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Air Berlin passenger numbers decline

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-05 22:25

FRANKFURT _ Air Berlin PLC, Germany's second-biggest airline, said Thursday that its passenger numbers were down 4.5 percent in January from the same month last year as the economic crisis took a toll on its business.

Air Berlin, the largest airline in Germany behind Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said passenger numbers were down to 1.7 million last month.

The Berlin-based company said its fleet capacity utilization, a measure of how full its airplanes are, increased to 69.4 percent from 69.1 percent a year ago, while it reduced its total capacity by about 5 percent.

Air Berlin said it increased its revenue per available seat kilometer by 23 percent to 4.99 euro cents (6.40 US cents) from 4.06 euro cents.

Shares of Air Berlin were up 1 percent at euro3.88 ($4.96) in Frankfurt morning trading.