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ATA Monthly Passenger Yield: Double digit drop in 2009 yields

Analysis

Yields declined by double digits for all regions served by US airlines, according to the Air Transport Association, which released its data last night. The charts were released on the cusp of the reporting season in which US airlines are expecting losses, albeit smaller than had been anticipated mid year.

This time last year, IATA was predicting that the pro-active capacity cuts US carriers made in the wake of fuel spikes in 2008 would keep them in the black. However, it did not anticipate just how far business travel would decline during 2009. See related report: A growing regional divide in premium traffic.

Domestic yields dropped 11.8% to 13.45 cents for 2009, according to the ATA, which noted that the Atlantic, Latin America and Pacific regions each declined. Atlantic yields were hit hardest, dropping 17.8% to 11 cents, followed by the 15.8% decline in Pacific yields to 10.80 cents. Latin American declined 12.6% to 13.02 cents.

The yields came after single and double-digit yield increases during 2008 when airlines were able to raise fairs or impose surcharges as the result of fuel spikes and passengers continued to fly until the last quarter of 2008.

ATA member airline yields: Jan-2009 to Dec-2009

Yield (¢ per Mile)
Excl. Taxes
2009

DOMESTIC*

ATLANTIC

LATIN

PACIFIC

¢/RPM

% Change

¢/RPM

% Change

¢/RPM

% Change

¢/RPM

% Change

January

14.00

(3.5)

11.98

(7.5)

14.96

2.1

12.16

(1.4)

February

13.51

(8.8)

11.54

(10.7)

13.34

(2.3)

11.45

(2.9)

March

13.34

(14.0)

10.53

(14.4)

12.73

(10.4)

11.40

(4.5)

April

13.43

(10.7)

9.93

(21.9)

12.77

(8.0)

10.28

(17.3)

May

12.71

(16.2)

9.94

(24.0)

11.95

(16.6)

10.26

(17.9)

June

12.93

(18.9)

10.82

(25.2)

11.91

(21.8)

9.64

(25.5)

July

13.20

(14.7)

11.12

(22.8)

12.19

(21.5)

9.70

(27.5)

August

13.14

(14.0)

10.70

(24.3)

12.62

(19.8)

11.25

(24.4)

September

13.26

(16.6)

10.82

(22.5)

12.47

(21.4)

10.96

(19.7)

October

13.69

(12.5)

11.63

(14.4)

12.80

(17.3)

10.69

(17.8)

November

14.47

(4.6)

12.07

(8.2)

13.36

(11.5)

10.88

(14.9)

December

14.11

(1.9)

11.81

2.3

14.44

(6.9)

11.04

(8.4)

2009 YTD

13.45

(11.8)

11.00

(17.8)

13.02

(12.6)

10.80

(15.8)

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