BA says business travel up in April, leisure falls

British Airways reported near flat passenger traffic for April after the timing of the busy Easter break drove down leisure travel but sent first and economy class travel soaring compared to a year ago.

BA, Europe's second-largest airline, said that April traffic rose 0.1 per cent year on year as the mix of travel swung back in favour of the lucrative premium market with business travellers returning to work after Easter holidays in March. BA, which reports annual results next week, said market conditions remain broadly unchanged.

The airline has tipped a 3.0-3.5 per cent rise in revenues for the year to the end of March 2005 as it battles tough competition from low-cost rivals and high fuel prices. These have been partly offset with lower costs and fuel surcharges. BA's traffic, measured in terms of revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), did benefit from extra leisure passengers during Easter, which fell in March this year but in April last year. That meant business travel was significantly higher in April than the previous period.

Non-premium traffic fell two per cent in the month, while premium - or first and business class traffic - rose 13.3 per cent.

BA said its April load factor - a measure of how many seats it has filled on its planes - fell 0.8 point to 74.7 per cent.

Low-cost rival Ryanair earlier reported a 24 per cent jump in April passengers after adding new routes on European short-haul destinations.

Former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh started work at the airline this week. He will replace current chief Rod Eddington in October.

"He has obviously got his feet under the desk. When Rod came here he took the time to acquaint himself with the business and that's what you would expect any sensible person to do," BA's head of investor relations George Stinnes told reporters.

BA shares were up 1.6 per cent at 251 pence at 1426 GMT.