For the month of May, system traffic on a consolidated basis for Air Canada and Jazz rose 4.5% on a capacity increase of 4% system wide and this resulted in a record load factor of 83.2% versus 82.9% in May 2007.The mainline carrier flew 5.4% more revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in May 2008 than in May 2007, according to preliminary traffic figures.

Capacity increased by 4.7%, resulting in a record load factor of 84.3% for the month compared to 83.8% in May 2007; an increase of 0.5 percentage points.

Jazz, from which Air Canada purchases regional capacity, flew 5.4% fewer RPMs in May 2008 than in May 2007, according to preliminary traffic figures. Capacity decreased by 2.6%, resulting in a load factor of 72.4%, compared to 74.5% in May 2007; a decrease of 2.1 percentage points.

“With a record load factor of 83.2% for the month of May, Air Canada once again surpassed previous results on a combined basis with Jazz,” said Montie Brewer, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Traffic continued to outpace capacity growth, reflecting our sustained growth in the domestic Canada and international markets. These strong results demonstrate how Air Canada is attracting new customers with a young, fuel efficient fleet, industry-leading in-flight amenities and innovative fare products.”
——-