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LONDON (Alliance News) - FTSE 100-listed budget carrier easyJet PLC on Wednesday said it passenger numbers and load factor both improved in March year-on-year, while Aer Lingus Group PLC also said its passenger numbers increased and its load factor improved in the month.
EasyJet said its passenger numbers rose 7.5% year-on-year in March to hit 5.5 million, up from 5.1 million a year earlier. On a rolling basis to the end of March, the company's passenger numbers rose 6.7% to 66 million, up from 61.8 million a year before.
Its load factor also improved in March, rising 1.1 percentage points to 92.6% from 91.5%. On a rolling basis, its load factor improved by 1.4 percentage points to 90.9% from 89.5% a year earlier.
Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus echoed the improvements shown by easyJet, with traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, rising 10.6%. Aer Lingus also said its load factor improved in March, up 4.4 percentage points to 79.1% from 74.7% a year earlier.
Aer Lingus' passenger numbers in the month rose 2.3%, though are down 0.8% in the year to date.
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, owner of British Airways and Iberia, is expected to provide its own March traffic statistics later Wednesday.
By Sam Unsted; samunsted@alliancenews.com; @SamUAtAlliance
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