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