DALLAS, April 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.7 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in March 2009, essentially flat with March 2008. Available seat miles (ASMs) decreased 1.5 percent to 8.6 billion from the March 2008 level of 8.7 billion. The load factor for the month was 77.3 percent, compared to 76.5 percent for the same period last year. For March 2009, the Company estimates passenger revenue per ASM decreased in the 10 to 11 percent range as compared to March 2008. For first quarter 2009, Southwest flew 16.9 billion RPMs, compared to the 17.6 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2008, a decrease of 4.0 percent. Available seat miles decreased 4.1 percent to 24.2 billion from the 2008 level of 25.2 billion. The first quarter 2009 load factor was 69.9 percent, compared to 69.8 percent for the same period last year. This release, as well as past news releases on Southwest, are available online at http://www.southwest.com/?src=INVRINVMRTR000000090403. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS MARCH 2009 2008 CHANGE Revenue passengers carried 7,680,666 8,097,833 (5.2)% Enplaned passengers 8,988,386 9,309,658 (3.5)% Revenue passenger miles (000) 6,651,832 6,679,424 (0.4)% Available seat miles (000) 8,607,741 8,736,967 (1.5)% Load factor 77.3% 76.5% 0.8 pts. Average length of haul 866 825 5.0 % Trips flown 98,520 101,543 (3.0)% YEAR-TO-DATE 2009 2008 CHANGE Revenue passengers carried 19,765,779 21,504,821 (8.1)% Enplaned passengers 23,049,990 24,708,615 (6.7)% Revenue passenger miles (000) 16,891,629 17,592,159 (4.0)% Available seat miles (000) 24,171,675 25,193,437 (4.1)% Load factor 69.9% 69.8% 0.1 pts. Average length of haul 855 818 4.5 % Trips flown 279,135 294,790 (5.3)% http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010724/SWALOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040715/DATH028-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010718/SWNULOOK http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010724/SWALOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Southwest Airlines Co. CONTACT: Investor Relations of Southwest Airlines, +1-214-792-4415

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