SA cargo figure best ever for BAWC

David Shepherd - freighter service boosted figures. British Airways World Cargo (BAWC) has reported flown revenues of £118 million (about R1,4 billion) for the first quarter of the financial year 2003/2004. After adjusting for exchange, this shows a 3,7 per cent decrease over the same period last year. But the outlook from the South African sector of the airline’s operation is a satisfactory one. “Our figures from South Africa last year were the best ever,” says general manager Africa, cargo, David Shepherd. “In terms of revenue delivered, this was driven by the first full year of our freighter operation from UK to South Africa. Loads out of Cape Town increased and it was a year in which we enjoyed a greater diversification of commodity mix.” The volume of cargo traffic carried across the airline’s international network increased by 0,6 per cent to 1,057m cargo tonne kilometres (CTKs) from 1,051m CTKs in the same quarter 2002/2003. During the same period, although the airline saw a 3,1 per cent reduction in cargo capacity, load factors improved by 2,1 points over the quarter. Gareth Kirkwood, managing director, BAWC says: “Our quarter one results are in line with our expectations, given the external factors that continue to have an impact on our business. “The first three months of this financial year saw us operating in a very challenging business environment. We were dealing with the impact of the war in Iraq as well as the effect of the Sars outbreak.”