OREANDA-NEWS. Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today reported its September, third quarter, and year-to-date preliminary traffic statistics. The Company flew 9.2 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in September 2015, an 11.4 percent increase from the 8.3 billion RPMs flown in September 2014. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 8.4 percent to 11.1 billion in September 2015, compared with the September 2014 level of 10.3 billion. The September 2015 load factor was a record for the month of September at 82.7 percent, compared with 80.5 percent in September 2014.

For the third quarter of 2015, the Company flew 31.1 billion RPMs, compared with 28.5 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2014, an increase of 8.9 percent. Third quarter 2015 ASMs increased 7.6 percent to a level of 36.4 billion, compared with third quarter 2014 ASMs of 33.8 billion. The third quarter 2015 load factor was a quarterly record at 85.4 percent, compared with 84.4 percent for the same period in 2014. The Company continues to expect its third quarter 2015 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) to decrease approximately 1.0 percent, compared with third quarter 2014.

For the first nine months of 2015, the Company flew 87.8 billion RPMs, compared with 81.3 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2014, an increase of 8.0 percent. Year-to-date 2015 ASMs increased 6.9 percent to a level of 105.1 billion, compared with 98.4 billion for the same period in 2014. The year-to-date 2015 load factor was 83.5 percent, compared with 82.6 percent for the same period in 2014.

Southwest Airlines Co.

Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics
 

SEPTEMBER
 

2015

  

2014

  

Change

Revenue passengers carried

9,421,347

  

8,638,582

  

9.1%

Enplaned passengers

11,536,417

  

10,556,294

  

9.3%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

9,206,955

  

8,267,245

  

11.4%

Available seat miles (000s)

11,133,628

  

10,274,379

  

8.4%

Load factor

82.7%

  

80.5%

  

2.2 pts.

Average length of haul

977

  

957

  

2.1%

Trips flown

101,467

  

99,488

  

2.0%
 

THIRD QUARTER
 

2015

  

2014

  

Change

Revenue passengers carried

30,559,019

  

28,391,882

  

7.6%

Enplaned passengers

37,765,903

  

35,255,248

  

7.1%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

31,052,660

  

28,522,164

  

8.9%

Available seat miles (000s)

36,360,340

  

33,785,824

  

7.6%

Load factor

85.4%

  

84.4%

  

1.0 pts.

Average length of haul

1,016

  

1,005

  

1.1%

Trips flown

325,301

  

319,250

  

1.9%
 

YEAR-TO-DATE
 

2015

  

2014

  

Change

Revenue passengers carried

87,802,757

  

82,602,805

  

6.3%

Enplaned passengers

107,535,145

  

101,701,969

  

5.7%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

87,771,907

  

81,267,478

  

8.0%

Available seat miles (000s)

105,133,835

  

98,356,618

  

6.9%

Load factor

83.5%

  

82.6%

  

0.9 pts.

Average length of haul

1,000

  

984

  

1.6%

Trips flown

948,180

  

946,231

  

0.2%