GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (Bovespa: GOLL4 and NYSE: GOL), the largest low cost airline in Latin America, announces its preliminary traffic figures for May, 2009.
GOL recorded its third successive monthly upturn in demand in its consolidated route network in May, when domestic passenger traffic (measured in RPK -- revenue passenger kilometers) moved up by 5.3% over April 2009, due to the following factors:
(i) the Company´s leading position in terms of landings and departures in Brazil´s main airports;
(ii) the introduction of new fare packages and the revitalization of SMILES (Latin America´s biggest mileage program, with more than 6 million clients), which has been reflecting the Company´s increased penetration in the business passenger segment; (iii) pro-active yield management and route profitability.
In the same period, the Company expanded its supply of seats (measured in ASK -- available seat kilometers) by 6.6% over the previous month, giving a total load factor of 58% - 60% on the domestic market and 47% on the international market. In comparison with May 2008, RPK fell by 19.3% due to the elimination of long-haul routes.
