KARACHI, Oct 15: Pakistan International Airlines said on Friday that in the first nine months of operation (Jan-Sept 2004), the airline's revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) were 10,274 million as compared to 8,997 million in the corresponding period last year and 8,024 million the year before.

The increase was 28 per cent over Jan-Sept RPKs of 2002. "This achievement is further enhanced by a yield increase of around 30 paisa per RPK," the airline said in a press statement.

PIA stated that aviation fuel prices had an unprecedented hike in 2004. In 2003, the world average jet fuel price was 81.2 cents per gallon while in July 2004, the price hit 115.3 cents and was still rising.

It said the rising fuel price coupled with already prevalent slump in the aviation industry had an adverse affect on all major airlines of the world. However, PIA had been able to show a constant growth in passenger and cargo traffic as well as to achieve improvement in yields through optimum utilization of available capacity.

The airline noted the cargo market had also shown positive results. During Jan-Sept 2004, revenue freight ton kilometres (RFTKs) reached a figure of 299 million compared to 273 million during the corresponding period of 2003 and 256 million during 2002.

The growth in freight was 16.8 per cent over the 2002 levels. The cargo yield also remained high at 90 paisa per RFTK. That was achieved by adding freighter service to cater for demand in cargo capacity that could not be met through passenger services due to the fact that high seat factors required higher baggage capacity, leaving little space for cargo.

During the mango season ended in September, PIA airlifted the highest ever total of 9,140 tons mango for various destinations in the UK, Europe, Saudi Arabia and Gulf estates and generated a record revenue of Rs568 million, which was 19 per cent more than 2003, while 16 per cent growth in tons uplift during the mango season (May-Sept 2004) had been recorded viz-a-viz last year.