Lufhtansa reports increase in pax

LUFTHANSA performed reasonably well in 2003 despite a persistently difficult operating environment, and recorded a rise in passenger numbers in 2003 for the first time in two years. From January to December 2003, the Lufthansa Group airlines carried 44,4 million passengers, an increase of 1% on the previous year. Thanks to flexible capacity management, it achieved a passenger load factor of 73,3%, almost on a par with the good level of capacity utilisation in the prior year. In 2003, the Lufthansa Group achieved an overall load factor (passenger business and cargo) of 69,9%, only marginally short of the prior-year figure of 70,7%. (Miguel de Sousa)