"Table 12: Low-Cost Carrier FTE Employees, December 2001-2005*",,,,,,,
(Ranked by December 2005 FTE Employees),,,,,,,
Numbers in thousands (000’s),,,,,,,
Rank,,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,Percentage Change 2001-2005
1,Southwest,32,34,33,31,32,-1.8
2,America West,11,12,11,11,12,6.0
3,JetBlue,2,4,5,7,8,316.0
4,AirTran,4,5,5,6,7,68.7
5,Frontier,2,3,3,"4,",4,86.2
6,ATA,7,7,7,6,4,-44.5
7,Independence**,N/A,N/A,N/A,4,2,N/A
8,Spirit,2,2,3,2,N/A***,N/A
,Total***,60,66,67,72,69,14.4
* 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.",,,,,,,
*** Spirit Airlines has not reported employment numbers for December 2005,,,,,,,
**** Total numbers for carriers operating and reporting in 2005. ,,,,,,,
Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.,,,,,,,
Note: Detail may not add to total due to rounding,,,,,,,
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics,,,,,,,