"Table 12: Low-Cost Carrier Full-time Equivalent Employees, January 2002-2006*",,,,,,,
(Ranked by January 2006 FTE Employees),,,,,,,
Numbers in thousands (000’s),,,,,,,
Rank,,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,Percentage Change 2002-2006
1,Southwest,31.6,33.4,32.5,31.0,31.4,-0.7
2,America West,11.0,11.6,11.3,11.4,11.4,4.3
3,JetBlue,2.2,3.9,5.2,6.8,8.8,291.6
4,AirTran,4.1,4.7,5.5,5.9,6.7,62.5
5,Frontier,2.3,2.7,3.5,4.1,4.2,82.7
6,ATA,6.9,6.9,6.9,5.8,3.2,-53.4
7,Spirit,2.0,2.4,2.4,2.5,2.1,3.3
8,Independence,N/A,N/A,3.9,4.0,N/A,N/A
,Total****,60.1,65.7,71.2,71.6,67.8,12.8
* 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.",,,,,,,
Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.,,,,,,,
Note: Detail may not add to total due to rounding,,,,,,,
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics,,,,,,,