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AA International Passenger Tally Surges: Southwest Airlines Posts a 19.3 Percent Increase in Traffic for April.

Posted on: Friday, 5 May 2006, 09:00 CDT

By D.R. Stewart, Tulsa World, Okla.

May 5--American Airlines' international passenger traffic increased 10.1 percent in April, nearly twice its domestic traffic increase compared with April 2005, while Southwest Airlines traffic rose 19.3 percent, company officials said.

American, the world's largest airline, flew 11.9 billion revenue passenger miles in April, a 5.5 percent increase from April 2005 on the same capacity as a year ago.

A revenue passenger mile is flying one revenue passenger one mile.

In the United States, American flew 7.8 billion revenue passenger miles last month, up 3.3 percent from April 2005, on a capacity decrease of 2.3 percent. Internationally, American flew 4.1 billion revenue passenger miles in April, a 10.1 percent increase on a capacity increase of 4.4 percent.

Systemwide, American's load factor, or the percentage of seats filled, last month was 81.7 percent, 4.3 points higher than in the same month last year. Domestically, American's load factor was 83.9 percent, 4.6 points above April 2005. Internationally, American's load factor was 77.7 percent, 4 points higher than the same month last year.

American boarded 8.4 million passengers last month, up 4.3 percent from April 2005.

For the year to date, American flew 44.9 billion revenue passenger miles, a 3.2 percent increase compared with the January-through-April period a year ago at the same capacity level.

Domestically, American flew 29.7 billion revenue passenger miles in the first four months, a 2 percent increase on a capacity decrease of 2.2 percent. Internationally, American flew 15.2 billion revenue passenger miles through April, a 5.5 percent increase on a capacity increase of 4.2 percent.

Systemwide, American's load factor in the first four months was 78.3 percent, 2.4 points higher than the same period a year ago. Domestically, American's load factor was 80.3 percent, 3.3 points higher than the first four months of 2005. Internationally, American's load factor was 74.7 percent, 1 point above the comparable period a year ago.

American boarded 32.07 million passengers in the first four months, a 3 percent increase.

American Eagle, American Airlines' regional airline affiliate, flew 758.08 million revenue passenger miles in April, a 17.1 percent increase over April 2005 on a capacity increase of 9.9 percent.

American Eagle's load factor last month was 74.4 percent, 4.6 points higher.

American Eagle boarded 1.8 million passengers in April, a 9.3 percent increase compared with April 2005.

In the first four months, American Eagle flew 2.8 billion revenue passenger miles, a 20.1 percent increase compared with the same period last year on a capacity increase of 12.1 percent.

Through April, American Eagle's load factor was 71.2 percent, up 4.7 points.

The company boarded 6.7 million passengers January through April, an 8.6 percent increase from the first four months of 2005.

Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading discount carrier, flew 5.7 billion revenue passenger miles in April, a 19.3 percent increase from the same month last year on a capacity increase of 7.3 percent.

Southwest's load factor last month was 76.7 percent, 7.6 points above April 2005. The airline boarded 7.04 million passengers in April, an 11.6 percent increase.

In the first four months of the year, Southwest flew 21.01 billion revenue passenger miles, a 16.5 percent increase compared with last year's first four months on a capacity increase of 8.7 percent.

Southwest's load factor through April was 71.l percent, 4.7 points above the comparable period a year ago. The regional carrier boarded 26.2 million passengers in the first four months, a 10.3 percent increase.

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D.R. Stewart 581-8451 don.stewart@tulsaworld.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

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Source: Tulsa World

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