Civil and Military Air Group

Passenger traffic carried by BA in April, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres, fell by 7.0% when compared with April 2007.

Passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, was 0.4% down - resulting in a passenger load factor decrease of 5.1 points against April 2007, to 71.6%. Traffic comprised a 3.4% increase in premium traffic and an 8.8% fall in non-premium traffic.

But cargo, measured in Cargo Tonne Kilometres, rose by 5.3%.

BA point out that comparisons across both March and April 2007 and 2008 are complicated by the timing of Easter - which fell in April in 2007 - and by the de-linking of UK school holidays from Easter itself. This has altered both premium and non-premium travel patterns across the 2 months.

They add that market conditions are broadly unchanged - with longhaul non-premium traffic showing significant weakness. And in April some impact was felt from the move to Terminal 5 . .

Details from BA