ATLANTA, Sept. 4, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today reported traffic results for August 2008. International traffic increased 17.4 percent year over year on a 15.1 percent increase in capacity, and load factor increased 1.6 points. As a result of Delta's global expansion, a record number of passengers flew internationally on Delta during the month of August. The number of international and Atlantic passengers increased 8.7 percent and 18.6 percent, respectively, versus the same period last year.
Delta's domestic traffic in August 2008 decreased 9.6 percent year over year on 10.6 percent lower capacity. Domestic load factor was 86.3 percent, an increase of 1.0 point compared to August 2007 and higher than any previous August on record for Delta. In addition, system traffic in August 2008 decreased 0.5 percent over August 2007 on a capacity decrease of 1.6 percent. Delta's system load factor increased 0.9 points compared to the same period last year.
"In August, Delta's international markets posted very strong unit revenue performance across all regions driven by robust demand and significantly higher yields year over year. These results reflect the continued strength of Delta's international expansion strategy as well as our vigilant focus on aggressive yield management" said Gail Grimmett, Delta's senior vice president - Revenue Management. "On the domestic side, August typically begins the slower fall season; however, the capacity reductions we've implemented have had the desired effect of improving year-over-year yields and driving solid unit revenue performance."
Detailed traffic and capacity are attached.
Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 290 destinations in 60 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 44 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers 288 weekly flights to 42 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 16,000 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 500 worldwide destinations in 105 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and flight status at delta.com.
The Delta Air Lines, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825
Delta Air Lines
Monthly Traffic Results(a)
August 2008 August 2007 Change
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RPMs (000):
Domestic 7,165,436 7,922,620 (9.6%)
Delta Mainline 5,627,082 6,211,973 (9.4%)
Comair 373,694 431,786 (13.5%)
Contract Carriers 1,164,660 1,278,861 (8.9%)
International 4,678,082 3,983,973 17.4%
Latin America 965,845 964,260 0.2%
Delta Mainline 932,529 908,583 2.6%
Comair 804 554 45.1%
Contract Carriers 32,512 55,123 (41.0%)
Atlantic 3,445,854 2,861,253 20.4%
Pacific 266,383 158,460 68.1%
System 11,843,518 11,906,593 (0.5%)
ASMs (000):
Domestic 8,210,451 9,180,960 (10.6%)
Delta Mainline 6,340,652 7,089,610 (10.6%)
Comair 470,979 533,602 (11.7%)
Contract Carriers 1,398,820 1,557,748 (10.2%)
International 5,682,879 4,937,507 15.1%
Latin America 1,189,394 1,187,088 0.2%
Delta Mainline 1,146,433 1,113,158 3.0%
Comair 1,099 632 73.9%
Contract Carriers 41,862 73,298 (42.9%)
Atlantic 4,173,998 3,571,470 16.9%
Pacific 319,487 178,949 78.5%
System 13,893,330 14,118,467 (1.6%)
Load Factor
Domestic 87.3% 86.3% 1.0 pts
Delta Mainline 88.7% 87.6% 1.1 pts
Comair 79.3% 80.9% (1.6)pts
Contract Carriers 83.3% 82.1% 1.2 pts
International 82.3% 80.7% 1.6 pts
Latin America 81.2% 81.2% (0.0)pts
Delta Mainline 81.3% 81.6% (0.3)pts
Comair 73.2% 87.7% (14.5)pts
Contract Carriers 77.7% 75.2% 2.5 pts
Atlantic 82.6% 80.1% 2.5 pts
Pacific 83.4% 88.6% (5.2)pts
System 85.2% 84.3% 0.9 pts
Passengers Boarded 9,583,093 10,193,732 (6.0%)
Completion Factor 98.6% 98.8% (0.2)pts
Cargo Ton Miles:
Mail 6,280,739 4,609,920 36.2%
Freight 95,337,757 86,274,938 10.5%
Total System 101,618,496 90,884,858 11.8%
Endnote:
(a) Results include operations under our contract carrier
arrangements.
Delta Air Lines
Year to Date Traffic Results(a)
August 2008 August 2007 Change
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RPMs (000):
Domestic 53,947,366 56,309,959 (4.2%)
Delta Mainline 42,025,423 44,104,734 (4.7%)
Comair 2,983,576 3,089,190 (3.4%)
Contract Carriers 8,938,367 9,116,035 (1.9%)
International 30,806,020 26,731,153 15.2%
Latin America 7,714,932 7,306,358 5.6%
Delta Mainline 7,308,732 6,957,616 5.0%
Comair 8,078 6,806 18.7%
Contract Carriers 398,122 341,936 16.4%
Atlantic 21,503,751 18,504,936 16.2%
Pacific 1,587,337 919,859 72.6%
Total System 84,753,386 83,041,112 2.1%
ASMs (000):
Domestic 64,689,394 68,179,445 (5.1%)
Delta Mainline 49,682,373 52,632,903 (5.6%)
Comair 3,943,160 4,087,268 (3.5%)
Contract Carriers 11,063,861 11,459,274 (3.5%)
International 38,369,293 33,561,723 14.3%
Latin America 9,605,535 9,596,591 0.1%
Delta Mainline 9,077,990 9,111,577 (0.4%)
Comair 10,015 8,473 18.2%
Contract Carriers 517,530 476,541 8.6%
Atlantic 26,725,176 22,889,236 16.8%
Pacific 2,038,582 1,075,896 89.5%
Total System 103,058,687 101,741,168 1.3%
Load Factor
Domestic 83.4% 82.6% 0.8 pts
Delta Mainline 84.6% 83.8% 0.8 pts
Comair 75.7% 75.6% 0.1 pts
Contract Carriers 80.8% 79.6% 1.2 pts
International 80.3% 79.6% 0.7 pts
Latin America 80.3% 76.1% 4.2 pts
Delta Mainline 80.5% 76.4% 4.1 pts
Comair 80.7% 80.3% 0.4 pts
Contract Carriers 76.9% 71.8% 5.1 pts
Atlantic 80.5% 80.8% (0.3)pts
Pacific 77.9% 85.5% (7.6)pts
Total System 82.2% 81.6% 0.6 pts
Passengers Boarded 72,693,720 74,225,162 (2.1%)
Cargo Ton Miles:
Mail 46,711,017 37,728,439 23.8%
Freight 772,703,134 690,907,733 11.8%
Total System 819,414,151 728,636,172 12.5%
Endnote:
(a) Results include operations under our contract carrier
arrangements.