LUFTHANSA flew 44m passengers in 2002, down from 46m the previous year but with improved load factors for both passenger and cargo traffic. The airline says that a weak global economy and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks continued to have an adverse effect on the Lufthansa Group results. However, by optimising its route network, the company succeeded in improving utilisation of its aircraft compared to the previous year. In the first nine months of 2002 the passenger count declined by 7.7%,and with capacity was 5.2% down ticket revenue only showed a 2.0% decline. The weak economic climate hit Lufthansa's cargo business hardest in the fourth quarter. Last year Lufthansa Cargo moved1.9% less freight and mail, but at 66.6% the cargo load factor outstripped the previous year”s figure by 3.8%.
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