Airlines & Routes

American Eagle reported a May load factor of 73.1% — down 2.4 points compared to the same period last year. Traffic decreased 9.5% year over year as capacity decreased 6.5%.

For May AirTran Airways reported that traffic grew by 18.2% while capacity increased 14.0% compared to the same period in 2007. The company’s load factor for the month was 79.3% up 2.9 points compared to May 2007.

WestJet reported a load factor of 79.5% compared to 80% in May 2007, while capacity increased 20.1%. Traffic for May was up more than 19%.

BA reported that in May 2008 passenger capacity was 1.3% above May 2007, traffic fell by 0.7% while load factor decreased by 1.5 pts versus last year, to 71.8%.

Ryanair reported that traffic increased 22% in May 2008, while the load factor remaind flat at 80%. This is the first time that Ryanair has carried over 5 million passengers in one month.

Republic Airways reported preliminary passenger traffic results for May 2008. The company reported a 21.7% traffic increase over the same month last year, while capacity increased 21.6%. Load factor was 76.8%, which was the same as May 2007.

Continental Airlines reported a May consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 81.2%, 0.3 points below the May 2007 consolidated load factor. Continental reported a consolidated traffic increase of 1.8% and a capacity increase of 2.2% as compared to May 2007.

Southwest Airlines reported that traffic in May 2008 increased 6.5% compared to May 2007, capacity increased 5.2% and the load factor for the month was 74.9%, compared to 74.0% for the same period last year.

American Airlines begins a new chapter in its more than 80-year history when it launches its first flight from the United States to Russia. American, a founding member of the oneworld Alliance and the world’s largest airline, will be the first U.S. air carrier to fly directly out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Moscow’s

Finnair started non-stop flights to Seoul, the capital of South Korea, on June 2nd. Seoul is Finnair’s eleventh destination in Asia. Finnair is the only airline flying non-stop from South Korea to Northern Europe. The flight time from Helsinki to Seoul is 8 hours and 55 minutes. The route completes Finnair’s comprehensive Asian network and