The airline industry has undergone a major shift in operations in the past five years. By the First Quarter of 2007, the legacy or network airlines increased their capacity (measured by available seat-miles or ASMs), by only 1.9 percent from the September 11th impacted First Quarter of 2002, while four network carriers, United Airlines, US Airways (twice), Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, filed for bankruptcy. During the same period, low-cost carriers increased capacity 58.8 percent and accounted for more than 21 percent of all passenger revenue-miles in 2007 a 41 percent increase in low-cost carrier market share from 2002. During this period, only one low-cost carrier, ATA Airlines, filed for bankruptcy.
Network Carriers | Low-Cost Carriers | |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Equivalent Employees | ||
2002 | 365.360 | 61,023 |
2007 | 262,853 | 71,307 |
Number of Aircraft | ||
2002 | 3,205 | 695 |
2007 | 2,645 | 977 |
Mainline Passenger Revenue $(Mil) (excluding regional jet activity) | ||
2002 | $13,740.2 | $2,393.9 |
2007 | $16,494.3 | $4,300.2 |
Operating Expense $(Mil) (excluding regional jet activity) | ||
2002 | $17,564.2 | $2,494.9 |
2007 | $18,080.8 | $4,502.0 |
Labor Expense $(Mil) | ||
2002 | $7,680.2 | $864.0 |
2007 | $5,478.8 | $1,477.9 |
Fuel & Oil Expense $(Mil) | ||
2002 | $1,919.6 | $369.3 |
2007 | $5,081.4 | $1,344.3 |