TEMPE, Ariz., April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- US Airways Group, Inc. today reported March and year-to-date results for 2007. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) for the month were 5.6 billion, up 0.2 percent from March 2006. Capacity was 6.9 billion available seat miles (ASMs), down 0.9 percent from March 2006. The passenger load factor for March was 82.0 percent versus 81.0 percent in March 2006.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050223/LAW097LOGO)
US Airways President Scott Kirby said, "From an operational standpoint, we are happy to have the first quarter of 2007 behind us. Two significant ice storms around Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day led to major disruptions in our Philadelphia hub and we created our own problems with a difficult reservation system migration in early March.
"As a result, for the second straight month we experienced a negative impact on revenue, passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) and cost per available seat mile (CASM). However, our March year-over-year consolidated (mainline and Express) PRASM was up over the same period last year. Despite the disruption, we still project a slight profit (excluding special items) for the first quarter.
"Even with all the operational challenges we've faced, our employees have done an excellent job taking care of our customers during this difficult period, and, thankfully, we began to see improvements as the quarter came to a close. Our on-time performance in the last week of March, while still not up to our standards, improved significantly compared to the previous weeks of the month. We look forward to carrying this trend into the second quarter and reestablishing our operational reliability to the standards our customers expect and most importantly deserve."
America West and US Airways report combined operational performance to the Department of Transportation. For the month of March 2007, the combined domestic on-time performance was 55.5 percent with a completion factor of 97.1 percent.
US Airways has updated its guidance in its latest Investor Relations Update which is also filed on Form 8-K. To access the report, go to http://www.usairways.com/ and navigate to About US >> Investor Relations >> Webcasts, Presentations and Updates >> Investor Relations Guidance.
The following summarizes US Airways Group's traffic results for March 2007 and 2006 consisting of America West and US Airways mainline operated flights as well as US Airways Express operated flights consisting of wholly owned subsidiaries PSA Airlines and Piedmont Airlines.
Consolidated US Airways Group, Inc.
MARCH
2007 2006 % Change
Consolidated Revenue
Passenger Miles (000)
Domestic 4,711,633 4,689,851 0.5
Atlantic 481,397 471,977 2.0
Latin 425,811 443,402 (4.0)
Total Consolidated
Revenue Passenger Miles 5,618,841 5,605,230 0.2
Consolidated Available
Seat Miles (000)
Domestic 5,676,228 5,763,654 (1.5)
Atlantic 636,800 584,344 9.0
Latin 540,439 569,955 (5.2)
Total Consolidated
Available Seat Miles 6,853,467 6,917,953 (0.9)
Consolidated Load Factor (%)
Domestic 83.0 81.4 1.6 (pts)
Atlantic 75.6 80.8 (5.2)(pts)
Latin 78.8 77.8 1.0 (pts)
Total Consolidated
Load Factor 82.0 81.0 1.0 (pts)
Consolidated Enplanements
Domestic 5,505,811 5,524,172 (0.3)
Atlantic 120,812 120,667 0.1
Latin 333,144 353,446 (5.7)
Total Consolidated
Enplanements 5,959,767 5,998,285 (0.6)
YEAR TO DATE
2007 2006 % Change
Consolidated Revenue
Passenger Miles (000)
Domestic 12,694,394 12,359,676 2.7
Atlantic 1,196,488 1,191,443 0.4
Latin 1,111,827 1,140,323 (2.5)
Total Consolidated
Revenue Passenger Miles 15,002,709 14,691,442 2.1
Consolidated Available
Seat Miles (000)
Domestic 16,168,927 16,101,054 0.4
Atlantic 1,760,607 1,696,033 3.8
Latin 1,489,124 1,580,303 (5.8)
Total Consolidated
Available Seat Miles 19,418,658 19,377,390 0.2
Consolidated Load Factor (%)
Domestic 78.5 76.8 1.7 (pts)
Atlantic 68.0 70.2 (2.2)(pts)
Latin 74.7 72.2 2.5 (pts)
Total Consolidated
Load Factor 77.3 75.8 1.5 (pts)
Consolidated Enplanements
Domestic 14,805,369 14,575,478 1.6
Atlantic 303,043 304,276 (0.4)
Latin 869,085 907,702 (4.3)
Total Consolidated
Enplanements 15,977,497 15,787,456 1.2
Notes:
1) Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S Virgin Islands are included in the
domestic results.
2) Latin numbers include the Caribbean.
US Airways Mainline (US Airways and America West combined)
MARCH
2007 2006 % Change
Mainline Revenue
Passenger Miles (000)
Domestic 4,494,024 4,411,731 1.9
Atlantic 481,397 471,977 2.0
Latin 425,811 443,402 (4.0)
Total Mainline Revenue
Passenger Miles 5,401,232 5,327,110 1.4
Mainline Available
Seat Miles (000)
Domestic 5,379,485 5,380,471 (0.0)
Atlantic 636,800 584,344 9.0
Latin 540,439 569,955 (5.2)
Total Mainline Available
Seat Miles 6,556,724 6,534,770 0.3
Mainline Load Factor (%)
Domestic 83.5 82.0 1.5 (pts)
Atlantic 75.6 80.8 (5.2)(pts)
Latin 78.8 77.8 1.0 (pts)
Total Mainline Load Factor 82.4 81.5 0.9 (pts)
Mainline Enplanements
Domestic 4,761,738 4,687,876 1.6
Atlantic 120,812 120,667 0.1
Latin 333,144 353,446 (5.7)
Total Mainline
Enplanements 5,215,694 5,161,989 1.0
YEAR TO DATE
2007 2006 % Change
Mainline Revenue
Passenger Miles (000)
Domestic 12,106,756 11,624,955 4.1
Atlantic 1,196,488 1,191,443 0.4
Latin 1,111,827 1,140,323 (2.5)
Total Mainline Revenue
Passenger Miles 14,415,071 13,956,721 3.3
Mainline Available
Seat Miles (000)
Domestic 15,303,452 14,953,696 2.3
Atlantic 1,760,607 1,696,033 3.8
Latin 1,489,124 1,580,303 (5.8)
Total Mainline Available
Seat Miles 18,553,183 18,230,032 1.8
Mainline Load Factor (%)
Domestic 79.1 77.7 1.4 (pts)
Atlantic 68.0 70.2 (2.2)(pts)
Latin 74.7 72.2 2.5 (pts)
Total Mainline Load Factor 77.7 76.6 1.1 (pts)
Mainline Enplanements
Domestic 12,807,241 12,379,812 3.5
Atlantic 303,043 304,276 (0.4)
Latin 869,085 907,702 (4.3)
Total Mainline
Enplanements 13,979,369 13,591,790 2.9
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, US Airways
MidAtlantic Division)
MARCH
2007 2006 % Change
Express Revenue
Passenger Miles (000)
Domestic 217,609 278,120 (21.8)
Express Available
Seat Miles (000)
Domestic 296,743 383,183 (22.6)
Express Load Factor (%)
Domestic 73.3 72.6 0.7 (pts)
Express Enplanements
Domestic 744,073 836,296 (11.0)
YEAR TO DATE
2007 2006 % Change
Express Revenue
Passenger Miles (000)
Domestic 587,638 734,721 (20.0)
Express Available
Seat Miles (000)
Domestic 865,475 1,147,358 (24.6)
Express Load Factor (%)
Domestic 67.9 64.0 3.9 (pts)
Express Enplanements
Domestic 1,998,128 2,195,666 (9.0)
Notes:
1) US Airways Express includes data for US Airways' MidAtlantic division
through May 27, 2006.
2) Canada is included in domestic results.
Integration Update
US Airways is also providing a brief update on the integration process between US Airways and America West. Listed below are major accomplishments or announcements from the month of March:
* Combined the airline's maintenance inventory computer systems for both
the Boeing 767 and Airbus A330 fleets.
* Migrated two reservations systems onto one platform (Shares), which
provides a single system for reservation and airport customer service
agents.
* Neared the halfway point of painting the US Airways fleet in the new
livery, including the first Airbus A330.
US Airways is the fifth largest domestic airline employing nearly 36,000 aviation professionals worldwide. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express operate approximately 3,800 flights per day and serve more than 230 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The new US Airways -- the product of a merger between America West and US Airways in September 2005 -- is a member of the Star Alliance network, which offers our customers 16,000 daily flights to 855 destinations in 155 countries worldwide. This press release and additional information on US Airways can be found at http://www.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," "indicate," "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimate," "plan," "guidance," "outlook," "could," "should," "continue" and similar terms used in connection with statements regarding the outlook of US Airways Group, Inc. (the "Company"). Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about expected fuel costs, the revenue and pricing environment, the Company's expected financial performance and operations, future financing plans and needs, overall economic conditions and the benefits of the business combination transaction involving America West Holdings Corporation and US Airways Group, including future financial and operating results and the combined companies' plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. Other forward-looking statements that do not relate solely to historical facts include, without limitation, statements that discuss the possible future effects of current known trends or uncertainties or which indicate that the future effects of known trends or uncertainties cannot be predicted, guaranteed or assured. Such 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 the Company's expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the impact of high fuel costs, significant disruptions in the supply of aircraft fuel and further significant increases to fuel prices; our high level of fixed obligations and our ability to obtain and maintain financing for operations and other purposes; our ability to achieve the synergies anticipated as a result of the merger and to achieve those synergies in a timely manner; our ability to integrate the management, operations and labor groups of US Airways Group and America West Holdings; labor costs and relations with unionized employees generally and the impact and outcome of labor negotiations; the impact of global instability, including the current instability in the Middle East, the continuing impact of the military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the potential impact of future hostilities, terrorist attacks, infectious disease outbreaks or other global events that affect travel behavior; reliance on automated systems and the impact of any failure or disruption of these systems; the impact of future significant operating losses; changes in prevailing interest rates; our ability to obtain and maintain commercially reasonable terms with vendors and service providers and our reliance on those vendors and service providers; security-related and insurance costs; changes in government legislation and regulation; our ability to use pre-merger NOLs and certain other tax attributes; competitive practices in the industry, including significant fare restructuring activities, capacity reductions and in court or out of court restructuring by major airlines; continued existence of prepetition liabilities; interruptions or disruptions in service at one or more of our hub airports; weather conditions; our ability to obtain and maintain any necessary financing for operations and other purposes; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity; our ability to maintain contracts that are critical to our operations; our ability to operate pursuant to the terms of our financing facilities (particularly the financial covenants); our ability to attract and retain customers; the cyclical nature of the airline industry; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; economic conditions; and other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in our reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates. Additional factors that may affect the future results of the Company are set forth in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2006, which is available at http://www.usairways.com/.
-LCC-
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