Bangkok Airways expects a significant improvement in business performance this year, anticipating a 15% jump in year-on-year operating profit, a 29% rise in revenue and 17% growth in passenger volumes.

The privately owned carrier projects minimum passenger revenue of 10.6 billion baht for all of 2011, topping last year's 8.3 billion baht, with passenger numbers reaching 3.1 million, president Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said yesterday.

The airline forecasts an operating profit of 892 million baht for the whole of 2011, compared with 778 million baht last year.

This year's revenue could soar to 13 billion baht if cargo income is taken into account, Mr Puttipong said.

Bangkok Airways is projecting an average load factor of 67.80% for the whole of 2011, about the same as last year.

The airline appears on course to achieve its targets, recording revenue of 5.2 billion baht in the first half, up from 4.1 billion baht the previous year, with passenger volume touching 1.5 million - thanks largely to improved traveller confidence stemming from the absence of political unrest.

First-half operating profit was 440 million baht, versus 397 million baht in the previous period.

The carrier was able to fill 68.4% of its seats in the first half, more or less the same as last year's figure.

Bangalore is the only new route planned for the second half of the year, reflecting a conservative approach to expansion that is geared towards building on existing routes by means of increasing frequencies.

The airline will start Bangkok-Bangalore service in September with five flights a week, before ramping up to daily in December.

The carrier also plans to add three more aircraft over the next two years: a 144-seat Airbus A319 scheduled to arrive in November this year, another A319 in February and a 162-seat A320 in October next year.

The current fleet comprises three A320s, six A319s and eight ATR-72 turboprops.

Bangkok Airways yesterday launched a 50-million-baht advertising campaign titled My Love, My Traveller, the sequel to last year's Love at First Flight, to increase the number of local passengers. Foreigners account for 80% of the airline's travellers.