Schedule Load Factor Increased To 83.4 Percent For The Month

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported Thursday that U.S. airlines’ systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service load factor – a measure of the use of airline capacity – rose to 83.4 percent in October, seasonally adjusted, after having remained virtually unchanged at 83.3 percent for two months. Seasonal adjustment allows the comparison of monthly load factors to all other months.

The October seasonally-adjusted load factor was the ninth highest all-time but remained below levels of early 2014 when the January and February load factors reached all-time highs. The October load factor was the highest since May. Load factor is a measure of the use of aircraft capacity that compares system demand, measured in Revenue Passenger-Miles (RPMs) as a proportion of system capacity, measured in Available Seat-Miles (ASMs).

The load factor rose from September to October as a result of RPMs increasing slightly more than ASMs (0.5 percent and 0.3 respectively).

Systemwide load factors continue to trend upwards with five of the top 10 months with the highest load factors, including the top two, taking place in 2014.   Load factors have increased because demand, measured in RPMs, has increased at a faster pace since the recession than capacity, measured in ASMs. Demand in October 2014 is the highest on record while capacity in October 2014 reached its highest level since the recession. Nine of the top 10 months for demand took place this year while only two of the top 10 months for capacity were in 2014. July 2014 and October 2014 are the only post-recession months on the top 10 list for capacity.

For the month of October, the 2014 passenger total (64.3 million) is the highest on record, topping the previous high set in 2007. October was the second consecutive month with a record high for that month, following the record September high in the previous month. Demand, measured in RPMs, was at the highest October level, exceeding the previous record set in 2013. Demand has exceeded pre-recession levels for every month of 2014 except February. Capacity, measured in ASMs, was at the second highest October level, but was below the all-time high reached in October 2007.

FMI: www.dot.gov