BTS reports US airline load factors

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has reported that U.S. airlines’ systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service load factor – a measure of the use of airline capacity – fell to 83.8 percent in November, seasonally adjusted, after reaching a record high in October. Seasonal adjustment allows the comparing of monthly load factors to all other months. Load factor is a measure of the use of aircraft capacity that compares the system use, measured in Revenue Passenger-Miles (RPMs) as a proportion of system capacity, measured in Available Seat-Miles (ASMs). The seasonally-adjusted load factor fell from October