BA November traffic stats

British Airways PLC
04 December 2002



TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS - NOVEMBER 2002


Summary of the headline figures

In November 2002, overall load factor improved by 5.0 points to 66.5 per cent.
Passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was 1.3 per cent
below November 2001 while traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres,
rose by 5.5 per cent. This resulted in a passenger load factor improvement of
4.4 points versus last year, to 68.3 per cent. The rise in traffic comprised a
5.0 per cent increase in premium traffic and a 5.6 per cent increase in
non-premium traffic. Cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, increased by
11.5 per cent.




Market conditions

Although the travel market remains subject to global economic and political
uncertainty, the revenue outlook has stabilised.




Strategic developments

British Airways announced its longhaul flying programme for the summer 2003
season, which will reflect the airline's drive to maximise revenue on profitable
routes, reduce its cost base and work its assets harder. Seven additional weekly
flights between Heathrow and Chicago will be added next year plus five
additional weekly flights between Heathrow and Newark, New York, three
additional weekly flights between Heathrow and Toronto and three additional
weekly flights between Gatwick and Houston. Services from Heathrow to Houston
which currently operate via Washington will operate via Chicago. Flights to
Melbourne via Singapore will also increase from five per week to a daily
service. On South American routes, the airline's daily service to Rio de Janeiro
via Sao Paulo will reduce to four flights per week. A non-stop service to Buenos
Aires, which operates three times per week, will fly, in future, via Sao Paulo.
These changes are due to the economic downturn in Brazil and Argentina which has
led to a drop in passenger demand on these routes.


British Airways and American Airlines filed an application with the US
Department of Transportation seeking US regulatory approval to offer certain
codeshare services permitted under the current provisions of the US-UK Air
Services Agreement. The arrangement would enable British Airways to place its
code on American's flights beyond British Airways' US gateway cities to points
in the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. British Airways would also
place its code on American's flights between Glasgow, Manchester and Chicago.
The application submitted by the two carriers excludes codesharing on each
other's transatlantic services between the US and London. American would be able
to place its code on British Airways' services beyond its UK gateways to key
destinations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, continental Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, and Asia. American also would be able to place its code on British
Airways' transatlantic service between New York (JFK) and Manchester.

British Airways Chief Executive Rod Eddington called on European nations to join
together to break down America's protectionist aviation policies. Speaking at
the Institute of Economic Affairs annual conference in London, he said it was
the only way Europe could rebalance a one-sided air treaty the USA had pursued
and he appealed to the British government to throw its weight behind the cause.


British Airways' low fares to Europe got even lower with the introduction of a
special early booking fare. The airline is offering a new lower fare on 74
routes with flights from £49 return in the UK and £59 to Europe, when purchased
at least 30 days in advance of travel. There are no Saturday night stay
restrictions and the fare is fully combinable with all other fares.


                                      ends

December 4, 2002 139/LE/02

BRITISH AIRWAYS MONTHLY TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY STATISTICS
                                          Month of November                       Financial year to date
                                                                                  April through November
                                                              Change                                     Change
                                        2002        2001         (%)              2002        2001          (%)
Passengers carried (000)
UK/Europe                               2057        2028        +1.5             18785       19631         -4.3
Americas                                 514         458       +12.2              4577        4603         -0.6
Asia Pacific                             127         128        -1.0              1060        1167         -9.2
Africa and Middle East                   213         198        +7.4              1675        1871        -10.5
Total                                   2911        2812        +3.5             26097       27273         -4.3
Revenue passenger km (m)
UK/Europe                               1553        1532        +1.4             14835       15887         -6.6
Americas                                3457        3140       +10.1             30817       31384         -1.8
Asia Pacific                            1285        1324        -2.9             10798       11682         -7.6
Africa and Middle East                  1496        1388        +7.8             11257       12611        -10.7
Total                                   7791        7383        +5.5             67706       71564         -5.4
Available seat km (m)
UK/Europe                               2548        2692        -5.4             21363       24792        -13.8
Americas                                4983        4673        +6.6             41653       43442         -4.1
Asia Pacific                            1709        2116       -19.2             13853       16176        -14.4
Africa and Middle East                  2165        2077        +4.2             16144       18057        -10.6
Total                                  11406       11559        -1.3             93014      102467         -9.2
Passenger load factor (%)
UK/Europe                               60.9        56.9        +4.0 pts          69.4        64.1         +5.3 pts
Americas                                69.4        67.2        +2.2 pts          74.0        72.2         +1.8 pts
Asia Pacific                            75.2        62.6       +12.6 pts          77.9        72.2         +5.7 pts
Africa and Middle East                  69.1        66.8        +2.3 pts          69.7        69.8         -0.1 pts
Total                                   68.3        63.9        +4.4 pts          72.8        69.8         +3.0 pts
Revenue tonne km (RTK) (m)
Cargo tonne km (CTK)                     387         347       +11.5              2866        2696         +6.3
Total RTK                               1165        1090        +6.9              9623        9835         -2.2
Available tonne km (m)                  1752        1772        -1.1             14283       15543         -8.1
Overall load factor (%)                 66.5        61.5        +5.0 pts          67.4        63.3         +4.1 pts

Certain information included in this statement is forward-looking and involves
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements.


Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, projections relating to
results of operations and financial conditions and the Company's plans and
objectives for future operations, including, without limitation, discussions of
the Company's 'Future Size and Shape' programme, expected future revenues,
financing plans and expected expenditures and divestments. All forward-looking
statements in this report are based upon information known to the Company on the
date of this report. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.


It is not reasonably possible to itemise all of the many factors and specific
events that could cause the Company's forward looking statements to be incorrect
or that could otherwise have a material adverse effect on the future operations
or results of an airline operating in the global economy. Information on some
factors which could result in material difference to the results is available in
the Company's SEC filings, including, without limitation the Company's Report on
Form 20-F for the year ended March 2002.


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