OREANDA-NEWS. June 09, 2016. Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today reported its May and year-to-date preliminary traffic statistics.

The Company flew 10.9 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in May 2016, an increase of 6.4 percent from the 10.2 billion RPMs flown in May 2015. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 4.6 percent to 12.6 billion in May 2016, compared with May 2015 ASMs of 12.1 billion. The May 2016 load factor was a record for the month of May at 85.8 percent, compared with 84.4 percent in May 2015. Based on these results and current trends, the Company continues to expect a modest increase in its second quarter 2016 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) as compared with second quarter 2015.

This release, as well as past news releases about Southwest Airlines Co., is available online at Southwest.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to the Company’s financial outlook and projected results of operations. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) changes in demand for the Company's services and other changes in consumer behavior; (ii) the Company’s ability to timely and effectively maintain the necessary information technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and initiatives; (iii) the impact of governmental regulations and other governmental actions related to the Company's operations; and (iv) other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

Southwest Airlines Co.
Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics

MAY

 

    

2016

    

2015

    

Change

Revenue passengers carried

    

10,880,898

     10,294,774     5.7%

Enplaned passengers

     13,248,940     12,565,830     5.4%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

     10,859,110     10,202,485     6.4%

Available seat miles (000s)

     12,649,853     12,088,512     4.6%

Load factor

     85.8%     84.4%     1.4 pts.

Average length of haul

     998     991     0.7%

Trips flown

     111,802     108,693     2.9%

 

YEAR-TO-DATE

 

    

2016

    

2015

    

Change

Revenue passengers carried

     49,825,259     46,723,734     6.6%

Enplaned passengers

     60,483,593     56,860,740     6.4%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

     49,626,054     45,961,807     8.0%

Available seat miles (000s)

     60,343,735     56,297,657     7.2%

Load factor

     82.2%     81.6%     0.6 pts.

Average length of haul

     996     984     1.2%

Trips flown

     535,558     512,841     4.4%