Delta reports gains in traffic, key revenue figure

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Thursday that a key revenue figure rose 2 percent in September as corporate flying and demand for travel within the U.S. offset “pressure” on international revenue.

The figure — revenue for every seat flown one mile — rises when airlines fill more seats, charge higher average fares, or both. Airlines have kept prices up by limiting the addition of flights.

Traffic rose 5.4 percent, as passengers flew 16.95 billion miles last month. Both U.S. and international flying increased.

Delta added 4.9 percent passenger-carrying capacity, compared with August 2013. With traffic rising faster than capacity, the average flight was a bit more full — 83.7 percent, up from 83.3 percent.

The figures include Delta Connection regional flights.

Shares of Atlanta-based Delta rose 72 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $35.62 in morning trading. That wiped out most of a 3.5 percent decline on Wednesday, when airline shares fell after disclosure that a man later diagnosed with Ebola flew to the U.S. on commercial flights two weeks ago.

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