"Southwest Airlines Sees Passenger Traffic Rise"

Thursday, October 3, 2002

Southwest Airlines Sees Passenger Traffic Rise
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas


Southwest Airlines experienced a large jump in passenger traffic last
month compared with September 2001, when the terrorist attacks grounded
airplanes for several days. 

Traffic at the Dallas-based low-fare carrier rose 26 percent in
September, and the airline's total seat miles available -- a common
measure of airline capacity -- jumped 18 percent. 

Southwest is the largest airline that has remained profitable since the
travel industry began to slump last year. The airlines overall lost $7
billion in 2001 and are predicted to lose at least as much this year. 

"Southwest should probably be one of the only carriers to make a profit
in 2002," airline analyst Ray Neidl of Blaylock and Partners noted in a
report to investors. 

Two smaller carriers also reported big gains in traffic compared with
September 2001. American Eagle, the regional carrier affiliated with
American Airlines, saw its traffic increase 51 percent, while its
capacity rose 15 percent. 

Fort Worth-based AMR Corp. owns American Eagle and American Airlines. 

AirTran Airways, a low-fare carrier based in Orlando, Fla., that has a
small presence at D/FW International Airport, experienced a 60 percent
jump in traffic and a 52 percent increase in capacity last month.


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