U.S. airlines carried 58.1 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in November 2011 - 0.2 percent more domestic passengers and 1.9 percent fewer international passengers - than in November 2010, resulting in a systemwide decrease of 0.1 percent the U.S. Department of Transportation reported. The November 2011 passenger total was 6.0 percent above that of two years ago in November 2009.
The DOT also reported the system load factor of 81.9 percent and the domestic load factor of 83.6 percent were record highs for the month of November.
U.S. airlines carried 671.1 million total system passengers during the first 11 months of 2011, up 1.4 percent from the same period in 2010. Domestically, they carried 586.1 million passengers, up 1.3 percent from 2010. Internationally, they carried 85.0 million passengers, up 1.9 percent from 2010. Systemwide, domestic and international totals were all the highest for January through November since 2008.
Systemwide load factors increased 1.5 percentage points in November 2011 from November 2010, DOT said. From January through November, systemwide capacity, measured by available seat-miles, was up 2.2 percent, domestic was up 1.1 percent and international was up 4.5 percent compared to the first 11 months of 2010.
In November, Southwest Airlines carried more total system passengers than any other U.S. airline. Southwest Airlines also carried the most domestic passengers. American Airlines carried the most international passengers. The top 10 US airlines carried 75.4 percent of systemwide passengers, an increase from the 75.3 percent in November 2010.
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