Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 5.5 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in December 2006, compared to the 5.0 billion RPMs flown in December 2005.
DALLAS – Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 8.3 percent to 8.0 billion from the December 2005 level of 7.4 billion. The load factor for the month was 68.9 percent, compared to 67.6 percent for the same period last year.
For the fourth quarter 2006, Southwest flew 16.8 billion RPMs, compared to the 15.1 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2005, an increase of 11.0 percent. Available seat miles increased 10.0 percent to 23.9 billion from the fourth quarter 2005 level of 21.7 billion. The fourth quarter 2006 load factor was 70.2 percent, compared to 69.6 percent for the same period last year.
[GADS_NEWS]For the year ended December 31, 2006, Southwest flew 67.7 billion RPMs, compared to the 60.2 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2005, an increase of 12.4 percent. Available seat miles increased 8.8 percent to 92.7 billion from the 2005 level of 85.2 billion. The year-to-date load factor was
73.1 percent, compared to 70.7 percent for the same period last year.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS
DECEMBER
2006 2005 CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried 6,834,736 6,265,391 9.1 %
Enplaned passengers 7,869,164 7,255,795 8.5 %
Revenue passenger miles (000s) 5,506,475 4,994,097 10.3 %
Available seat miles (000s) 7,992,307 7,382,345 8.3 %
Load factor 68.9% 67.6% 1.3 pts.
Average length of haul 806 797 1.1 %
Trips flown 93,171 88,153 5.7 %
FOURTH QUARTER
2006 2005 CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried 21,093,758 19,485,341 8.3 %
Enplaned passengers 24,073,803 22,225,745 8.3 %
Revenue passenger miles (000s) 16,799,770 15,139,361 11.0 %
Available seat miles (000s) 23,914,966 21,748,689 10.0 %
Load factor 70.2% 69.6% 0.6 pts.
Average length of haul 796 777 2.4 %
Trips flown 279,903 259,377 7.9 %
YEAR-TO-DATE
2006 2005 CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried 83,851,484 77,693,875 7.9 %
Enplaned passengers 96,276,791 88,379,900 8.9 %
Revenue passenger miles (000s) 67,691,243 60,223,100 12.4 %
Available seat miles (000s) 92,663,023 85,172,795 8.8 %
Load factor 73.1% 70.7% 2.4 pts.
Average length of haul 807 775 4.1 %
Trips flown 1,092,331 1,028,639 6.2 %