US BTS reports 1.5% drop in passenger numbers in Oct-2011

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reports (18-Jan-2012) the following total system (domestic and international) traffic results for US airlines in Oct-2011:

• Passenger numbers: 61.2 million, -1.5% year-on-year;
• Passenger traffic (RPMs): -1.3%;
• Capacity (ASMs): -0.7%;
• Load factor: 82.5%, -0.6 ppt.

According to BTS, Delta Air Lines was the largest US airline, by total scheduled system enplanements in Oct-2011. The top 10 airlines are as follows:

• Delta: 9.6 million, -1.2%;
• Southwest: 9.5 million, +1.7%;
• American: 7.2 million, -0.9%;
• US Airways: 4.4 million, -2.0%;
• United: 4.2 million, -10.5%;
• Continental: 3.6 million, -0.8%;
• JetBlue: 2.2 million, +7.7%;
• Skywest: 2.1 million, -0.4%;
• AirTran: 2.0 million, -2.8%;
• American Eagle: 1.6 million, +5.1%. [more - original PR]