Bmi takeover boosts group figures
Lufthansa Group has reported a 13.4% year-on-year rise in passenger traffic in August following the successful takeover of bmi.
The Group said last month's seat sales had risen 9% on 2008, but only by 2.1% if the figures of the British carrier were not included.
Lufthansa said a 14% year-on-year jump in European capacity "due to the consolidation of bmi" had been met by a 19.2% increase in demand.
But the Group said its August figures were again defined by the "ongoing weak market" and the effects of strike action last year.
Despite this there was growth in August seen on most Group figures with load factors up 1.4% year-on-year and a 5.9% increase in the number of flights.
Lufthansa Passenger Airlines figures, including Lufthansa Regional and Lufthansa Italia, were up on last year with the number of flights the only exception.
Lufthansa carried 4.9m passengers in August, an increase of 0.4% on last year.
Capacity and seat revenues last month rose 1% and 3.2% year-on-year respectively, while the load factor was up 1.7%.
Of the regions Lufthansa said Europe was the only to see a drop in passenger sales in August of 1.2% year-on-year.
Lufthansa said it had reacted to declines in Europe by cutting capacity by 4.6% on last year's level.
The Middle East and Africa saw large growth in capacity of 35.6% year-on-year as Lufthansa continued its "strategic expansion."
As a result sales in the Middle East and Africa climbed 24.5% year-on-year.
Lufthansa said passenger operations had benefited from a busy holiday period, but its cargo business was still suffering in the current climate.
Lufthansa Cargo operated 33% fewer flights in August as demand continued to fall.
The future of bmi has been thrown into doubt following the news that Lufthansa had been approached by potential buyers.
In June Lufthansa paid a total of £223m to bmi's founder and chairman Sir Michael Bishop to settle a dispute over the takeover of the airline.
The German airline paid Sir Michael £175m plus a further £48m for the sale of his 50% plus one share holding in the UK carrier.
Lufthansa was required to buy Sir Michael's share holding as part of a deal it signed in 1999.
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