Italy Airline News

Alitalia: 3Q2009 15 million € profit

Bookmark and Share The Executive Committee for Alitalia - Compagnia Aerea Italiana SpA in a meeting today in Rome, headed by Roberto Colaninno, had examined the management status of the third quarter related to the consolidation of the Group, explained by Chief Executive Officer Rocco Sabelli.

In the third quarter, the Alitalia Group has achieved an operating profit of +15 ml. €, an improvement compared to losses in the first quarter (-210 ml. €) and second (-63 ml. €). Consequently, the operating loss for the first nine months, from 13 January (date of start of operations) to 30 September 2009, was reduced to -258 ml. €.

Revenues for the period amounted to about 838 ml. €. Over 6.3 ml. passengers transported, with an average coefficient of filling of aircraft (load factor) of 74%, up from two previous quarters (51% and 65% respectively).

Revenues for the first nine months of operation are globally amounted to 2,120 ml. €, passengers transported over 16 million and the average load factor of 64%.

The market share stood at 53% in the domestic market (51% in the first half) and 20% in the international market (19% in the first half).

The context of the global market, while remaining decidedly negative (-30%, the overall market during the first 8 months of the year compared to the same period of 2008, with a particular business segment flexion) showed some signs of stabilization of the trend.

Net debt at 30 September rose to 831 ml. € (770 ml. € 30 June) due to both the investment on the fleet (about 56 ml. € between deposits for new aircraft and maintenance), and, above all, for the seasonal reduction of debt for prepaid tickets and not yet flown in period (about 115 ml. € the change). These values were partially offset by the generation of cash management (+ 54 ml. €).

The debt on the fleet of 904 ml. €, a reduction of approximately 34 ml. € compared to 30 June, as a result of repayments made during the period, and a cash total is equal to 357 ml. €, a decrease compared to June 30 (about 487 ml. €) caused by the phenomenon, prepaid already improving in October (about 390 ml. €).

The fleet renewal plan has continued, in the quarter, with the introduction of additional 4 new Airbus A320 aircraft (in addition to the 5 already delivered in the first semester), demise and sale of 4 MD 80 and the start of the procedure to purchase 4 additional 90 seater regional aircraft, right tailored to the size of new opportunities for development of regional traffic flows, including through co-marketing agreements with regions and airport operators.

Improved in the period, the levels of service. The regular rate was 99.7% (with a daily average of less than 2 flights canceled) and the punctuality of 74% (70% in June), further increased in October (80.4%).

Achieved levels of excellence on the Rome-Milan-Rome, where punctuality was 92% and 94% in September and October. Good performance on all other airports, while signs of improvement were also recorded in Fiumicino, which in the quarter reached a level of punctuality average of 60% (56% in June), at 66% and 68% in September to October.