Air New Zealand carried about 59,000 fewer passengers this April than it did in the same month last year.
Despite the 5.7% decline in passenger numbers to 971,000 in for the month, the reduced capacity - 12.7% - meant the group's passenger load factor increased 4.5%.
Air New Zealand's monthly investor report, released on Tuesday, also said its short haul service flew 848,000 people, down 4.7% on last year. With short haul capacity reduced by 7.3%, the passenger load increased 5.2%.
The long haul service flew 123,000, decreasing 12% on last year. The airline cut capacity on the longer flights by 16.3%, increasing passenger load by 3.9%.
The airline reported some cancellations due to fears over swine flu, primarily on its Japanese routes, though at this stage the financial effects were not material, the report said.
The airline also received a new Q300 turbo prop aircraft, to enter service late May. In total, the airline operated 98 aeroplanes, the same number as last year.
Year-to-date yields for the group were up 7.7% on the same
period last financial year, with short haul flight yields up 2.1%
and those on long haul flights up 13.8%.
