Delta Air Lines Achieves Record February Load Factors
ATLANTA, March 5, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) — Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today reported record load factors for February. Load factors for system (74.9 percent), mainline system (75.0 percent), domestic (77.1 percent) and Latin (76.7 percent) were higher than any previous February on record for Delta.
System traffic in February 2008 increased 6.7 percent over February 2007 with a capacity increase of 5.6 percent. International traffic increased 13.1 percent year over year on a 12.9 percent increase in capacity. Domestic traffic in February 2008 increased 4.1 percent year over year on a capacity increase of 2.4 percent.
In addition, a record number of passengers flew internationally on Delta during the month of February. The number of international, Atlantic and Latin passengers increased 10.6 percent, 14.4 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively, versus the same period last year.
“In February, international unit revenues continued to perform very well compared to the prior year period, driven by strong improvements in yield and traffic in the Atlantic and Pacific regions,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s executive vice president — Network Planning and Revenue Management. “Domestic demand remained strong, demonstrated by another month of record load factors; however, yields have been pressured by competitor pricing actions that are inconsistent with recent record high fuel prices.”
Detailed traffic and capacity are attached.
Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 315 destinations in 59 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 650 weekly flights to 65 destinations. Delta’s marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 744 worldwide destinations in 151 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
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Delta Air Lines Monthly Traffic Results(a)(b) February 2008 February 2007 Change -------------------------------------------------------------------- RPMs (000): Domestic 5,882,426 5,651,342 4.1% Delta Mainline 4,561,026 4,418,495 3.2% Comair 315,048 297,203 6.0% Contract Carriers 1,006,352 935,644 7.6% International 2,590,168 2,289,162 13.1% Latin America 891,580 826,796 7.8% Delta Mainline 840,975 792,810 6.1% Comair 1,351 708 90.8% Contract Carriers 49,254 33,278 48.0% Atlantic 1,598,077 1,376,830 16.1% Pacific 100,511 85,536 17.5% System 8,472,594 7,940,504 6.7% ASMs (000): Domestic 7,631,864 7,455,084 2.4% Delta Mainline 5,865,070 5,762,722 1.8% Comair 459,013 447,690 2.5% Contract Carriers 1,307,781 1,244,672 5.1% International 3,675,723 3,256,711 12.9% Latin America 1,162,480 1,171,748 (0.8%) Delta Mainline 1,095,007 1,121,128 (2.3%) Comair 1,704 1,011 68.5% Contract Carriers 65,769 49,609 32.6% Atlantic 2,373,814 1,982,234 19.8% Pacific 139,429 102,729 35.7% System 11,307,587 10,711,795 5.6% Load Factor Domestic 77.1% 75.8% 1.3 pts Delta Mainline 77.8% 76.7% 1.1 pts Comair 68.6% 66.4% 2.2 pts Contract Carriers 77.0% 75.2% 1.8 pts International 70.5% 70.3% 0.2 pts Latin America 76.7% 70.6% 6.1 pts Delta Mainline 76.8% 70.7% 6.1 pts Comair 79.3% 70.0% 9.3 pts Contract Carriers 74.9% 67.1% 7.8 pts Atlantic 67.3% 69.5% (2.2) pts Pacific 72.1% 83.3% (11.2) pts System 74.9% 74.1% 0.8 pts Passengers Boarded 7,909,140 7,527,101 5.1% Completion Factor 98.4% 97.4% 1.0 pts Delta Air Lines Year to Date Traffic Results(a)(b) February 2008 February 2007 Change --------------------------------------------------------------------- RPMs (000): Domestic 11,890,187 11,744,458 1.2% Delta Mainline 9,228,534 9,210,606 0.2% Comair 653,546 647,201 1.0% Contract Carriers 2,008,107 1,886,651 6.4% International 5,658,071 5,051,558 12.0% Latin America 1,892,094 1,801,288 5.0% Delta Mainline 1,793,565 1,731,902 3.6% Comair 2,138 1,357 57.6% Contract Carriers 96,391 68,029 41.7% Atlantic 3,531,954 3,069,540 15.1% Pacific 234,023 180,730 29.5% Total System 17,548,258 16,796,016 4.5% ASMs (000): Domestic 15,653,232 15,773,935 (0.8%) Delta Mainline 12,012,486 12,192,140 (1.5%) Comair 972,086 1,000,625 (2.9%) Contract Carriers 2,668,660 2,581,170 3.4% International 7,695,278 6,954,361 10.7% Latin America 2,378,072 2,471,472 (3.8%) Delta Mainline 2,246,781 2,366,752 (5.1%) Comair 2,895 1,959 47.8% Contract Carriers 128,396 102,761 24.9% Atlantic 5,012,212 4,266,382 17.5% Pacific 304,994 216,507 40.9% Total System 23,348,510 22,728,296 2.7% Load Factor Domestic 76.0% 74.5% 1.5 pts Delta Mainline 76.8% 75.5% 1.3 pts Comair 67.2% 64.7% 2.5 pts Contract Carriers 75.2% 73.1% 2.1 pts International 73.5% 72.6% 0.9 pts Latin America 79.6% 72.9% 6.7 pts Delta Mainline 79.8% 73.2% 6.6 pts Comair 73.9% 69.3% 4.6 pts Contract Carriers 75.1% 66.2% 8.9 pts Atlantic 70.5% 71.9% (1.4) pts Pacific 76.7% 83.5% (6.8) pts Total System 75.2% 73.9% 1.3 pts Passengers Boarded 15,967,171 15,628,856 2.2%
Endnote:
(a) Results reflect operations under our contract carrier arrangements with the following airlines: Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc., Chautauqua Airlines, Inc., Freedom Airlines, Inc., Shuttle America Corp. and SkyWest Airlines Inc. for all periods presented, and ExpressJet Airlines and Pinnacle Airlines, Inc beginning June 2007 and December 2007, respectively.
(b) Mainline system includes domestic Delta mainline, Latin Delta mainline, Atlantic and Pacific operations
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CONTACT: Delta Air Lines Corporate Communications 404-715-2554 Investor Relations 404-715-2170