DALLAS, Sept. 8, 2015
/PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the
"Company") today reported its August and year-to-date preliminary
traffic statistics. The Company flew 10.3 billion revenue passenger
miles (RPMs) in August 2015, a 7.5
percent increase from 9.6 billion RPMs flown in August 2014. Available seat miles (ASMs)
increased 7.6 percent to 12.1 billion in August 2015, compared with the August 2014 level of 11.3 billion. The
August 2015 load factor was 85.4
percent, compared with 85.5 percent in August 2014. Based on results thus far in third
quarter 2015 and current trends, the Company continues to estimate
its third quarter 2015 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) will
decrease approximately 1.0 percent, compared with third quarter
2014.
For the first eight months of 2015, the Company
flew 78.6 billion RPMs, compared with 73.0 billion RPMs
flown for the same period in 2014,
an increase of 7.6 percent. Year-to-date ASMs
increased 6.7 percent to a level of 94.0 billion, compared with
88.1 billion for the same period in 2014. The year-to-date load
factor was 83.6 percent, compared with 82.9 percent for
the same period in 2014.
This release, as well as past news releases about Southwest
Airlines Co., is available online at Southwest.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This news release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements
include, without limitation, statements related to the Company's
financial outlook and projected results of operations. These
statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other
factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual
results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by
them. Factors include, among others, (i) changes in demand for
the Company's services and other changes in consumer behavior; (ii)
the impact of economic conditions, fuel prices, actions of
competitors (including without limitation pricing, scheduling, and
capacity decisions and consolidation and alliance activities), and
other factors beyond the Company's control, on the Company's
business decisions, plans, and strategies; (iii) changes in fuel
prices; (iv) the Company's ability to timely and effectively
implement, transition, and maintain the necessary information
technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and
initiatives; (v) the impact of governmental regulations and other
governmental actions related to the Company's operations; and (vi)
other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors
discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
Southwest Airlines
Co.
|
Preliminary
Comparative Traffic Statistics
|
|
AUGUST
|
|
2015
|
|
2014
|
|
Change
|
Revenue passengers
carried
|
10,095,376
|
|
9,442,224
|
|
6.9%
|
Enplaned
passengers
|
12,600,993
|
|
11,890,205
|
|
6.0%
|
Revenue passenger
miles (000s)
|
10,342,510
|
|
9,622,324
|
|
7.5%
|
Available seat miles
(000s)
|
12,105,854
|
|
11,252,402
|
|
7.6%
|
Load
factor
|
85.4%
|
|
85.5%
|
|
(0.1) pts.
|
Average length of
haul
|
1,024
|
|
1,019
|
|
0.5%
|
Trips
flown
|
108,817
|
|
106,663
|
|
2.0%
|
YEAR-TO-DATE
|
|
2015
|
|
2014
|
|
Change
|
Revenue passengers
carried
|
78,381,410
|
|
73,964,223
|
|
6.0%
|
Enplaned
passengers
|
95,998,728
|
|
91,145,675
|
|
5.3%
|
Revenue passenger
miles (000s)
|
78,564,952
|
|
73,000,233
|
|
7.6%
|
Available seat miles
(000s)
|
94,000,207
|
|
88,082,240
|
|
6.7%
|
Load
factor
|
83.6%
|
|
82.9%
|
|
0.7 pts.
|
Average length of
haul
|
1,002
|
|
987
|
|
1.5%
|
Trips
flown
|
846,713
|
|
846,743
|
|
—%
|
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/southwest-airlines-reports-august-traffic-300138425.html
SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.