Record Load Factors Still

[regionalcap]

Delta Air Lines Achieves Record March Load Factors
Thursday April 3, 1:03 pm ET
ATLANTA, April 3, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL - News) today reported record load factors for March. Load factors for system (83.6 percent), mainline system (84.2 percent), domestic (84.5 percent) and Latin (81.9 percent) were higher than any previous March on record for System traffic in March 2008 increased 2.3 percent over March 2007 with a capacity increase of 1.5 percent. International traffic increased 12.5 percent year over year on a 12.2 percent increase in capacity. Domestic traffic in March 2008 decreased 2.1 percent year over year on a capacity decrease of 3.2 percent.
In addition, a record number of passengers flew internationally on Delta during the month of March. The number of international, Atlantic and Latin passengers increased 11.9 percent, 10.1 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively, versus the same period last year.
``Internationally, we saw strong demand and solid unit revenue gains, and our international network continues to grow with the recent launch of flights to Heathrow and Shanghai,'' said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's executive vice president - Network Planning and Revenue Management. ``On the domestic side, we moved quickly and aggressively to rationalize capacity in light of fuel prices and economic conditions. The benefits of these actions and our yield management initiatives, combined with the earlier Easter holiday, resulted in stronger year-over-year domestic unit revenue gains than seen last month.''

 

[Jonny Sacko]

Record levels, not making money. hmm, record levels, no making money, hmm, making no money off these FULL loads, hmm. F%CKING PINHEADS

 

[IronCityBlue]

That's good not only for Delta but for the industry. As others have mentioned, although the 2 most recent fare increases didn't stick, several fare increases have stuck recently, and ancellary revenue, while not massive, is also going to help. The 25 bucks for a second checked bag is a win win. People have simply been getting away with schlepping 200 pounds of junk with them for free. It burns gas to haul all that, as well as costs money to handle it.

I saw some people going through their bags trying to remove weight and transfer it to their lighter bag. They were still barely over by, get this, a bottle of shampoo. They discussed throwing it away, but kept it in and paid the charge. They weren't mad about it either.