Eurostar revenues hit by terrorist attacks and tunnel closure
Eurostar’s passenger numbers during the first quarter were the same as last year, despite a fall in traffic during January following the terrorist attacks in Paris and major disruption caused by a lorry fire in the tunnel which forced services to be cancelled.
It carried a total of 2.3 million passengers during the first three months of the year, including a 7% year on year increase in Business Premier travellers.
However, sales revenues in the first quarter were impacted by the events in January and by movements in exchange rates.
The first three months of 2015 saw the average exchange rate increase by 11% compared with the same quarter the previous year, with sterling rising to a seven year high of €1.37. As a result, Eurostar sales revenues were down by 6% to £215 million.
At constant exchange rates, sales revenues in Q1 2015 were down by 1%.
Eurostar said ticket sales for its new direct South of France service, stopping at Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, starting on May 1, were ‘gathering momentum’.
Chief executive Nicolas Petrovic said: "We are on countdown to the launch of our new South of France service and ticket sales are gathering pace. Whilst the UK business market has been strong for some time, we are now seeing the same trend on the other side of the channel. With forward bookings up on this time last year we are gearing up for a busy summer period."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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