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8-K - FORM 8-K OCTOBER 2016 TRAFFIC RELEASE - SOUTHWEST AIRLINES COtraffic8k102016cover.htm




SOUTHWEST AIRLINES REPORTS OCTOBER TRAFFIC

DALLAS, TEXAS – November 7, 2016 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today reported its October and year-to-date preliminary traffic statistics.

The Company flew 10.5 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in October 2016, an increase of 5.2 percent from the 10.0 billion RPMs flown in October 2015. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 5.4 percent to 12.2 billion in October 2016, compared with October 2015 ASMs of 11.6 billion. The October 2016 load factor was 85.7 percent, compared with 85.9 percent in October 2015. Based on these results and current trends, the Company continues to expect its fourth quarter 2016 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) to decline in the 4.0 to 5.0 percent range, as compared with fourth quarter 2015.

This release, as well as past news releases about Southwest Airlines Co., is available online at Southwest.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to the Company’s financial outlook and projected results of operations. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) changes in demand for the Company's services and other changes in consumer behavior; (ii) the impact of economic conditions, fuel prices, actions of competitors, and other factors beyond the Company’s control, on the Company’s business; (iii) the Company’s ability to timely and effectively maintain the necessary information technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and initiatives; (iv) the impact of governmental regulations and other governmental actions related to the Company's operations; (v) the impact of labor matters on the Company's business; and (vi) other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

Investor Contact:
Southwest Airlines Investor Relations
214-792-4415

Media Contact:
Southwest Airlines Media Relations
214-792-4847
swamedia@wnco.com

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Southwest Airlines Co.
Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics

OCTOBER
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
Revenue passengers carried
10,739,011
 
10,220,937
 
5.1%
Enplaned passengers
13,014,167
 
12,527,345
 
3.9%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)
10,477,910
 
9,963,747
 
5.2%
Available seat miles (000s)
12,227,258
 
11,596,804
 
5.4%
Load factor
85.7%
 
85.9%
 
(0.2) pts.
Average length of haul
976
 
975
 
0.1%
Trips flown
109,115
 
105,690
 
3.2%

YEAR-TO-DATE
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
Revenue passengers carried
103,452,009
 
98,023,694
 
5.5%
Enplaned passengers
125,974,586
 
120,062,490
 
4.9%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)
103,909,720
 
97,735,654
 
6.3%
Available seat miles (000s)
123,602,199
 
116,730,638
 
5.9%
Load factor
84.1%
 
83.7%
 
0.4 pts.
Average length of haul
1,004
 
997
 
0.7%
Trips flown
1,090,524
 
1,053,870
 
3.5%

 
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SW-T