OREANDA-NEWS. December 01, 2014. JSC "Aeroflot" ("the Company", Moscow Exchange ticker: AFLT) announces operating results of Aeroflot Group ("the Group") and the Company for October 2014 and the first ten months of 2014.

Operating Highlights

Passenger traffic of Aeroflot Group in October 2014 was 2.9 mln, up 8.0% year-on-year. For 10M 2014, the Group’s passenger traffic totalled 29.5 mln, a 10.3% year-on-year increase. JSC Aeroflot’s traffic was 2.1 mln in October 2014 and 19.9 mln in 10M 2014, up 10.3% and 13.0% year-on-year, respectively.

In October 2014, the Group’s revenue passenger kilometres ("RPKs") rose by 4.2% year-on-year, while the Company posted 9.0% year-on-year RPK growth. The Group and the Company delivered increases in available seat kilometres ("ASKs") of 3.9% and 10.3%, respectively.

On domestic routes, the Group’s traffic and RPKs grew by 24.4% and 18.3% year-on-year in October 2014, mainly driven by increased flight frequencies and carrying capacities on high-demand routes. JSC Aeroflot saw an increase in traffic of 26.8% and an increase in RPKs of 19.4% in October. As a result, the Group’s and the Company’s passenger load factors increased by 2.9 percentage points (p.p.) and 1.2 p.p. to 79.3% and 82.7%, respectively.

On international routes, the Group’s traffic and RPKs declined 5.5% and 3.4% year-on-year in October 2014. The Company’s international passenger traffic was down 1.4% year-on-year, while the Company’s RPKs increased 3.7% year-on-year. The changes in the Group’s international traffic and RPKs were driven by Aeroflot’s decision to cease carrying passengers under block charter agreements (the least profitable passenger segment), as well as by lower frequency of flights to Ukrainian destinations and reclassification of flights to Simferopol as domestic.

Fleet Update
During 10M 2014, Aeroflot expanded its fleet with 13 Airbus A320s, three Boeing 737-800 and six Boeing 777-300ERs. In the same period, five Boeing 767-300ERs and two Airbus A320 family aircraft exited the Aeroflot fleet as their leases expired, and five Airbus A320 family aircraft were transferred to subsidiary airlines. The Company’s fleet is now the youngest in the world with an average aircraft age of 4.0 years as of 31 October 2014.