MEMPHIS, TN, Oct 08, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ: PNCL) today released capacity and operational results for its Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. subsidiary for September 2010.

Pinnacle reports its total Passengers, Revenue Passenger Miles (RPMs), and Load Factor each month, even though fluctuations do not affect revenues received under capacity purchase agreements with Delta Air Lines, its mainline partner.

                       September Performance

                                   2010        2009       Change
                               ----------- ----------- -----------
Passengers                       813,863     893,648      (8.9)%
Available Seat Miles (000)       480,701     464,563      3.5 %
Revenue Passenger Miles (000)    339,042     358,292      (5.4)%
Load Factor                       70.5%       77.1%     (6.6) pts.
Block Hours                       33,752      33,045      2.1 %
Departures                        21,981      22,038      (0.3)%
Fleet
  CRJ-200                          126         126        0.0 %
  CRJ-900                           16          16        0.0 %


                     Year-To-Date Performance

                                   2010        2009       Change
                               ----------- ----------- -----------
Passengers                      7,931,147   8,116,168     (2.3)%
Available Seat Miles (000)      4,598,110   4,638,257     (0.9)%
Revenue Passenger Miles (000)   3,420,138   3,504,903     (2.4)%
Load Factor                       74.4%       75.6%     (1.2) pts.
Block Hours                      323,519     322,517      0.3 %
Departures                       208,876     206,458      1.2 %

The average length of a Pinnacle flight was 418 statute miles compared to 401 statute miles in September 2009.

About Pinnacle Airlines Corp.

Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ: PNCL), an airline holding company, is the parent company of Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.; Colgan Air, Inc.; and Mesaba Aviation, Inc. Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. operates a fleet of 142 regional jets as Delta Connection in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands. Colgan Air, Inc. operates a fleet of 48 regional turboprops as Continental Connection, United Express and US Airways Express in the eastern United States and Canada, Texas and Louisiana. Mesaba Aviation, Inc. operates a fleet of 60 regional jets and 32 jet-prop aircraft as Delta Connection in the United States and Canada. Pinnacle Airlines Corp. operating subsidiaries fly 282 aircraft on more than 1,650 daily flights to 182 cities and towns in North America. The corporate headquarters is located in Memphis, Tenn. Airport hub operations are located in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Newark, Washington Dulles, Houston, Memphis, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City. Visit www.pncl.com for more information.

Contact:
Joe Williams
901-346-6162

SOURCE: Pinnacle Airlines