MEMPHIS, TN, Feb 07, 2007 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle
Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ: PNCL), today released its passenger and
traffic levels for January 2007.
During January, Pinnacle transported 690,559 Customers, 5.6% more
than the same period in 2006. Passenger Load Factor was 65.0%, a
decrease of 4.0 points over January 2006 levels. For the month,
Pinnacle flew 484.5 million Available Seat Miles ("ASMs"), a 4.5%
increase when compared to the same period in 2006. Pinnacle flew
315.0 million Revenue Passenger Miles ("RPMs"), a decrease of 1.5%
over January 2006.
For the month, Pinnacle operated 36,191 block hours, a 2.3% increase
from the same period in 2006. Cycles were up 3.4% to 21,663. The
average length of a Pinnacle flight was 454 statute miles compared to
477 statute miles in January 2006. The term "block hour" refers to
the elapsed time between an aircraft leaving a gate and arriving at a
gate, the term "cycle" refers to an aircraft's departure and
corresponding arrival.
Throughout 2006, Pinnacle completed the conversion of its aircraft
operating with 44 seats to 50 seat aircraft. As of January 31, 2007,
all aircraft in the Pinnacle Airlines fleet, with the exception of the
nine aircraft added to our fleet during January 2007, operated with 50
seats, providing more passenger lift to Northwest Airlines. As
previously announced, the amended Airline Services Agreement with
Northwest provides that Pinnacle receive back the fifteen aircraft
removed from its fleet during 2005. Nine of these aircraft became
part of Pinnacle's active fleet during January 2007. Consequently,
Pinnacle ended the month with 133 aircraft compared to 124 for the
same month of 2006. The remaining six aircraft will become part of
Pinnacle's active fleet in February, increasing the fleet size to 139
aircraft.
Overall, seat capacity increased 9.9% compared to January 2006, which
was driven by the addition during the month of nine aircraft and by
the additional seats added to the other 124 aircraft.
January 2007 Traffic
2007 2006 Change
Passengers 690,559 653,962 5.6%
Load Factor 65.0% 69.0% (4.0) pts
ASMs (000) 484,467 463,388 4.5%
RPMs (000) 314,965 319,629 (1.5)%
Cycles 21,663 20,957 3.4%
Block Hours 36,191 35,385 2.3%
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. operates under the name Northwest Airlink and
provides service to destinations in the United States and Canada. As
of January 31, 2007, Pinnacle operated an all-jet fleet of 133
Canadair 44-seat and 50-seat regional jets from Northwest hubs at
Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis - St. Paul, and a focus city at
Indianapolis. Pinnacle Airlines maintains its headquarters in
Memphis, Tenn., and employs approximately 4,000 People. For further
information, please contact Philip Reed, Vice-President, Marketing at
901-348-4257, or visit our web-site at www.nwairlink.com.
This press release contains various forward-looking statements that
are based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by and
information currently available to management. Although the Company
believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are reasonable; it can give no assurance that such
expectations will prove to have been correct. Such statements are
subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including
those set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, which are available to investors at our web-site or on
line from the Commission. Should one of more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove
erroneous, actual results may vary materially from results that were
anticipated or projected. The Company does not intend to update
these forward-looking statements before its next required filing with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
Philip Reed
Vice-President, Marketing
901-348-4257
www.nwairlink.com
SOURCE: Pinnacle Airlines
http://www.nwairlink.com