EXHIBIT 99.1
PRESS RELEASE
PINNACLE AIRLINES REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
MARCH TRAFFIC
MEMPHIS, TN--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 4, 2006 -- Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (Nasdaq:PNCL), has always been
recognized as one of the nation's most reliable airlines. Now, the carrier has
set a new standard, breaking its internal record for the most consecutive days
without a flight cancellation. Between March 24 and March 30, Pinnacle operated
100% of its scheduled flights. In fact, the airline operated a string of 6,020
consecutive flights before a weather system in the Mid-West forced a
cancellation. During this period, 94.6% of all Pinnacle flights departed on
time, using Department of Transportation guidelines. Importantly, Pinnacle
transported approximately 216,700 Customers over this specific time frame. And,
Pinnacle has completed at least 99.0% of its scheduled flights for four of the
past five months.
Pinnacle Airlines operates 697 daily flights to 110 destinations in the United
States and Canada, ranging from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Salt Lake City, Utah,
and from Quebec City, Quebec to Gulfport, Mississippi. Nearly one-third of
Pinnacle's flights operate in the Northeast corridor of the U.S. and Canada, an
area prone to significant weather and Air Traffic Control delays.
"I'm not aware of any carrier of our size and scope with such a streak," said
Philip H. Trenary, Pinnacle President & CEO. "Although this is an incredible
achievement, no one should be surprised. Our People have always done more with
less than any of their peers at any airline, anywhere, including the majors.
This is the result of their great professionalism, dedication and teamwork
second to none. As we navigate these very challenging times our People are again
proving that they are 'Simply the Best.'"
Separately, Pinnacle released its passenger and traffic levels for March 2006.
For March, Pinnacle flew 465.3 million Available Seat Miles ("ASMs"). Revenue
Passenger Miles ("RPMs") expanded 8.5% to 356.5 million. Passenger Load Factor
was 76.6%, an increase of 6.5 points over March 2005 levels. Pinnacle
transported 745,635 Customers during the month, 13.4% more than the same period
last year.
Also for the month, Pinnacle operated 35,455 block hours and completed 21,461
cycles. The term "block hour" refers to the elapsed time between an aircraft
leaving a gate and arriving at a gate, and the term "cycle" refers to an
aircraft's departure and corresponding arrival.
MARCH TRAFFIC
2006 2005 CHANGE
ASMs (000) 465,330 468,736 -0.7%
RPMs (000) 356,498 328,578 8.5%
Load Factor 76.6% 70.1% 6.5pts
Passengers 745,635 657,498 13.4%
Block Hours 35,455 35,677 -0.6%
Cycles 21,461 20,545 4.5%
YEAR-TO-DATE TRAFFIC
2006 2005 CHANGE
ASMs (000) 1,341,668 1,288,500 4.1%
RPMs (000) 971,806 817,662 18.9%
Load Factor 72.4% 63.5% 8.9pts
Passengers 2,015,258 1,668,703 20.8%
Block Hours 102,597 100,143 2.5%
Cycles 61,265 57,096 7.3%
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. operates under the name Northwest Airlink and provides
service to destinations in the United States and Canada. Pinnacle operates an
all-jet fleet of 124 Canadair 44 and 50-seat regional jets from Northwest hubs
at Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis-St. Paul, and the focus city of
Indianapolis. Pinnacle Airlines maintains its headquarters in Memphis, Tenn.,
and employs approximately 3,550 People. For further information, please contact
Philip Reed, Vice-President, Marketing at 901-348-4257, or visit our website at
www.nwairlink.com.
This press release contains various forward-looking statements that are based on
management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by and information currently
available to management. Although the Company believes that the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable; it can give no
assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Such
statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions,
including those set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, which are available to investors at our website or on line from the
Commission. Should one of more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or
should underlying assumptions prove erroneous, actual results may vary
materially from results that were anticipated or projected. The Company does not
intend to update these forward-looking statements before its next required
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.