(RTTNews) - Latin American Copa Holdings, S.A. (CPA: News ), air service provider through its operating subsidiaries Copa Holdings and Aero Republica, reported Monday a 17.7% increase in system-wide passenger traffic on an 6.6% increase in capacity for October 2009. Load factor for the month also increased 7.6 percentage points.

For the month of October 2009, Panama City, Panama-based Copa Holdings' system-wide passenger traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Miles or RPM, grew 17.7% to 66.4 million from 567.9 million RPM in the same month last year. Capacity, measured in Available Seat Miles or ASM, also increased 6.6% to 827.0 million from 775.9 million ASM in the corresponding month last year.

System load factor for October 2009, also grew 7.6 percentage points to 80.8% from 73.2% in October 2008.

Copa Airlines' passenger traffic for October increased 16.6% to 570.2 million RPM from 489.1 million RPM in the same month last year, and capacity grew 7.3% to 696.3 million ASM from 648.7 million ASM in October last year. Load factor for Copa Airlines also rose 6.5 percentage points to 81.9% from 75.4% in the same month a year ago.
Aero Republica's passenger traffic for October rose 24.7% to 98.3 million RPM from 78.8 million RPM in the same month a year ago, and capacity grew 2.8% to 130.7 million ASM from 127.1 million ASM in the year-ago month. Load factor for the month surged 13.2 percentage points to 75.2% from 62.0% in the same month last year.

In Monday's regular trading session, CPA is currently trading at $45.55, up $0.83 or 1.86% on a volume of 31,429 shares.

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by RTT Staff Writer

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