Thursday, air carrier TAM S.A. (TAM), reported that its November 2008 traffic and capacity increased in both international and domestic markets. Load factor for the month declined in domestic market, and increased in the international market.
The Sao Paulo, Brazil-based airline company said domestic market traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, or RPK, for November increased 3.40% to 1.949 billion from 1.886 billion RPK in the same period last year. In international market, traffic increased 36.3% to 1.315 billion RPK from 1.419 billion RPK in the preceding year month.
In domestic market, capacity, measured in available seat kilometers or ASK, for November rose 13.4% to 2.964 billion from 2.615 billion ASK in the previous year month, while in the international market, capacity grew 32.4% to 1.878 billion ASK from 1.419 billion ASK in the same month of last year.
November load factor in domestic market declined 6.4 percentage points to 65.8% from 72.1% in the year-ago month. In international market, load factor increased 2.0 percentage points year-over-year to 70.0% from 68.0%.
Domestic market share for November grew 2.2 percentage points to 51.70% from 49.50% a year ago, while market share in international market rose 11.4 percentage points to 84.70% from 73.30% last year.
For the third quarter, traffic in domestic market increased 16.0% to 6.015 billion RPK from 5.185 billion RPK in the same period last year. In international market, traffic increased 40.6% to 4.159 billion RPK from 2.958 billion RPK in the prior-year quarter.
For the year-to-date period, traffic in domestic market increased 11.20% to 21.853 billion RPK from 19.657 billion RPK in the same period last year. In international market, traffic increased 42.20%to 14.441 billion RPK from 10.153 billion RPK in the preceding year.
For eleven-month period, in domestic market, capacity rose 14.2% to 31.898 billion ASK from 27.925 billion ASK in the prior year, while in international market, capacity grew 31.70% to 18.922 billion ASK from 14.372 billion ASK last year.
The company's domestic load factor for the eleven-month period was 68.50%, down from 70.40% reported in the same period last year. International load factor was 76.30%, up from 70.60% in the preceding year period.
Domestic market share year-to-date grew 1.5 percentage points to 50.40% from 48.90% a year ago, while market share in international market rose 7.1 percentage points to 74.30% from 67.20% last year.
TAM is currently trading up $0.31 or 3.60% at $8.93 on the NYSE.
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