Provided by WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership/CNW

CALGARY, April 8, 2019 /CNW/ – Today WestJet announced March 2019 traffic results with a record load factor of 87.0 per cent, an increase of 1.4 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.3 per cent year over year, while capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 5.5 per cent over the same period. WestJet welcomed an additional 104,000 guests in March, a year-over-year increase of 4.8 per cent.
“We have adjusted our schedule to minimize guest disruption in response to the grounding of our 13 MAX aircraft and continue to work closely with all parties to enable a safe return to the skies,” said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. “I want to thank all of our guests for their continued loyalty and all WestJetters for their ongoing commitment to providing award-winning service through this challenging period.”
2019 traffic results
| March 2019 | March 2018 | Change | |
| Load factor | 87.0% | 85.6% | +1.4 pts |
| ASMs (billions) | 2.971 | 2.815 | 5.5% |
| RPMs (billions) | 2.585 | 2.409 | 7.3% |
| First Quarter 2019 | First Quarter 2018 | Change | |
| Load factor | 84.8% | 84.8% | 0.0 pts |
| ASMs (billions) | 8.456 | 8.029 | 5.3% |
| RPMs (billions) | 7.168 | 6.810 | 5.3% |
| Year to date 2019 | Year to date 2018 | Change | |
| Load factor | 84.8% | 84.8% | 0.0 pts |
| ASMs (billions) | 8.456 | 8.029 | 5.3% |
| RPMs (billions) | 7.168 | 6.810 | 5.3% |
Note: All statistics are at a consolidated WestJet group level