Aviation Week Study Ranks EVA As A Top Competitor
EVA Meets Rigorous Criteria for Second Place in Two Categories

After analyzing operating performance, strategies and financial health of 60 publicly traded airlines, Aviation Week's Competitiveness Study project team ranked EVA Air number two in both its Top-Performing Medium Airline and Most-Improved Medium Airline categories.  The study defined a Medium Airline as one with more than US $1 billion but less than US $4 billion in annual revenues and based analyses on fiscal results for 2004.

Individual categories were scored on a 1-to-5 scale, and rankings were based on cumulative scores and overall performances.  In the Top-Performing group, EVA netted a total score of 4.0 compared to 4.33 for Ryanair Holdings plc and Transat A.T. Inc., which tied for first place.  And EVA scored 4.5 with its financial health, compared to 5.0 for both first-place carriers.   Analysis of EVA was based on 2004 revenue of US $2,585,000,000.

Reviewing results, analysts predicted that EVA could be a strong challenger to Ryanair's and Transat's leading operating performance positions in the future. The study team also considered measurements such as asset utilization, productivity, strategies, liquidity and financial stability, and concluded that this year's top performers were among the industry's best managed over the past 15 years.  Top performers surpassed benchmarks established by previous winners.   The Asian carriers included in the study also outperformed most of their European and US counterparts. Korean Airlines gained the number one position in the Most-Improved Medium Airline group.  With more than US $4 billion in revenues, Cathay Pacific Airways ranked first among Top-Performing Large Airlines followed by Qantas in second place.  In the Most-Improved Large Airline category, Asiana Airlines Inc. ranked first and Cathay Pacific, second. Study results were reported in the June 6, 2005 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology.  The publication is the leading provider of technology, business and operations information in the global aviation and aerospace markets.