The US Dept. of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported Friday that the July systemwide passenger load factor for US airlines was 86.9% (86.9% domestic and 86.7% international), the “highest recorded for any July.”
With Delta Airlines leading the way, the major players in the airline industry are poised to post a whopping $2.4 billion in profits in the third quarter, one industry analyst predicts.
Delta Air Lines, Inc. oday announced that its wholly owned private jet subsidiary, Delta Air Elite, will now operate under the new brand of Delta Private Jets. Delta is the only U.S.-based carrier with commercial and private jet service, enabling customers to design their travel plans with the combined reach and convenience of an on-demand charter service and the world’s largest commercial airline network.
The U.S. airline industry is on track for a profitable year after a long drought. Currently, airlines are benefiting from the rebound in traffic, including an increase in business travel and premium service demand. With signs of sustained economic growth, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has more than tripled its full-year 2010 profit outlook to $8.9 billion for the overall industry compared with the earlier outlook of $2.5 billion.
SkyWest Inc., which operates regional service for major airlines, said Monday that September traffic rose 11 percent, faster than the company added flights.
US Airways Group, Inc. today announced September, quarter and
year-to-date 2010 traffic results. Mainline revenue passenger miles (RPMs) for
the month were 4.9 billion, up 7.5 percent versus September 2009. Mainline
capacity was 6.0 billion available seat miles (ASMs), up 3.8 percent versus
September 2009. Mainline passenger load factor was a record 82.1 percent
for the month of September, up 2.8 points versus September 2009.
American Airlines on Wednesday
said it is recalling hundreds of furloughed pilots and flight attendants after
forming joint businesses with several other airlines.
AMR Corp. reported that American Eagle Airlines’ September traffic increased 17.3 percent year over year as capacity increased 12.3 percent. September load factor was 71.7 percent, an increase of 3.1 points compared to the same period last year.
Cessna CEO Jack Pelton has been necessarily concerned about a
shortage of customers in the past 18 months but he’s shifted his gaze to a new
threat on the horizon and that’s a shortage of pilots. Pelton told the Aero
Club of Washington this week that the FAA estimates the number of student pilots will
hit a 10-year low this year. “This is a problem for all of us in aviation,
and all of us should be part of the solution,” Pelton said. “Fewer
pilots equate to less business for all of us, and it threatens the strong,
sustainable aviation system our nation counts on.”
United and Continental closed the deal on Friday that will create the world’s biggest airline, although it will be months before it looks that way to travelers.