Air France-KLM has continued the industry's dismal March traffic figures by posting sharp falls in its passenger and freight businesses.

Group passenger numbers fell 9.8% to 5.6 million in March while, despite an near-3% capacity reduction, traffic dropped 9.4%. Load factor fell 5.5 points to 75.5%.

Air France's cargo business continues to suffer and, excluding the freight business of Martinair's activity, integrated on 1 January, March traffic and capacity declined by 19.2% and 8.9%, resulting in a 7.8-point load factor deterioration, to 61.4%.

Including Martinair, traffic and cargo capacity rose 1.3% and 12.3%, with a subsequent load factor fall of 6.8 points to 62.5%.

Load factors across all group networks recorded falls, with the Caribbean and Indian Ocean region particularly affected by strike action in the French Antilles.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news