Southwest is currently operating at 62.9% and 11.7 cents per passenger mile flown.
Its cost per passenger mile was around one-third less than its rivals.
Passenger yield (Passenger Revenue per Revenue Passenger Mile) for American has decreased slightly in recent years due to competition from low-cost airlines and poor domestic economic conditions.
Domestic Passenger yield (passenger revenue per revenue passenger mile) for UAL has decreased slightly in recent years due to competition from low-cost airlines and poor domestic economic conditions.
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But Greenwald knows he cant nourish those cherished profit margins unless he attracts more full-fare travelers like last- minute businessmen, who typically pay 15 cents more per passenger mile than vacationers.
Planes cause at least twice as much pollution per passenger mile as a typical private car but the day when even gas-guzzling private cars will require carbon allowances is drawing closer.
Although there would be little direct competition for business between operators, their performance--in reducing costs per passenger mile, say--would provide information that a regulator could use when setting price caps.
Delta, United, American, Southwest and Alaska were all over 7.5% of revenue passenger miles with awards. (A revenue passenger mile, or one passenger flying one mile, is the standard measure of traffic for airlines.) Alaska was best at a hefty 9% of revenue passenger miles on frequent-flier awards.
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In the meantime, the number that really matters--called the "yield, " or the price a passenger pays to fly one mile--fell 4.5%.
The company expects consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile to grow between 9.5% and 10.5% year-over-year in the third quarter.
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The airline improved its key financial metric of passenger revenue per available seat mile (or PRASM) by 5.5% year-over-year, according to a statement.
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November passenger revenue per available seat mile fell by 2% and, as a result, will be flat compared with a year earlier, US Airways said.
Ticket sales picked up, as passenger revenue per available seat mile grew 5.2% during the quarter, and the average fare paid increased by more than 6%.
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The company expects passenger unit revenue (measured by revenue per available seat mile) to go up by 10.5% in Sept quarter as compared to the same period last year.
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