ExpressJet (XJT)

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ExpressJet traffic sinks 30 percent in March from a year earlier
Monday April 13, 2009, 6:06 pm EDT

Continental Airlines, Inc., ExpressJet Holdings Inc.
HOUSTON (AP) -- ExpressJet Holdings Inc., which operates regional service for Continental Airlines Inc., said Monday its traffic fell 30 percent in March from a year earlier.

Its revenue passenger miles, or the measure of one paying passenger flown one mile, fell 30 percent systemwide to 670 million.

Its capacity fell a similar amount -- 27 percent to 889 million.

The carrier's load factor, a measure of occupancy, slipped to 75.4 percent from 78.1 percent systemwide.

So far this year, traffic is down 32 percent to 1.73 billion revenue passenger miles. Capacity is down 30 percent compared with the first three months of 2007.

ExpressJet shares gained 10 cents, or 9.1 percent, to close at $1.20 Monday.