JAL load factors rise in August
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Japan Airlines (JAL) saw a steady month-on-month increase in its load factors in August 2011. The carrier’s international services were 76.2% full in August – the highest level since the 11 March disasters. Due to the affects of its corporate restructuring, JAL cut its capacity by 27.4% in August, compared to the same month last year. But this was more than matched by a 30.2% drop in passenger traffic, which is still suffering in the wake of the March tragedies. Trans-Pacific routes experienced the strongest loads in August, at 80.4%, followed by routes to Korea, at 78.7%. Services to China however, were only 69.9% full.
JAL’s domestic load factors also recovered in August, albeit at a slower rate than international routes. The airline recorded domestic loads of 71.8% in August – the first time since March that the level has risen above 70%, and a considerable improvement from the 49.3% load factors experienced in April 2011.