Table 12: Low-Cost Carrier Full-time Equivalent Employees* May 2002-2006,,,,,,,
(Ranked by May 2006 FTE Employees),,,,,,,
Numbers in thousands (000’s),,,,,,,
Rank,,2002,2003**,2004**,2005**,2006,Percentage Change 2002-2006
1,Southwest,32.7,33.0,31.4,31.2,31.7,-3.1
2,America West,11.5,10.9,11.5,12.0,11.7,1.5
3,JetBlue,2.7,4.5,5.7,7.2,9.6,258.5
4,AirTran,4.5,5.2,5.5,6.2,7.0,55.9
5,Frontier,2.6,3.0,3.9,4.1,4.4,72.9
6,ATA,7.1,7.4,6.9,4.5,2.7,-61.7
7,Spirit,2.2,2.4,2.4,2.0,2.0,-10.7
8,Independence,N/A,4.3,3.9,3.3,N/A,N/A
,Total****,66.4,70.7,71.3,70.5,69.1,4.0
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics,,,,,,,
Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.,,,,,,,
Note: Detail may not add to total due to rounding,,,,,,,
* Full-time Equivalent Employee (FTE) calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.,,,,,,,
"**Employment numbers in 2003, 2004 and 2005 for Independence Air, which changed its business model from a regional to low-cost carrier in mid-2004, are included with low-cost carriers.  The carrier did not meet the standard for filing in previous years. The airline discontinued flights on Jan. 5, 2006.",,,,,,,
N/A: Not applicable because carriers did not meet the standard for filing.,,,,,,,