US Airways Reports Record October Load Factor

November 4, 2009 8:00 AM EST

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC) today announced October and year-to-date 2009 traffic results. Mainline revenue passenger miles (RPMs) for the month were 4.7 billion, down 0.8 percent versus October 2008. Capacity was 5.7 billion available seat miles (ASMs), down 1.6 percent versus October 2008. Passenger load factor for the month of October was a record 82.6 percent, up 0.7 points versus October 2008.

US Airways President Scott Kirby said, "Our October consolidated (mainline and Express) passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) decreased approximately 10 percent versus the same period last year while total revenue per available seat mile decreased approximately 9 percent on a year-over-year basis. The revenue outlook continues to show material signs of improvement with continued strength in both close-in bookings and yields."

For the month of October, US Airways' preliminary on-time performance as reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) was 82.1 percent with a completion factor of 99.2 percent.

The following summarizes US Airways Group's traffic results for the month and year-to-date ended October 31, 2009 and 2008, consisting of mainline operated flights as well as US Airways Express flights operated by wholly owned subsidiaries PSA Airlines and Piedmont Airlines.


US Airways Mainline

OCTOBER

                                         2009        2008        % Change

Mainline Revenue Passenger Miles (000)

    Domestic                             3,696,340   3,822,641   (3.3 )

    Atlantic                             786,348     696,416     12.9

    Latin                                185,395     184,428     0.5

    Total Mainline Revenue Passenger     4,668,083   4,703,485   (0.8 )
    Miles

Mainline Available Seat Miles (000)

    Domestic                             4,458,467   4,614,040   (3.4 )

    Atlantic                             956,664     907,077     5.5

    Latin                                236,438     224,359     5.4

    Total Mainline Available Seat Miles  5,651,569   5,745,476   (1.6 )

Mainline Load Factor (%)

    Domestic                             82.9        82.8        0.1       pts

    Atlantic                             82.2        76.8        5.4       pts

    Latin                                78.4        82.2        (3.8 )    pts

    Total Mainline Load Factor           82.6        81.9        0.7       pts

Mainline Enplanements

    Domestic                             3,856,912   4,060,535   (5.0 )

    Atlantic                             191,209     179,983     6.2

    Latin                                154,878     160,751     (3.7 )

    Total Mainline Enplanements          4,202,999   4,401,269   (4.5 )

YEAR TO DATE

                                         2009        2008        % Change

Mainline Revenue Passenger Miles (000)

    Domestic                             37,427,591  40,603,251  (7.8 )

    Atlantic                             8,243,254   7,554,057   9.1

    Latin                                3,550,669   3,498,357   1.5

    Total Mainline Revenue Passenger     49,221,514  51,655,665  (4.7 )
    Miles

Mainline Available Seat Miles (000)

    Domestic                             44,585,403  49,025,611  (9.1 )

    Atlantic                             10,530,656  9,617,337   9.5

    Latin                                4,542,926   4,226,361   7.5

    Total Mainline Available Seat Miles  59,658,985  62,869,309  (5.1 )

Mainline Load Factor (%)

    Domestic                             83.9        82.8        1.1       pts

    Atlantic                             78.3        78.5        (0.2 )    pts

    Latin                                78.2        82.8        (4.6 )    pts

    Total Mainline Load Factor           82.5        82.2        0.3       pts

Mainline Enplanements

    Domestic                             38,135,839  41,616,372  (8.4 )

    Atlantic                             2,092,872   1,938,515   8.0

    Latin                                2,872,916   2,860,215   0.4

    Total Mainline Enplanements          43,101,627  46,415,102  (7.1 )

Notes:

1)  Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are included in the domestic
    results.

2)  Latin numbers include the Caribbean.




US Airways Express (Piedmont Airlines, PSA Airlines)

OCTOBER

                                       2009       2008       % Change

Express Revenue Passenger Miles (000)

 Domestic                              193,369    185,490    4.2

Express Available Seat Miles (000)

 Domestic                              264,707    271,880    (2.6 )

Express Load Factor (%)

 Domestic                              73.1       68.2       4.9       pts

Express Enplanements

 Domestic                              724,604    692,779    4.6

YEAR TO DATE

                                       2009       2008       % Change

Express Revenue Passenger Miles (000)

 Domestic                              1,800,943  1,846,191  (2.5 )

Express Available Seat Miles (000)

 Domestic                              2,642,031  2,734,864  (3.4 )

Express Load Factor (%)

 Domestic                              68.2       67.5       0.7       pts

Express Enplanements

 Domestic                              6,674,106  6,645,408  0.4

Notes:

1) Canada is included in domestic results.




Consolidated US Airways Group, Inc.

OCTOBER

                                          2009        2008        % Change

Consolidated Revenue Passenger Miles
(000)

    Domestic                              3,889,709   4,008,131   (3.0 )

    Atlantic                              786,348     696,416     12.9

    Latin                                 185,395     184,428     0.5

    Total Consolidated Revenue Passenger  4,861,452   4,888,975   (0.6 )
    Miles

Consolidated Available Seat Miles (000)

    Domestic                              4,723,174   4,885,920   (3.3 )

    Atlantic                              956,664     907,077     5.5

    Latin                                 236,438     224,359     5.4

    Total Consolidated Available Seat     5,916,276   6,017,356   (1.7 )
    Miles

Consolidated Load Factor (%)

    Domestic                              82.4        82.0        0.4       pts

    Atlantic                              82.2        76.8        5.4       pts

    Latin                                 78.4        82.2        (3.8 )    pts

    Total Consolidated Load Factor        82.2        81.2        1.0       pts

Consolidated Enplanements

    Domestic                              4,581,516   4,753,314   (3.6 )

    Atlantic                              191,209     179,983     6.2

    Latin                                 154,878     160,751     (3.7 )

    Total Consolidated Enplanements       4,927,603   5,094,048   (3.3 )

YEAR TO DATE

                                          2009        2008        % Change

Consolidated Revenue Passenger Miles
(000)

    Domestic                              39,228,534  42,449,442  (7.6 )

    Atlantic                              8,243,254   7,554,057   9.1

    Latin                                 3,550,669   3,498,357   1.5

    Total Consolidated Revenue Passenger  51,022,457  53,501,856  (4.6 )
    Miles

Consolidated Available Seat Miles (000)

    Domestic                              47,227,434  51,760,475  (8.8 )

    Atlantic                              10,530,656  9,617,337   9.5

    Latin                                 4,542,926   4,226,361   7.5

    Total Consolidated Available Seat     62,301,016  65,604,173  (5.0 )
    Miles

Consolidated Load Factor (%)

    Domestic                              83.1        82.0        1.1       pts

    Atlantic                              78.3        78.5        (0.2 )    pts

    Latin                                 78.2        82.8        (4.6 )    pts

    Total Consolidated Load Factor        81.9        81.6        0.3       pts

Consolidated Enplanements

    Domestic                              44,809,945  48,261,780  (7.2 )

    Atlantic                              2,092,872   1,938,515   8.0

    Latin                                 2,872,916   2,860,215   0.4

    Total Consolidated Enplanements       49,775,733  53,060,510  (6.2 )

Notes:

1)  Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are included in the domestic
    results.

2)  Latin numbers include the Caribbean.



US Airways is also providing a brief update on notable company accomplishments during the month of October:

    --  Announced the realignment of its operations to focus on the airline's
        core network strengths, which include hubs in Charlotte (CLT),
        Philadelphia (PHL) and Phoenix (PHX), and a focus city at Washington's
        National Airport (DCA). Those four cities, as well as the airline's
        popular hourly Shuttle service between New York's LaGuardia Airport
        (LGA), Boston (BOS) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA),
        will serve as the cornerstone of the airline's network. By the end of
        2010 they will represent 99 percent of the ASMs versus roughly 93
        percent today.
    --  Began offering customers access to more than 250 airport clubs
        worldwide, including all US Airways Clubs, Continental's Presidents
        Clubs, United's Red Carpet Clubs and Star Alliance lounges with the
        purchase of a single, standard US Airways Club membership. US Airways
        currently offers 17 Clubs located in 13 cities across the United States
        and one Envoy Lounge in Philadelphia.
    --  Announced a new corporate sponsorship to become the official airline of
        the Philadelphia Flyers. Aside from billing as the official airline of
        the Philadelphia Flyers, US Airways will feature in-game promotions and
        contests for fans and showcase rink-side dasher board signage at Flyers
        home games at the Wachovia Center.

US Airways, along with US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,000 flights per day and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Latin America. The airline employs more than 32,000 aviation professionals worldwide and is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers its customers more than 19,000 daily flights to 1,071 airports in 171 countries. Together with its US Airways Express partners, the airline serves approximately 60 million passengers each year and operates hubs in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Phoenix, and a focus city at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. And for the eleventh consecutive year, the airline received a Diamond Award for maintenance training excellence from the Federal Aviation Administration for its Charlotte hub line maintenance facility. For more company information, visit usairways.com. (LCCT)

Forward Looking Statements

Certain of the statements contained herein should be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward looking statements may be identified by words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "plan," "could," "should," and "continue" and similar terms used in connection with statements regarding the outlook, expected fuel costs, revenue and pricing environment, and expected financial performance of US Airways Group (the "Company"). Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving America West Holdings Corporation and the Company, including future financial and operating results, the Company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results and financial position to differ materially from these statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the impact of future significant operating losses; the impact of economic conditions and their impact on passenger demand and related revenues; a reduction in the availability of financing, changes in prevailing interest rates and increased costs of financing; the Company's high level of fixed obligations and the ability of the Company to obtain and maintain any necessary financing for operations and other purposes and operate pursuant to the terms of its financing facilities (particularly the financial covenants); the impact of fuel price volatility, significant disruptions in fuel supply and further significant increases to fuel prices; the ability of the Company to maintain adequate liquidity; labor costs, relations with unionized employees generally and the impact and outcome of the labor negotiations, including the ability of the Company to complete the integration of the labor groups of the Company and America West Holdings; reliance on vendors and service providers and the ability of the Company to obtain and maintain commercially reasonable terms with those vendors and service providers; reliance on automated systems and the impact of any failure or disruption of these systems; the impact of the integration of the Company's business units; the impact of changes in the Company's business model; competitive practices in the industry, including significant fare restructuring activities, capacity reductions or other restructuring or consolidation activities by major airlines; the impact of industry consolidation; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the impact of global instability including the potential impact of current and future hostilities, terrorist attacks, infectious disease outbreaks or other global events; government legislation and regulation, including environmental regulation; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain adequate facilities and infrastructure to operate and grow the Company's route network; costs of ongoing data security compliance requirements and the impact of any data security breach; interruptions or disruptions in service at one or more of the Company's hub airports; the impact of any accident involving the Company's aircraft; delays in scheduled aircraft deliveries or other loss of anticipated fleet capacity; weather conditions and seasonality of airline travel; the cyclical nature of the airline industry; the impact of insurance costs and disruptions to insurance markets; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; the ability to use NOLs and certain other tax attributes; the ability to maintain contracts critical to the Company's operations; the ability of the Company to attract and retain customers; and other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in the Company's reports to the SEC. There may be other factors not identified above of which the Company is not currently aware that may affect matters discussed in the forward-looking statements, and may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law. Additional factors that may affect the future results of the Company are set forth in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 and in the Company's other filings with the SEC, which are available at www.usairways.com.

-LCC-


    Source: US Airways Group, Inc.


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