Rates make rapid recovery on January demand surge

AIR China announced a 4.9 per cent year on year increase in its cargo and mail throughput in 2009 to 943,600 tonnes, Logistics Week reported.

The carrier's passenger volume grew 16.3 per cent to 39.8 million of which 33.4 million were domestic travellers, up 19 per cent. Seat utilisation rate increased by 1.9 percentage points to 76.8 per cent. Load factor put on an extra 4.7 percentage points to 68.7 per cent.

In December, Air China's cargo volume surged 37.2 per cent over the same month a year ago to 93,200 tonnes. Passenger volume rose 14.1 per cent to 3.2 million. Domestic passenger went 12.2 per cent up to 2.6 million. Seat utilisation increased by 2.4 percentage points to 75.9 per cent while load factor grew by 8.8 percentage points to 59.8 per cent.

In December, Air China recorded an average air fuel purchase price of CNY4,821 (US$706.2) per tonne on its international lines, up 11 per cent, and CNY5,618 per tonne on the domestic lines, down 22 per cent. The air fuel the carrier purchased in this month amounted to 269,500 tonnes with a 10 per cent year on year lower average price of CNY5,327 per tonne.

(Source: www.schednet.com)