T'way Air reported first-quarter operating profit of 19.9 billion won on a separate basis, returning to the black for the first time in eight quarters, the company said Tuesday. Revenue rose 37% from a year earlier to 612.2 billion won.
T'way Air attributed the earnings improvement to higher load factors achieved through flexible route operations and efficient fleet utilization amid expanding travel demand in the first quarter.
Load factors on major routes reached 95% for domestic and Japan, 94% for Taiwan, 93% for Southeast Asia, and 90% for Europe, with the overall load factor across all routes exceeding 90%. The first-quarter passenger count surpassed 3.13 million, up 17% from the same period a year earlier.
The cargo transport business also posted stable growth, driven by the expansion of its global network and the introduction of larger aircraft. First-quarter cargo volume reached approximately 9,000 tons, a 130% increase from the same period last year.
T'way Air recently changed its corporate name to Trinity Airlines (091810) through a shareholders' meeting. Operations under the Trinity Airlines name will begin after approvals from relevant domestic and international authorities are completed. Daemyung Sono Group, T'way Air's parent company, also changed its group name to Sono Trinity Group the same day.
"The first-quarter return to profit reflects a combination of proactive responses and efficient route operations and expansion," a T'way Air official said. "Going forward, we will prioritize safe operations to build a stable profit structure and strengthen our competitiveness to enhance customer satisfaction."
