Air France-KLM 19pc down in October, Asia Pacific hit hardest

AIR FRANCE-KLM cargo suffered a 19.1 percent year-on-year slump in its October traffic with the biggest decline on its Asia-Pacific routes despite a 32.7 per cent capacity cut.

Freight volumes in the Americas market plunged 13.4 per cent against a 12.1 per cent capacity reduction according to Newark's Journal of Commerce. Air France-KLM's overall load factor improved 0.3 percentage points to 67.7 per cent following a 19.4 per cent year-on-year capacity reduction.

Bracing for the slow winter season, the French-Dutch carrier has pulled out six 747 freighters from service, leading to a further 15 per cent capacity reduction. It has also negotiated the postponement of the delivery of two 777 freighters from this year to 2010-2012.

Compared to freight, the carrier's passenger traffic fell 4.1 per cent year on year in October benefiting from the upsurge on its Americas routes.

(Source: www.schednet.com)