DENVER, June 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. (Pink Sheets: FRNTQ) today announced preliminary traffic results for May 2009 for both Frontier's mainline operation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lynx Aviation.
Mainline Results for May 2009: -- Revenue passenger miles decreased 15.7 percent to 747,594,000 and capacity (as measured by available seat miles) was down 14.9 percent to 919,194,000 from the same period last year. This resulted in a load factor of 81.3 percent, a decrease of 0.9 points from May 2008. -- Passenger yield was 8.96 cents, down 1.28 cents or 12.5 percent from May 2008. -- Passenger unit revenue decreased 13.4 percent to 7.29 cents. -- The airline carried 832,367 passengers, a 12.3 percent decrease from the same period last year. -- The airline's average length of haul decreased 4.0 percent to 898 miles. Lynx Aviation Results for May 2009: -- Revenue passenger miles increased 20.0 percent to 29,213,000 and capacity was up 18.1 percent to 49,303,000. This resulted in a load factor for May 2009 of 59.3 percent, an increase of 1.0 points over May 2008. -- Passenger yield was 18.42 cents, down 5.09 cents or 21.7 percent from the same period last year. -- Passenger unit revenue decreased 20.4 percent to 10.91 cents. -- Lynx carried 84,130 passengers, an 8.7 percent increase from May 2008. -- The airline's average length of haul increased 10.2 percent to 347 miles.
The following tables represent comparisons for the month of May year-over-year, quarter-to-date and calendar year-to-date traffic results for Frontier's mainline operations and for Lynx.
Mainline Increase/ May 2009 May 2008 (Decrease) Percent Available Seat Miles 919,194,000 1,079,730,000 (160,536,000) (14.9%) Revenue Passenger Miles 747,594,000 887,201,000 (139,607,000) (15.7%) Load Factor 81.3% 82.2% (0.9 points) NA Revenue Passengers Carried 832,367 949,116 (116,749) (12.3%) **Passenger Yield (cents) 8.96 10.24 (1.28) (12.5%) **Passenger Revenue Per Avail. Seat Mile (cents) 7.29 8.42 (1.13) (13.4%) Average Length of Haul (Miles) 898 935 (37) (4.0%) Quarter- Quarter- Increase/ to-Date to-Date (Decrease) Percent 2009 2008 Available Seat Miles 1,794,055,000 2,122,389,000 (328,334,000) (15.5%) Revenue Passenger Miles 1,448,375,000 1,736,707,000 (288,332,000) (16.6%) Load Factor 80.7% 81.8% (1.1 points) NA Revenue Passengers Carried 1,603,505 1,827,953 (224,448) (12.3%) **Passenger Yield (cents) 9.19 9.92 (0.73) (7.4%) **Passenger Revenue Per Avail. Seat Mile (cents) 7.42 8.12 (0.70) (8.6%) Average Length of Haul (Miles) 903 950 (47) (4.9%) Calendar Calendar Increase/ Year-to-Date Year-to-Date (Decrease) Percent 2009 2008 Available Seat Miles 4,403,652,000 5,236,816,000 (833,164,000) (15.9%) Revenue Passenger Miles 3,394,151,000 4,177,490,000 (783,339,000) (18.8%) Load Factor 77.1% 79.8% (2.7 points) NA Revenue Passengers Carried 3,762,879 4,304,731 (541,852) (12.6%) **Passenger Yield (cents) 9.80 10.42 (0.62) (6.0%) **Passenger Revenue Per Avail. Seat Mile (cents) 7.56 8.31 (0.75) (9.0%) Average Length of Haul (Miles) 902 970 (68) (7.0%) Lynx Aviation Increase/ May 2009 May 2008 (Decrease) Percent Available Seat Miles 49,303,000 41,745,000 7,558,000 18.1% Revenue Passenger Miles 29,213,000 24,339,000 4,874,000 20.0% Load Factor 59.3% 58.3% 1.0 points NA Revenue Passengers Carried 84,130 77,369 6,761 8.7% **Passenger Yield (cents) 18.42 23.51 (5.09) (21.7%) **Passenger Revenue Per Avail. Seat Mile (cents) 10.91 13.71 (2.80) (20.4%) Average Length of Haul (Miles) 347 315 32 10.2% Quarter- Quarter- Increase/ to-Date to-Date (Decrease) Percent 2009 2008 Available Seat Miles 96,595,000 83,963,000 12,632,000 15.0% Revenue Passenger Miles 54,619,000 48,820,000 5,799,000 11.9% Load Factor 56.5% 58.1% (1.6 points) NA Revenue Passengers Carried 157,639 138,220 19,419 14.0% **Passenger Yield (cents) 19.01 20.83 (1.82) (8.7%) **Passenger Revenue Per Avail. Seat Mile (cents) 10.75 12.11 (1.36) (11.2%) Average Length of Haul (Miles) 346 353 (7) (2.0%) Calendar Calendar Increase/ Year-to-Date Year-to-Date (Decrease) Percent 2009 2008 Available Seat Miles 233,340,000 232,188,000 1,152,000 0.5% Revenue Passenger Miles 128,080,000 138,375,000 (10,295,000) (7.4%) Load Factor 54.9% 59.6% (4.7 points) NA Revenue Passengers Carried 371,298 340,672 30,626 9.0% **Passenger Yield (cents) 20.55 19.15 1.40 7.3% **Passenger Revenue Per Avail. Seat Mile (cents) 11.28 11.41 (0.13) (1.1%) Average Length of Haul (Miles) 345 406 (61) (15.0%) Frontier's fiscal year begins April 1 and ends March 31. **Passenger yield and passenger revenue per available seat mile are calculated from revenue derived only from the revenue passengers reported in this press release. About Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.
Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Currently in its 15th year of operations, Frontier Airlines is the second-largest jet service carrier at Denver International Airport, employing approximately 5,000 aviation professionals. Frontier Airlines' mainline operation has 51 aircraft with one of the youngest Airbus fleets in North America. Frontier Airlines' mainline operations offer 24 channels of DIRECTV(R) service in every seatback along with a comfortable all-coach configuration. In conjunction with a fleet of ten Bombardier Q400 aircraft operated by Lynx Aviation (a subsidiary of Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.), Frontier offers routes to more than 50 destinations in the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica. For more in-depth information on Frontier Airlines, please visit its Web site at FrontierAirlines.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements as that item is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could result in actual results differing materially from expected results and represent the Company's expectations and beliefs concerning future events based on information available to the Company as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release. Additional information regarding risk factors that may affect future performance at the Company are contained in the Company's SEC filings, including without limitation, the Company's Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.
Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.
CONTACT: Corporate Communications of Frontier Airlines, +1-720-374-4560,
media@flyfrontier.com
Web Site: http://www.frontierairlines.com/
