Thursday, Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. (FRNTQ.PK), the parent company of Denver-based Frontier Airlines, reported a fall in traffic and capacity for the month of February in both its mainline operation as well as its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lynx Aviation.
For February 2009, mainline revenue passenger miles, or traffic, decreased 19.9% to 596.74 million from 744.76 million in the same period a year ago. Available seat miles, or capacity, for the month fell 15.4% to 810.59 million from 957.59 million in the prior year. February 2009 load factor dropped 4.2 points down to 73.6% from 77.8% in the past year.
For the month of February, mainline passenger yield was 9.81 cents, 1.4% lower than 9.95 cents in the comparable period last year. Revenue passengers carried was 664.93 million, 12.6% down from 760.82 million in the same period a year earlier. Passenger revenue per available seat mile dropped 6.7% to 7.22 cents from 7.74 cents in the preceding year.
For fiscal year-to-date 2009, Frontier's traffic decreased 6.6% to 8.63 billion from 9.23 billion in the prior year. Mainline capacity for the year-to-date period was 10.58 billion, 8.4% lower than last year's 11.55 billion. Load factor moved 1.7 points up to 81.6% to 79.9% in the previous year. For the latest period, Frontier's passenger yield inched 1.3% up to 10.87 cents from 10.73 cents in the foregoing year.
Revenue passengers carried was 9.46 million, 2.1% up from year ago's 9.67 million. Passenger revenue per available seat mile increased 3.4% to 8.86 cents from 8.57 cents in the prior year.
For calendar year-to-date 2009, mainline traffic fell 17.9% to 1.23 billion from 1.5 billion in the preceding year. Capacity declined 14.3% year-over-year to 1.71 billion from 2 billion. Load factor dropped 3.2 points down to 71.8% from 75% on year.
For February 2009, Lynx Aviation's traffic fell 15.7% to 23.33 million from 27.68 million in the same period last year. Capacity for the month decreased 9.4% to 43.09 million from 47.55 million in prior year. Load factor dropped 4.1 points to 54.1% to 58.2% in the foregoing year.
Lynx Aviation passenger yield for February increased 23.6% to 20.96 cents from 16.96 cents in the previous year. Revenue passengers carried were 67.91 million, 8.3% higher than a year earlier's 62.74 million. Passenger revenue per available seat mile climbed 14.9% to 11.34 cents from 9.87 cents in the prior year.
For fiscal year-to-date 2009, traffic of Lynx Aviation surged 392.4% to 319.45 million from 64.86 million in the comparable period last year. Capacity accelerated 355.9% to 527.21 million from 115.64 million in the prior year. Load factor for the period rose 4.5 points to 60.6% from 56.1% on year.
For calendar year-to-date 2009, Lynx Aviation traffic dipped 11.4% to 45.36 million from 51.22 million in last year. Capacity for the period was 88.95 million, 5.5% up from 94.14 million reported a year earlier. Load factor dropped 3.4 points to 51% from 54.4% in the year-ago period.
FRNTQ.PK closed Thursday's regular session at $0.20, down $0.03 or 13.04%, on a volume of 150 thousand shares.
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