Delta Sees Increase in October Traffic

Delta Air Lines announced operational results for October 2015.

The Atlanta-based carrier’s total system traffic for the month was 17.63 billion revenue passenger miles, or RPMs, a year-over-year increase of 3.5%, up from 17.04 billion in October 2014.  Domestic traffic rose 5.7%, up to 10.92 billion RPMs from 10.33 billion last year, while international traffic rose 0.1% to 6.71 billion RPMs, up from 6.70 billion during the same period of 2014.

Total system-wide capacity for the month decreased 0.2% to 20.29 billion available seat miles, or ASMs, from 20.33 billion last year.  The airline’s domestic capacity was 12.42 billion ASMs, a year-over-year increase of 2.3% from 12.14 billion in October 2014, while international capacity decreased 3.9% year-over-year, to 7.87 billion ASMs from 8.19 billion during October of last year.

The airline reported an increase in system-wide load factor, with a rise of 3.1 percentage points, up to 86.9% from 83.8 last October.  Delta’s domestic load factor also increased, up 2.8 percentage points to 87.9% from 85.1%, while its international load factor increased by 3.4 percentage points, up to 85.3% from last year’s 81.9%.

The carrier said that its consolidated passenger unit revenue, or Prasm, for the month decreased by 1%.  Delta attributed the decline to the airline’s winter capacity actions.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)