EX-99.1 2 p71697exv99w1.htm EX-99.1 exv99w1
 

EXHIBIT 99.1
(US AIRWAYS HEADER)
         
 
  Contact:   Phil Gee
 
      480/693-5729
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
US AIRWAYS GROUP, INC. REPORTS DECEMBER TRAFFIC
     TEMPE, Ariz., Jan. 5, 2006 — US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC) today reported traffic statistics for the month of December 2005. For America West operated flights, revenue passenger miles (RPMs) for the month were a record 2.0 billion, up 0.6 percent from December 2004. Capacity was 2.5 billion available seat miles (ASMs), down 0.7 percent from December 2004. The passenger load factor for December was a record 76.4 percent versus 75.3 percent in December 2004.
     For US Airways mainline operated flights, RPMs for December 2005 were 2.6 billion, a decrease of 13.3 percent from December 2004. Capacity was 3.7 billion ASMs, down 13.4 percent from December 2004. The passenger load factor for the month of December was a 70.7 percent matching the 70.7 percent in December 2004.
     “December’s holiday travel was strong, and we continued our trend of double-digit year-over-year improvement in both revenue per available seat mile (RASM) and yield for the east and west networks,” said Scott Kirby, executive vice president, sales and marketing. “We are also especially proud of the US Airways team for delivering outstanding customer service to over 2.4 million customers during the recent holiday travel season.”
     Until US Airways operates under one certificate, data regarding America West and US Airways operated flights will continue to be reported separately. Additionally, US Airways Express wholly-owned regional carriers and US Airways’ MidAtlantic Airways division will continue to report separate data. US Airways Group, Inc., consisting of America West, US Airways mainline and US Airways Express combined operational information will also be reported.
     The following summarizes America West, US Airways mainline, US Airways Express and US Airways Group, Inc. combined December, fourth-quarter, and year-to-date traffic results for 2005 and 2004:

 

 

America West
                                 
DECEMBER   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     1,958,985       1,947,360       0.6          
Domestic
     1,890,431       1,877,459       0.7          
International
     68,554       69,902       -1.9          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     2,565,541       2,584,461       -0.7          
Domestic
     2,475,647       2,489,426       -0.6          
International
     89,894       95,035       -5.4          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     76.4       75.3       1.1     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     1,797,263       1,774,101       1.3          
                                 
QUARTER ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     5,867,017       5,884,900       -0.3          
Domestic
     5,689,162       5,705,565       -0.3          
International
     177,855       179,335       -0.8          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     7,570,898       7,602,280       -0.4          
Domestic
     7,340,198       7,354,057       -0.2          
International
     230,701       248,223       -7.1          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     77.5       77.4       0.1     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     5,401,401       5,336,378       1.2          
                                 
YEAR ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     24,257,226       23,333,079       4.0          
Domestic
     23,440,375       22,599,199       3.7          
International
     816,852       733,880       11.3          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     30,502,916       30,152,596       1.2          
Domestic
     29,443,236       29,168,416       0.9          
International
     1,059,679       984,180       7.7          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     79.5       77.4       2.1     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     22,126,897       21,132,444       4.7          
US Airways Mainline
                                 
DECEMBER   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     2,632,795       3,038,233       -13.3          
Domestic
     1,952,592       2,312,195       -15.6          
International
     680,203       726,038       -6.3          

 

 

                                 
DECEMBER   2005     2004     % Change          
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     3,723,296       4,297,201       -13.4          
Domestic
     2,765,401       3,308,717       -16.4          
International
     957,895       988,484       -3.1          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     70.7       70.7       —     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     2,665,210       3,268,145       -18.4          
                                 
QUARTER ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     8,265,770       9,514,652       -13.1          
Domestic
     6,105,389       7,218,565       -15.4          
International
     2,160,381       2,296,087       -5.9          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     11,290,460       13,004,911       -13.2          
Domestic
     8,401,374       9,966,231       -15.7          
International
     2,889,086       3,038,680       -4.9          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     73.2       73.2       —     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     8,512,568       10,151,681       -16.1          
                                 
YEAR ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     38,894,959       39,970,019       -2.7          
Domestic
     28,497,856       29,419,479       -3.1          
International
     10,397,103       10,550,539       -1.5          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     51,518,448       53,229,016       -3.2          
Domestic
     38,183,824       39,678,704       -3.8          
International
     13,334,624       13,550,312       -1.6          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     75.5       75.1       0.4     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     39,977,337       41,517,835       -3.7          
US Airways Express
                                 
DECEMBER   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     264,507       237,621       11.3          
Domestic
     264,507       237,621       11.3          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     436,934       383,677       13.9          
Domestic
     436,934       383,677       13.9          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     60.5       61.9       -1.4     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     730,262       664,578       9.9          

 

 

                                 
QUARTER ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     849,550       729,681       16.4          
Domestic
     849,550       729,681       16.4          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     1,352,050       1,147,592       17.8          
Domestic
     1,352,050       1,147,592       17.8          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     62.8       63.6       -0.8     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     2,332,068       2,068,347       12.8          
                                 
YEAR ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     3,498,926       2,102,702       66.4          
Domestic
     3,498,926       2,102,702       66.4          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     5,543,488       3,423,267       61.9          
Domestic
     5,543,488       3,423,267       61.9          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     63.1       61.4       1.7     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     9,472,806       7,138,766       32.7          
Combined US Airways Group
                                 
DECEMBER   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     4,856,287       5,223,214       -7.0          
Domestic
     4,107,530       4,427,275       -7.2          
International
     748,757       795,940       -5.9          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     6,725,771       7,265,339       -7.4          
Domestic
     5,677,982       6,181,820       -8.2          
International
     1,047,789       1,083,519       -3.3          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     72.2       71.9       0.3     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     5,192,735       5,706,824       -9.0          
                                 
QUARTER ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     14,982,337       16,129,233       -7.1          
Domestic
     12,644,101       13,653,811       -7.4          
International
     2,338,236       2,475,422       -5.5          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     20,213,408       21,754,783       -7.1          
Domestic
     17,093,622       18,467,880       -7.4          
International
     3,119,787       3,286,903       -5.1          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     74.1       74.1       —     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     16,246,037       17,556,406       -7.5          

 

 

                                 
YEAR ENDING   2005     2004     % Change          
REVENUE PSGR MILES (000)
     66,651,111       65,405,800       1.9          
Domestic
     55,437,157       54,121,380       2.4          
International
     11,213,955       11,284,419       -0.6          
 
                                
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
     87,564,852       86,804,879       0.9          
Domestic
     73,170,548       72,270,387       1.2          
International
     14,394,303       14,534,492       -1.0          
 
                                
LOAD FACTOR (%)
     76.1       75.3       0.8     PTS
ENPLANEMENTS
     71,577,040       69,789,045       2.6          
Integration Update
     As part of the airline’s monthly traffic release, US Airways will provide a brief update on the integration process between US Airways and America West. Listed below are major accomplishments from the month of December:
  •   To date, 30 of 38 common-use airports integrated.
 
  •   New US Airways Club opens at LAX.
 
  •   Transition agreement reached with customer service employee association (Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)).
 
  •   First US Airways gift card introduced (America West was the first airline to offer a gift card).
 
  •   Low cost pricing structure introduced to US Airways Shuttle markets (Washington National, Boston, New York LaGuardia).
     For the month of December 2005, America West will report domestic on-time performance of 78.5 percent and a completion factor of 98.5 percent to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). US Airways will also report to the DOT domestic on-time performance of 76.5 percent and a completion factor of 98.8 percent.
     US Airways and America West’s recent merger creates the fifth largest domestic airline employing approximately 35,000 aviation professionals and serving more than 230 destinations. This press release and additional information on US Airways can be found at www.usairways.com or www.americawest.com. (LCC)
     US Airways is a member of the Star Alliance, which was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers global reach and a smooth travel experience. Star Alliance has been voted Best Airline Alliance by Skytrax in 2003 and 2005. The members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, TAP Portugal, THAI, United, US Airways and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. South African Airways and SWISS will be integrated during the first half of 2006. Overall, the member carriers offer more than 15,000 daily flights to 790 destinations in 138 countries.

 

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain of the statements contained herein should be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward looking statements may be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “could,” “should,” and “continue” and similar terms used in connection with statements regarding the outlook of US Airways Group (the “Company”), expected fuel costs, the revenue and pricing environment, and expected financial performance. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving America West Holdings Corporation and US Airways Group, including future financial and operating results, the combined companies’ plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s actual results and financial position to differ materially from these statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the ability of the Company to obtain and maintain any necessary financing for operations and other purposes (including compliance with financial covenants); the ability of the Company to maintain adequate liquidity; the impact of changes in fuel prices; the impact of economic conditions; changes in prevailing interest rates; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the ability of the Company to attract and retain customers; the ability of the Company to obtain and maintain commercially reasonable terms with vendors and service providers; the cyclical nature of the airline industry; competitive practices in the industry, including significant fare restructuring activities by major airlines; labor costs; security-related and insurance costs; weather conditions; government legislation and regulation; relations with unionized employees generally and the impact and outcome of the labor negotiations; the impact of global instability including the potential impact of current and future hostilities, terrorist attacks, infectious disease outbreaks or other global events; the impact of the resolution of remaining claims in US Airways Group’s Chapter 11 proceedings; the ability of the Company to fund and execute its business plan following the Chapter 11 proceedings and the merger; and other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in the Company’s reports to the SEC. There may be other factors not identified above of which the Company is not currently aware that may affect matters discussed in the forward-looking statements, and may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law. Additional factors that may affect the future results of the Company are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 and in the filings of the Company with the SEC, which are available at www.usairways.com.
-LCC-