Republic Airways Says September Traffic Up

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Republic Airways Holdings Inc. said its traffic grew in September, with revenue passenger miles up 10.7 percent from a year ago to 927.7 million.

A revenue passenger mile equals one mile flown by one paying passenger.

The company bought privately held Midwest Airlines for $31 million in cash and debt in July and recently acquired Frontier Airlines out of bankruptcy.

Republic is transforming itself from a regional jet hauler of travelers for other airlines into a carrier that competes for its own passengers.

Republic also said Monday its available seat miles, or capacity, grew 10.2 percent to 1.26 million in September from 1.14 million, a year ago.

Load factor, a measure of industry occupancy, inched higher to 73.6 percent, from 73.2 percent in September 2008, Republic said.

It carried 1.77 million passengers in the month, up 7.8 percent from 1.64 million, a year earlier.

Shares rose 28 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $8.93 in afternoon trading Tuesday.