United Reports Traffic Down 17.2 Percent in February

United Airlines reported its preliminary consolidated traffic results for February 2009, saying that traffic fell 17.2 percent The carrier reported a February consolidated passenger load factor of 73.2 percent.

Total consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) decreased in February by 15.2 percent on a consolidated capacity decrease of 14.0 percent in available seat miles (ASMs) compared with the same period in 2008. The decline in traffic was sharpest on trans-Pacific and Latin American routes, both down more than 24 percent.

In North America, the decrease was 13.8 percent compared with a 21.9 percent drop on international flights. The February decline was much steeper than the 10.9 percent decrease in January compared with January 2008.