Aer Lingus reported a 1.6% increase in traffic with the airline carrying 907,000 passengers with a load factor of 78.5%, with 831,000 short-haul passengers with a load factor of 81% up 2% and 76,000 long-haul passengers down 1.3% with a load factor of 73.1% up 2%.
The Aer Lingus Regional franchise operation carried 69,000 passengers up 30.2% and year to date up 101% to 656,000 passengers.
Ryanair announced that it carried 7.27 million passengers in October up 4% it’s load factor at 84% down 1% and year to date it has carried 77.1 million passengers. The Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary stated when announcing Q3 results that November traffic would fall by 10%, as result of the carrier parking 80 Boeing 737-800s for the winter RTE (7th November 2011).
Aer Lingus stated in its Q3 IMS Statement (3rd November) ‘Continuing Weakness on certain leisure routes from Ireland’, and this morning on the Newstalk Breakfast Business Show the Ryanair CFO Howard Miller stated demand from Ireland was weak.
A key concern for all airlines serving Ireland will be Budget 2012. The Department of Finance Medium-Term Fiscal Statement (4TH November) revised growth foreasts from 2.5% to 1.6% stating their would be €1.6 Billion in tax increases. Therefore it’s impact is likely on disposable income, will likely dampen demand for leisure travel.
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 7th November 2011 All Rights Reserved.
