Exhibit 99
US AIRWAYS REPORTS OCTOBER TRAFFIC
ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 3, 2004 -- US Airways reported its October 2004 passenger traffic today.
Mainline revenue passenger miles for October 2004 increased 5.1 percent on a 1.1 percent increase in available seat miles compared to October 2003. The passenger load factor was 75.6 percent (a record for any October in the company's history), which is a 2.9 percentage point increase compared to October 2003.
Revenue passenger miles for US Airways mainline during the first ten months of 2004 increased 7.1 percent on a 3.9 percent increase in available seat miles compared to the same period in 2003. The passenger load factor for January through October 2004 was 75.7 percent, a 2.3 percentage point increase compared to the same period in 2003.
The two wholly owned subsidiaries of US Airways Group, Inc., Piedmont Airlines, Inc. and PSA, Inc., -- and MidAtlantic Airways reported a 118.0 percent increase in revenue passenger miles for October 2004, on 87.6 percent more capacity, compared to October 2003. The passenger load factor was 66.3 percent, a 9.3 percentage point increase compared to October 2003. The triple digit increase in revenue passenger miles was due to the company's rapid expansion of regional jet flying over the past 12 months.
Revenue passenger miles for the two wholly owned subsidiaries of US Airways Group, Inc. and MidAtlantic Airways for the first ten months of 2004 increased 50.6 percent on a 29.8 percent increase in available seat miles compared to January through October 2003. The passenger load factor for the first ten months of 2004 was 61.2 percent, an 8.4 percentage point increase compared to the same period in 2003.
Mainline system passenger unit revenue for October 2004 is expected to decrease between 7.5 percent and 8.5 percent compared to October 2003.
US Airways' customers continue to welcome the company's low GoFares, which were introduced in Philadelphia in April, the Washington area in mid-June, and in other parts of Pennsylvania in October. The mainline load factor in GoFares markets in October was 81.4 percent, compared to a 73.2 percent load factor in non-GoFares markets. GoFares now are offered on 26 percent of US Airways' flights.
US Airways ended the month of October by completing 99.1 percent of its scheduled departures.
Certain of the statements contained herein should be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which reflect the current views of US Airways Group (the "company") with respect to current events and financial performance. You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "plan," "could," "should," and "continue" or similar words. These forward-looking statements may also use different phrases. Such forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the company's operations and business environment which may cause the actual results of the company to be materially different from any future results, express or implied, by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements incl ude, but are not limited to, the following: the ability of the company to continue as a going concern; the ability of the company to obtain and maintain any necessary financing for operations and other purposes, whether debtor-in-possession financing or other financing; the ability of the company to maintain adequate liquidity; the ability of the company to absorb escalating fuel costs; the company's ability to obtain court approval with respect to motions in the Chapter 11 proceeding prosecuted by it from time to time; the ability of the company to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate one or more plans of reorganization with respect to the Chapter 11 proceedings; risks associated with third parties seeking and obtaining court approval to terminate or shorten the exclusivity period for the company to propose and confirm one or more plans of reorganization, for the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee or to convert the cases to Chapter 7 cases; the ability of the company to obtain and maintain normal ter ms with vendors and service providers; the company's ability to maintain contracts that are critical to its operations; the potential adverse impact of the Chapter 11 proceedings on the company's liquidity or results of operations; the ability of the company to operate pursuant to the terms of its financing facilities (particularly the financial covenants); the ability of the company to fund and execute its Transformation Plan during the Chapter 11 proceedings and in the context of a plan of reorganization and thereafter; the ability of the company to attract, motivate and/or retain key executives and associates; the ability of the company to attract and retain customers; the ability of the company to maintain satisfactory labor relations; demand for transportation in the markets in which the company operates; economic conditions; labor costs; financing availability and costs; security-related and insurance costs; competitive pressures on pricing (particularly from lower-cost competitors) and on demand (part icularly from low-cost carriers and multi-carrier alliances); weather conditions; government legislation and regulation; impact of the Iraqi war and the Iraqi occupation; other acts of war or terrorism; and other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in the company's reports to the SEC. There may be other factors not identified above of which the company is not currently aware that may affect matters discussed in the forward-looking statements, and may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. The company assumes no obligation to update such estimates to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law. Similarly, these and other factors, including the terms of any reorganization plan ultimately confirmed, can affect the value of the company's various pre-petition liabilities, common stock and/or other equity securities. Accordingly, the company urges that the appropriate caution be exercise d with respect to existing and future investments in any of these liabilities and/or securities.
US AIRWAYS, INC. |
SELECTED TRAFFIC STATISTICS |
| | | |
| October
2004 | October
2003 | Percent
Change |
| | | |
Revenue Passenger Miles (000): | | |
Domestic* | 2,532,493 | 2,425,097 | 4.4 |
International* | 857,324 | 799,538 | 7.2 |
Total - Scheduled Service | 3,389,817 | 3,224,635 | 5.1 |
Total(Including Charter) | 3,391,126 | 3,225,812 | 5.1 |
| | | |
Available Seat Miles (000): | | | |
Domestic* | 3,373,683 | 3,379,399 | (0.2) |
International* | 1,110,530 | 1,057,233 | 5.0 |
Total - Scheduled Service | 4,484,213 | 4,436,632 | 1.1 |
Total (Including Charter) | 4,486,324 | 4,438,454 | 1.1 |
| | | |
Passengers Boarded* | 3,526,083 | 3,535,278 | (0.3) |
System Load Factor* | 75.6 | 72.7 | 2.9 |
Average Passenger Journey* | 961.4 | 912.1 | 5.4 |
| | | |
* scheduled service | | | |
NOTE: Numbers may not add or calculate due to rounding
US AIRWAYS, INC. |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2004 |
| | | |
| Jan. - Oct.
2004 | Jan. - Oct.
2003 | Percent
Change |
| | | |
Revenue Passenger Miles (000): | | |
Domestic* | 24,731,356 | 23,743,848 | 4.2 |
International* | 9,111,776 | 7,847,054 | 16.1 |
Total - Scheduled Service | 33,843,131 | 31,590,902 | 7.1 |
Total(Including Charter) | 33,846,492 | 31,644,502 | 7.0 |
| | | |
Available Seat Miles (000): | | | |
Domestic* | 33,082,248 | 32,965,677 | 0.4 |
International* | 11,622,162 | 10,072,724 | 15.4 |
Total - Scheduled Service | 44,704,410 | 43,038,401 | 3.9 |
Total (Including Charter) | 44,710,429 | 43,124,672 | 3.7 |
| | | |
Passengers Boarded* | 34,888,412 | 34,401,616 | 1.4 |
System Load Factor* | 75.7 | 73.4 | 2.3 |
Average Passenger Journey* | 970.0 | 918.3 | 5.6 |
| | | |
* scheduled service | | | |
NOTE: Numbers may not add or calculate due to rounding
US AIRWAYS EXPRESS** |
SELECTED TRAFFIC STATISTICS |
| | | |
| October
2004 | October
2003 | Percent
Change |
Revenue Passenger Miles (000) | 253,900 | 116,470 | 118.0 |
Available Seat Miles (000) | 382,956 | 204,157 | 87.6 |
Passengers Boarded* | 725,280 | 541,767 | 33.9 |
System Load Factor* | 66.3 | 57.0 | 9.3 |
Average Passenger Journey | 350.1 | 215.0 | 62.8 |
US AIRWAYS EXPRESS** |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2004 |
| | | |
| Jan. - Oct.
2004 | Jan. - Oct.
2003 | Percent
Change |
Revenue Passenger Miles (000) | 1,626,921 | 1,080,255 | 50.6 |
Available Seat Miles (000) | 2,658,632 | 2,047,716 | 29.8 |
Passengers Boarded* | 5,795,699 | 4,902,962 | 18.2 |
System Load Factor* | 61.2 | 52.8 | 8.4 |
Average Passenger Journey | 280.7 | 220.3 | 27.4 |
* scheduled service
** Piedmont Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., and MidAtlantic Airways
NOTE: Numbers may not add or calculate due to rounding
-30-
NUMBER: 4826
