Chorus Aviation Inc. (ticker: CHR_A.TO, exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (.TO))
News Release -
5-Dec-2006
Air Canada reports November traffic - Mainline passenger load factor of 77.2% - highest ever for NovemberMONTREAL, Dec. 5, 2006 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX News Network) -- Air Canada reported a system load factor of 77.2 per cent in November 2006. The mainline carrier flew 4.1 per cent more revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in November 2006 than in November 2005, according to preliminary traffic figures. Overall capacity increased by 3.0 per cent, resulting in a load factor of 77.2 per cent, compared to 76.4 per cent in November 2005; an increase of 0.8 percentage points.
Jazz, from whom Air Canada purchases regional capacity, flew 23.4 per cent more revenue passenger miles in November 2006 than in November 2005, according to preliminary traffic figures. Capacity increased by 19.0 per cent, resulting in a load factor of 71.8 per cent, compared to 69.3 per cent in November 2005; an increase of 2.5 percentage points.
Year over year, system traffic on a combined basis for Air Canada and Jazz, rose 5.6 per cent on a capacity increase of 4.4 per cent, resulting in a load factor of 76.7 per cent; an increase of 0.9 percentage points.
"This is the third November in as many years that we have achieved a record load factor for the month, usually our slowest," said Montie Brewer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. "This second consecutive month of record load factors indicates that the issues impacting traffic in the third quarter are now behind us.
"I am particularly encouraged by our strong domestic performance which saw a 2.2 point load factor point gain on a 4.4 per cent capacity increase. In November, we reached another milestone when 58 per cent of our domestic bookings were made online, our lowest cost distribution channel, marking a new all-time high in web-based transactions. This is by far the highest level of penetration achieved by any full service carrier in North America.
"Looking forward, revenue and cost performance are on track aided by strong future bookings and lower fuel prices."
This discussion contains certain forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors including acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, government regulations and government mandated restrictions on operations and pricing, fuel prices, industry restructuring, labour negotiations, the economic environment in general including foreign exchange and interest rates, the airline competitive and pricing environment, industry capacity decisions and new entrants as well as external events, actual results could differ from expected results and the differences could be material.
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AIR CANADA
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AIR CANADA MAINLINE
(Includes Jetz)
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NOVEMBER Year-To-Date
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2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change
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Traffic (RPMs
millions) 2,995 2,878 +4.1% 41,515 40,780 +1.8%
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Capacity (ASMs
millions) 3,879 3,767 +3.0% 51,130 50,772 +0.7%
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Load Factor 77.2% 76.4% +0.8 pts 81.2% 80.3% +0.9 pts
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Canada RPMs 870 815 +6.7% 11,593 12,004 -3.4%
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ASMs 1,087 1,050 +3.5% 14,436 14,833 -2.7%
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Load
Factor 80.0% 77.6% +2.4 pts 80.3% 80.9% -0.6 pts
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U.S.
Transborder RPMs 531 512 +3.7% 6,802 6,135 +10.9%
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ASMs 705 706 -0.1% 8,596 8,063 +6.6%
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Load
Factor 75.3% 72.5% +2.8 pts 79.1% 76.1% +3.0 pts
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Atlantic RPMs 709 692 +2.5% 11,239 11,007 +2.1%
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ASMs 924 872 +6.0% 13,439 13,245 +1.5%
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Load
Factor 76.7% 79.4% -2.7 pts 83.6% 83.1% +0.5 pts
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Pacific RPMs 592 588 +0.7% 8,002 7,870 +1.7%
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ASMs 740 738 +0.3% 9,672 9,705 -0.3%
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Load
Factor 80.0% 79.7% +0.3 pts 82.7% 81.1% +1.6 pts
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Latin America
& Other RPMs 293 271 +8.1% 3,879 3,764 +3.1%
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ASMs 423 401 +5.5% 4,987 4,926 +1.2%
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Load
Factor 69.3% 67.6% +1.7 pts 77.8% 76.4% +1.4 pts
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AIR CANADA JAZZ
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AIR CANADA'S REGIONAL CAPACITY PROVIDER
(Jazz)
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NOVEMBER Year-To-Date
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2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change
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Traffic (RPMs
millions) 306 248 +23.4% 3,500 2,235 +56.6%
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Capacity (ASMs
millions) 426 358 +19.0% 4,844 3,135 +54.5%
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Load Factor 71.8% 69.3% +2.5 pts 72.3% 71.3% +1.0 pts
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Canada RPMs 225 205 +9.8% 2,613 1,742 +50.0%
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ASMs 304 283 +7.4% 3,516 2,349 +49.7%
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Load
Factor 74.0% 72.4% +1.6 pts 74.3% 74.2% +0.1 pts
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U.S.
Transborder RPMs 81 43 +88.4% 887 493 +79.9%
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ASMs 122 75 +62.7% 1,328 786 +69.0%
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Load
Factor 66.4% 57.3% +9.1 pts 66.8% 62.7% +4.1 pts
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AIR CANADA & AIR CANADA JAZZ
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COMBINED
(AIR CANADA MAINLINE AND JAZZ)
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NOVEMBER Year-To-Date
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2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change
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Traffic (RPMs
millions) 3,301 3,126 +5.6% 45,015 43,015 +4.6%
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Capacity (ASMs
millions) 4,305 4,125 +4.4% 55,974 53,907 +3.8%
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Load Factor 76.7% 75.8% +0.9 pts 80.4% 79.8% +0.6 pts
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Canada RPMs 1,095 1,020 +7.4% 14,206 13,746 +3.3%
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ASMs 1,391 1,333 +4.4% 17,952 17,182 +4.5%
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Load
Factor 78.7% 76.5% +2.2 pts 79.1% 80.0% -0.9 pts
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U.S.
Transborder RPMs 612 555 +10.3% 7,689 6,628 +16.0%
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ASMs 827 781 +5.9% 9,924 8,849 +12.1%
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Load
Factor 74.0% 71.1% +2.9 pts 77.5% 74.9% +2.6 pts
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International RPMs 1,594 1,551 +2.8% 23,120 22,641 +2.1%
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ASMs 2,087 2,011 +3.8% 28,098 27,876 +0.8%
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Load
Factor 76.4% 77.1% -0.7 pts 82.3% 81.2% +1.1 pts
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SOURCE: AIR CANADA
SOURCE: AIR CANADA - CORPORATE - FINANCIAL
SOURCE: AIR CANADA JAZZ
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Chorus Aviation Inc.
