Delta replacing DC-9s with JAL MD-90s; US Airways traffic up 5.5% in Feb-2011.

Delta will continue to look for opportunities to acquire used MD-90s, to be operated on domestic routes, and plans to purchase 50 of the used MD-90 jets over the next two years. Delta's DC-9s have an average age of 34 years.

Shares in US carriers were generally stronger on Thursday, with the exception of American Airlines, which dropped 1.1%.

Delta Air Lines also reported the following traffic highlights in Feb-2011:

• Passenger numbers: 11 million, +0.9% year-on-year;
• Revenue passenger miles: +1.4%;
  • Domestic: -0.2%;
  • International: +4%;
  • Latin America: -11.4%;
  • Europe: +6.1%;
  • Asia Pacific: +13.6%;
• Passenger load factor: 73.7%, -3.4 ppts;
  • Domestic: 77.1%, -1.7 ppts;
  • International: 68.8%, -5.6 ppts;
  • Latin America: 72.9%, -3.8 ppts;
  • Europe: 61.2%, -7.3 ppts;
  • Asia Pacific: 78.2%, -3.7 ppts.

US Airways announced (03-Mar-2011) the following traffic highlights in Feb-2011:

• Passenger numbers: 4.3 million, +5.5% year-on-year;
  
  • Mainline: 3.8 million, +4.8%;
    
    • Domestic: 3.4 million, +5.8%;
    • Europe: 112,614, +21.2%;
    • Latin America: 301,635, -8.9%;
  • Regional: 551,103, +10.3%;
• Passenger load factor: 76.3%, -0.9 ppt;
  
  • Mainline: 76.8%, -0.8 ppt;
    
    • Domestic: 80.1%, -0.8 ppt;
    • Europe: 59.8%, -0.5 ppt;
    • Latin America: 77.1%, +1.5 ppts;
  • Regional: 66.6%, +0.9 ppt.

American Airlines announced (03-Mar-2011) the following traffic highlights in Feb-2011:

• Passenger numbers: 6.0 million, +0.3% year-on-year;
• Revenue passenger miles: +2.2%;
  
  • Domestic: stable;
  • International: +6.0%;
  • Europe: -4.6%;
  • Latin America: +10.2%;
  • Asia Pacific: +13.9%;
• Passenger load factor: 74.8%, -0.7 ppt;
  
  • Domestic: 77.2%, +0.1 ppt;
  • International: 71.2%, -1.7 ppts;
  • Europe: 61.9%, -2.9 ppts;
  • Latin America: 76.4%, -0.6 ppt;
  • Asia Pacific: 72.5%, -5.5 ppts.

Selected AAD daily share price movements (% change): 03-Mar-2011