SATS nine-month operating data show encouraging growth trends

Flights, cargo and passengers handled all up.

In the third quarter of FY2013-14, the number of flights handled by SATS grew 10.2% to 34,920 and unit
services increased by 6.6% year-on-year to 28,620.

Also in the third quarter, cargo throughput was up 1.9% to 384,270 tonnes. Passengers handled rose 4.8% to 11.25 million, driven by higher low-cost carrier traffic. Gross and unit meals, however, declined 8.0% and 5.7% respectively due mainly to the loss of Qantas’ flights to Europe.

Meamnwhile, adding the third quarter data to get the year-to-date operating data, it was shown that all operating metrics grew in the first nine months of FY2013-14 except for gross and unit meals, which posted 7.3% and 5.6% declines, respectively.

Unit services handled was up 7.8% to 83,140 while flights handled has risen 9.8% to 100,570. Meanwhile, cargo/mail processed ticked up 2.0% to 1,127,100 tonnes as passengers handled ballooned 7.3% to 32.95 million.