TAIPEI: Despite being the only listed carrier in Taiwan to make profit last year, TransAsia Airways Corp saw its net income in the fourth quarter last year mark the lowest level in six quarters, reflecting the negative impact after a crash in Penghu in July last year.
TNA, which primarily operates regional and cross-strait passenger routes, posted NT$304.91 million (US$9.74 million), or NT$0.55 per share, in net profit last year, the only airline to generate income among the nation’s three listed carriers, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.
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INCOME
However, the airline saw net income during the October-to-December period last year of NT$12.58 million, or NT$0.02 per share, marking its lowest level since the second quarter in 2013, statistics showed.
“The result witnessed lower load factors and average yields after the accident happened in the third quarter of 2014,” Primasia Securities Co Ltd said in a report here the other day.
TNA’s operating margin turned negative to minus-0.2 percent in the fourth quarter last year, partially driven by higher insurance costs and primarily by lower load factors and yields, Primasia said.
The brokerage expected TNA to encounter some headwinds in the short term continuously after another crash in February, as the carrier’s applications for new routes have been suspended for another year, further postponing its transition plan to expand into more diversified routes.
