Leading indicators

The financial results for the first quarter for March, 2006, for the US airline are discussed. Combined with fare increases during March, the load factor results will produce a continuation of the unit-revenue gains that boosted carriers' performance in the second half of 2005. They accomplished this gain mainly by reducing capacity or holding it flat, compared with the same period in 2005. The Big Six plus Alaska Airlines-the Air Transport Assn. reported a 10.6% year-over-year yield increase in domestic operations during the first two months of 2006. The only category of service in which United American Airlines, Delta Air Lines or Northwest Airlines load factors dropped significantly during March or the first quarter of 2006 was transatlantic.