improved connections and upgraded facilities.
• Air France and KLM launched ‘SkyPriority’ on 26th March in both the hubs of Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol as well as Paris-Orly. Via a harmonized ground service throughout the world, SkyTeam premium passengers benefit from numerous advantages from the point of check-in until luggage delivery.
• Air France-KLM is pursuing the development of its offer towards Africa. KLM inaugurated on 27th March a new route to Luanda, Angola. Air France announced a daily flight to Abuja, Nigeria from June 4th 2012.
• Air France deployed the Airbus A380 on the Singapore route. In Summer 2012, seven destinations will be served by Air France with an A380: New York JFK, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Montreal, Johannesburg, Tokyo-Narita et Singapore.

Traffic increased by 4.7% in March while capacity was reduced by 1.9%, enabling the load factor to rise by 5.0 points to 80.5%. All networks saw an increase in traffic and load factor. The group carried 5.9 million passengers (+3.6%). Unit revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) excluding currency was significantly above the level of March 2009. This increase was more pronounced in economy class than in premium class. However, since January, comparables are benefiting from a favorable base.

On the Americas network, traffic rose by 2.2% with capacity down by 3.1%. The load factor gained 4.4 points to 85.1%. Load factors continued to improve on both North and Latin American routes.
On the Asia network, traffic improved sharply (+7.2%) while capacity was only slightly up (+0.3%). As a result, the load factor gained 5.8 points to 88.5%.
On the Africa and Middle East network, traffic increased by 3.4% with capacity down by 3.5%. The load factor gained 5.2 points to 79.2%.
On the Caribbean and Indian Ocean network, the non-recurrence of the strikes affecting the French Antilles in March last year led to an exceptional increase in traffic (+11.6%) and a 5.5 points load factor recovery to 80.7%.
The European network also saw an increase in traffic (+2.2%) while capacity was reduced by 4.5%. The load factor therefore stood at 67.2%, a rise of 4.4 points.

Cargo business

Traffic grew by 2.1% while capacity was reduced by 11.8%. As a result, the load factor gained 9.9 points to 72.5%. Unit revenue per available ton kilometer (RATK) continued to improve, and was significantly above the level of March 2009.

Statistics(PDF, 403KB)