ATLANTA, Jan. 4, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines today reported record load factor results for December 2006. Delta's system load factor for December 2006 was a record 77.8%, up 2.5 points from the prior year and the previous December record load factor of 75.3%. Delta also achieved its highest December load factors for its mainline system (78.3% with a previous high of 75.5% in 2005), mainline domestic (78.5% with a previous high of 75.4% in 2005) and Delta Connection system (75.4% with a previous high of 74.3% in 2005).
In addition, Delta reported record load factor results for the full year 2006, achieving its highest annual load factors for its consolidated system (78.5% with a previous high of 76.5% in 2005), mainline system (79.0% with a previous high of 77.6% in 2005), and Delta Connection system (76.5% with a previous high of 71.0% in 2005).
For December 2006, system traffic increased 3.5% from December 2005 with a capacity increase of 0.2%. International traffic in December 2006 increased 26.4% year over year on a 22.9% increase in capacity. International load factor was 77.8%, up 2.1 points compared to December 2005. Domestic traffic in December 2006 decreased 4.0% year over year, and capacity decreased 7.3%.
During December 2006, Delta operated its schedule at a 99.0% completion rate, a 0.6 point improvement compared to December 2005. Delta boarded 8.8 million passengers during December 2006, an increase of 0.1% from December 2005. Detailed traffic and capacity are included.
Delta Air Lines (Other OTC:DALRQ) offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 304 destinations in 52 countries. With more than 50 new international routes added in the last year, Delta is America's fastest growing international airline and is a leader across the Atlantic with flights to 31 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers nearly 600 weekly flights to 58 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 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 457 worldwide destinations in 97 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(1,2)
December December
2006 2005 Change
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RPMs (000):
Domestic 6,591,161 6,867,140 (4.0%)
Delta Mainline 5,182,169 5,578,385 (7.1%)
Comair 400,504 422,757 (5.3%)
Contract Carriers 1,008,488 865,998 16.5%
International 2,845,163 2,250,498 26.4%
Latin America 924,375 698,170 32.4%
Delta Mainline 889,301 679,245 30.9%
Comair 0 7,141 NM
Contract Carriers 35,074 11,784 197.6%
Atlantic 1,834,437 1,460,051 25.6%
Pacific 86,351 92,277 (6.4%)
Total System 9,436,324 9,117,638 3.5%
ASMs (000):
Domestic 8,464,422 9,126,369 (7.3%)
Delta Mainline 6,600,489 7,396,592 (10.8%)
Comair 550,012 600,100 (8.3%)
Contract Carriers 1,313,921 1,129,677 16.3%
International 3,657,099 2,974,806 22.9%
Latin America 1,238,610 983,547 25.9%
Delta Mainline 1,184,812 954,301 24.2%
Comair 0 11,441 NM
Contract Carriers 53,798 17,805 202.2%
Atlantic 2,305,143 1,877,542 22.8%
Pacific 113,346 113,717 (0.3%)
Total System 12,121,521 12,101,175 0.2%
Load Factor
Domestic 77.9% 75.2% 2.7 pts
Delta Mainline 78.5% 75.4% 3.1 pts
Comair 72.8% 70.4% 2.4 pts
Contract Carriers 76.8% 76.7% 0.1 pts
International 77.8% 75.7% 2.1 pts
Latin America 74.6% 71.0% 3.6 pts
Delta Mainline 75.1% 71.2% 3.9 pts
Comair 0.0% 62.4% NM pts
Contract Carriers 65.2% 66.2% (1.0) pts
Atlantic 79.6% 77.8% 1.8 pts
Pacific 76.2% 81.1% (4.9) pts
Total System 77.8% 75.3% 2.5 pts
Passengers Boarded 8,754,487 8,743,101 0.1%
Delta Air Lines
Year to Date Traffic Results (1,2)
December December
2006 2005 Change
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RPMs (000):
Domestic 82,414,302 91,853,280 (10.3%)
Delta Mainline 65,477,336 75,840,949 (13.7%)
ASA 0 3,960,272 NM
Comair 5,256,789 6,099,230 (13.8%)
Contract Carriers 11,680,177 5,952,829 96.2%
International 33,718,399 28,100,812 20.0%
Latin America 8,440,781 6,578,475 28.3%
Delta Mainline 8,155,640 6,378,564 27.9%
ASA 0 85,996 NM
Comair 33,704 47,618 (29.2%)
Contract Carriers 251,437 66,297 279.3%
Atlantic 24,133,763 20,411,902 18.2%
Pacific 1,143,855 1,110,435 3.0%
Total System 116,132,701 119,954,092 (3.2%)
ASMs (000):
Domestic 104,901,140 121,156,631 (13.4%)
Delta Mainline 82,785,633 98,583,866 (16.0%)
ASA 0 5,423,696 NM
Comair 7,078,389 8,958,117 (21.0%)
Contract Carriers 15,037,118 8,190,952 83.6%
International 43,093,769 35,635,981 20.9%
Latin America 11,537,918 9,270,221 24.5%
Delta Mainline 11,138,762 8,985,453 24.0%
ASA 0 117,195 NM
Comair 45,841 71,405 (35.8%)
Contract Carriers 353,315 96,168 267.4%
Atlantic 30,218,659 25,025,885 20.7%
Pacific 1,337,192 1,339,875 (0.2%)
Total System 147,994,909 156,792,612 (5.6%)
Load Factor
Domestic 78.6% 75.8% 2.8 pts
Delta Mainline 79.1% 76.9% 2.2 pts
ASA 0.0% 73.0% NM
Comair 74.3% 68.1% 6.2 pts
Contract Carriers 77.7% 72.7% 5.0 pts
International 78.2% 78.9% (0.7) pts
Latin America 73.2% 71.0% 2.2 pts
Delta Mainline 73.2% 71.0% 2.2 pts
ASA 0.0% 73.4% NM
Comair 73.5% 66.7% 6.8 pts
Contract Carriers 71.2% 68.9% 2.3 pts
Atlantic 79.9% 81.6% (1.7) pts
Pacific 85.5% 82.9% 2.6 pts
Total System 78.5% 76.5% 2.0 pts
Passengers Boarded 106,649,238 118,853189 (10.3%)
Endnotes:
1. Results reflect operations under our contract carrier
arrangements with the following airlines: (i) Chautauqua
Airlines, Inc. and SkyWest Airlines Inc. for all periods
presented, (ii) Shuttle America Corp. beginning September 2005
(iii) and Freedom Airlines, Inc. beginning October 2005.
2. On September 7, 2005, Delta completed the sale of its wholly
owned subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. (ASA) to
SkyWest Airlines, Inc. Operating performance after that date is
reflected in our contract carrier flying.