Load factors down, but Skywest upbeat

[Kurt A]

Load factors down but Skywest upbeat

Load factors on Skywest’s scheduled services slipped almost four percentage points last month as its traffic growth failed to match capacity increases.
Loads for March fell to a fraction over 52 per cent with year-to-date loads falling from 60.59 per cent in 2007 to 55.11 per cent this year.

While traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, climbed 12.4 per cent to 23.7 million, capacity increased 20 per cent to 45.6 million.
Skywest stressed the figures do not include its charter passengers. Charter services in March rose to 166 compared with only 93 in March 2007.

Skywest executive chairman Jeff Chatfield said: “With charter services showing a significant increase again year on year, Skywest is well positioned to capitalise on the strong WA economy.”

-tw

[Kurt A]

Western Australia-based Skywest has expanded a number of routes in what it has described as its “largest increase in the network for several years”. In a separate announcement, it also warned that fuel surcharges are likely to rise.

From May 26, the carrier will resume twice-weekly services between Perth and Karratha, to be operated by 100 seat jets, increase services from Perth to Geraldton from 37 to 40 flights per week and add two weekly flights between Perth and Albany, taking the number to 20.
The expansion has increased capacity to Geraldton and Albany by eight and 10 per cent respectively.

In addition, Skywest will upgrade three services a week to Exmouth to a jet service. Executive chairman Jeff Chatfield said the mining boom was behind the expansion. He added that its fuel levy is under review “with a further increase possible in the near term”.

-td

[Bruce Bramwell]

so when is the A320's coming?

[Justin L]

Does anyone know how the DJ codeshare on some of Skywest's services has benefited them?