Continued from page 48


of assistance from experienced ground staff”. CMAC chief executive


Peter Slater noted: “It’s clear there is significant room for improvement in the quality of the airline response to disruption. Technology needs to be used as an enabler, not a replacement, for airline and ground handling staff.” The Airlines for Europe (A4E)


group noted last week that the average delay per flight in the EU “soared by over 400%” last year, according to a report by the Single European Sky’s Performance Review Body (PRB). A4E said European airspace


was “struggling to keep up with demand” and warned disruption “will continue to impact airline operations and inconvenience millions of passengers”. Ourania Georgoutsakou,


A4E managing director, insisted: “We need to bolster Europe’s airspace capacity [and] drive reforms in its operations.” Ryanair called again on EC


president Ursula von der Leyen to act to protect overflights or to resign during the latest French air traffic control (ATC) strike on October 13, noting it was the 64th day of ATC strikes this year. However, European air


navigation body Eurocontrol reported the first full week of October saw the lowest number of flight delays since early May, with 69% of departures and 75% of arrivals on time. It noted ATC capacity and staffing levels were responsible for three-quarters (77%) of delays. The UK saw the most flights


in Europe but accounted for less than 2% of ATC delays. Germany accounted for 37% of en-route delays and France 23%.


EasyJet hails holidays’ division’s £120m profit


Ian Taylor


EasyJet aims to more than double profits at easyJet holidays after reporting the tour operator will deliver a £120 million profit “in only its second year of trading”. Johan Lundgren, easyJet chief


executive, hailed a “record financial performance” and “best-ever” results for the April-June and July-September quarters as he issued a trading update last week ahead of full-year results at the end of November. Lundgren reported easyJet


passenger numbers up 8% year on year and revenue up 9% in the three summer months to September – the final quarter of the airline’s financial year – and unveiled “ambitious new targets” including a new fleet plan. He revealed easyJet aims to


hit an annual profit of £1 billion within three to five years – of which £250 million is forecast to come from easyJet holidays – up from a forecast


Johan Lundgren “There have been multiple tries


by airlines to do this. I don’t know who else could replicate it.” EasyJet chief financial officer


Kenton Jarvis reported easyJet holidays carried 1.9 million package holidaymakers in the 12 months to September. The operator holds an Atol to cover almost 2.3 million holidays in the next 12 months. The carrier confirmed orders for


pre-tax profit of £440 million to £460 million for the 12 months to September. Lundgren insisted: “Customers


continue to protect their holidays and gravitate towards value.” He dismissed a suggestion that


rival carriers could seek to emulate easyJet holidays’ success, suggesting: “If any low-cost airline knew how to do this, they would have done it. We have a network no other airline has. We have a reputation no other airline has. We have relationships with hoteliers.


157 new Airbus aircraft for delivery between 2029 and 2034 last week and purchase rights for a further 100, increasing its order book to 315 aircraft at a cost of almost $20 billion. Lundgren said capacity for the


three months to the end of the year would be 15% up year on year, and 13% higher for the winter as a whole. He noted: “The increase [next


summer] will be significant but won’t be 13%-15% [up on 2023]. It gives us steady, robust growth. We expect capacity in this financial year to come up to the same level as 2019.”


Delta targets $5bn profit after record summer quarter


Delta Air Lines reported record revenue and earnings this summer, with quarterly profits to the end of September up 30% year on year. The strong figures led the US


carrier, transatlantic joint-venture partner and joint owner of Virgin Atlantic, to forecast full-year pre- tax profits of more than $5 billion – almost double its profit in 2022.


46 19 OCTOBER 2023


Delta reported operating


revenue of $15.5 billion for the July-September quarter and a pre-tax profit of $1.5 billion for the three months, leading to a quarterly net profit of $1.1 billion. US domestic demand continued


to grow, with revenue up 6% year on year despite the carrier adding 11% capacity, but transatlantic revenue grew 34% as Delta operated the biggest schedule across the Atlantic in its history – increasing capacity year on year by 22%. Premium cabin revenue rose


17% in the quarter and 30% in the year to date on 2022, compared


Delta has operated


the biggest transatlantic schedule in its history


with 12% in economy for the quarter and 24% for the first nine months. Airline president Glen


Hauenstein forecast revenue growth of 9%-12% year on year.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/Robin Guess


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