Airline Passenger Loads Reports: September

[Matt Molnar]

Press release:

Delta Air Lines Reports Record September Load Factors

ATLANTA, Oct. 3, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today reported record load factors for September 2008. Load factors for system (80.0 percent), domestic (81.5 percent) and Latin America (73.7 percent) were higher than any previous September on record for Delta.

International traffic increased 12.8 percent year over year on a 13.6 percent increase in capacity, and load factor declined 0.6 points. As a result of Delta's global expansion, a record number of passengers flew internationally on Delta during the month of September. The number of international and Atlantic passengers increased 5.0 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively, versus the same period last year.

Delta's domestic traffic in September 2008 decreased 8.0 percent year over year on 12.8 percent lower capacity, and load factor increased 4.3 points. In addition, system traffic in September 2008 decreased 0.8 percent over September 2007 on a capacity decrease of 3.7 percent. Delta's system load factor increased 2.4 points compared to the same period last year.

See full breakdown of the numbers here: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/n ... 4&d=151576

[LGA777]

Here are some other carriers LF for Sept starting with US

Passenger load factor for the month of September was a record 80.1 percent, up 2.0 points versus September 2007

ALASKA AIRLINES SAYS TRAFFIC EDGED UP IN SEPT.
Load factor, or occupancy, for the month was 75.8 percent, up from 71.8 percent in September 2007.

NORTHWEST TRAFFIC DIPS IN SEPTEMBER
The airline’s load factor, a measure of how full planes were during the month, also fell slightly to 83.3 percent from 83.7 a year ago.

And a very positive note from NW
NORTHWEST PROFITABLE WITH OIL AT $100: CEO

Northwest Airlines Corp, which is set to be acquired by Delta Airlines, can be profitable with oil at $100 per barrel, Doug Steenland, the company's chief executive, said on Wednesday. Despite the turmoil in credit markets, Steenland said he was confident the merged airline would have sufficient liquidity to manage its operations well into the future, noting that the airline would have $6 billion in cash on closing. "Our bookings have been keeping pace with our anticipation," Steenland said at a news conference in Tokyo. "But obviously we are concerned and mindful of whether we will see impacts coming from challenges in financial markets and contractions of credit over months ahead." Crude oil was trading at about $101 on Wednesday, well off the record high above $147 reached in July.

Source: Reuters, Oct. 1

Regards

LGA777

[Matt Molnar]

UA reported a 0.5% decline in overall load factor, but a 1.4% increase on domestic routes.

[Lezam]

Wow, that's excellent news!

[Matt Molnar]

JetBlue reported a 4.8% decrease in passenger miles on an 11.5% decrease in capacity. Load factor was up 5.3%.