EX-99.1 2 ex991.htm AIR CANADA REPORTS THIRTEENTH CONSECUTIVE MONTH OF RECORD LOAD FACTORS FOR APRIL Air Canada Reports Thirteenth Consecutive Month of Record Load Factors For April

Exhibit 99.1

 
 
 
News Release

AIR CANADA REPORTS THIRTEENTH CONSECUTIVE MONTH OF RECORD LOAD FACTORS FOR APRIL

 
•
Domestic passenger load factor at 82.0% - highest ever for April
 
•
System passenger load factor at 80.5% - highest ever for April


MONTRÉAL, May 5, 2005 - Air Canada reported a system load factor of 80.5 percent in April 2005, the highest ever for April. The mainline carrier flew 4.7 percent more revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in April 2005 than in April 2004, according to preliminary traffic figures. Overall, capacity increased by 1.1 percent, resulting in a load factor of 80.5 percent, compared to 77.7 percent in April 2004; an increase of 2.8 percentage points. In the domestic market, capacity decreased by 1.7 percent and traffic increased by 4.7 percent resulting in a domestic load factor of 82.0 percent - a 5.0 percentage point increase year over year.

Jazz, Air Canada’s regional airline subsidiary, flew 17.0 percent more revenue passenger miles in April 2005 than in April 2004, according to preliminary traffic figures. Capacity increased by 1.4 percent, resulting in a load factor of 70.5 percent, compared to 61.1 per cent in April 2004; an increase of 9.4 percentage points.

Domestic traffic, on a combined basis for Air Canada and its regional carrier, Jazz, rose 7.2 percent.

"Our performance in April marked the beginning of a second year of consecutive record load factors with a 2.8 percentage increase over last year’s record for the month,” said Montie Brewer, President and Chief Executive Officer. ”This ongoing strong performance reflects a definite trend towards increasing customer preference for Air Canada over and above the market’s recovery. Air Canada’s employees are winning over more and more customers and I am incredibly proud that again in April they handled record volumes with exceptional operational performance. Air Canada has clearly become the airline of choice for Canadians with the lowest fares to the greatest number of destinations on an everyday basis.”




This discussion contains certain forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors including acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, government regulations and government mandated restrictions on operations and pricing, fuel prices, industry restructuring, labour negotiations, the economic environment in general including foreign exchange and interest rates, the airline competitive and pricing environment, industry capacity decisions and new entrants as well as external events, actual results could differ from expected results and the differences could be material.



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AIR CANADA MAINLINE (Includes Jetz)
  
       
APRIL
  
YEAR-TO-DATE
  
       
2005
  
2004
  
Change
  
2005
  
2004
  
Change
  
Traffic (RPMs millions)
    
3,382
    
3,230
    
+4.7
%
  
13,494
    
12,878
    
+4.8
%
Capacity (ASMs millions)
    
4,200
    
4,155
    
+1.1
%
  
17,084
    
17,251
    
-1.0
%
Load Factor
    
80.5
%
  
77.7
%
  
+2.8 pts
    
79.0
%
  
74.7
%
  
+4.3 pts
  
 
    
RPMs
    
1,005
    
960
    
+4.7
%
  
3,790
    
3,701
    
+2.4
%
Canada
    
ASMs
    
1,225
    
1,246
    
-1.7
%
  
4,818
    
5,015
    
-3.9
%
 
    
Load Factor
    
82.0
%
  
77.0
%
  
+5.0 pts
    
78.7
%
  
73.8
%
  
+4.9 pts
  
 
    
RPMs
    
549
    
546
    
+0.5
%
  
2,456
    
2,458
    
-0.1
%
U.S. Transborder
    
ASMs
    
740
    
799
    
-7.4
%
  
3,256
    
3,610
    
-9.8
%
 
    
Load Factor
    
74.2
%
  
68.3
%
  
+5.9 pts
    
75.4
%
  
68.1
%
  
+7.3 pts
  
 
    
RPMs
    
818
    
791
    
+3.4
%
  
2,908
    
2,806
    
+3.6
%
Atlantic
    
ASMs
    
943
    
893
    
+5.6
%
  
3,532
    
3,550
    
-0.5
%
 
    
Load Factor
    
86.7
%
  
88.6
%
  
-1.9 pts
    
82.3
%
  
79.0
%
  
+3.3 pts
  
 
    
RPMs
    
668
    
616
    
+8.4
%
  
2,516
    
2,332
    
+7.9
%
Pacific
    
ASMs
    
830
    
791
    
+4.9
%
  
3,115
    
2,966
    
+5.0
%
 
    
Load Factor
    
80.5
%
  
77.9
%
  
+2.6 pts
    
80.8
%
  
78.6
%
  
+2.2 pts
  
 
    
RPMs
    
342
    
317
    
+7.9
%
  
1,824
    
1,581
    
+15.4
%
Other & Charter
    
ASMs
    
462
    
426
    
+8.5
%
  
2,363
    
2,110
    
+12.0
%
 
    
Load Factor
    
74.0
%
  
74.4
%
  
-0.4 pts
    
77.2
%
  
74.9
%
  
+2.3 pts
  
 
AIR CANADA REGIONAL (Jazz)
  
   
APRIL
  
YEAR-TO-DATE
  
   
2005
  
2004
  
Change
  
2005
  
2004
  
Change
  
Traffic (RPMs millions)
    
158
    
135
    
+17.0
%
  
607
    
525
    
+15.6
%
Capacity (ASMs millions)
    
224
    
221
    
+1.4
%
  
867
    
887
    
-2.3
%
Load Factor
    
70.5
%
  
61.1
%
  
+9.4 pts
    
70.0
%
  
59.2
%
  
+10.8 pts
  
 
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Contacts:
Isabelle Arthur (Montréal)
(514) 422-5788
 
Laura Cooke (Toronto)
(416) 263-5576
 
Angela Mah (Vancouver)
(604) 270-5741
Internet:
aircanada.com