Airlines: ranked by 2005 passengers carried at L.A. County airports.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

AIRLINE travel in L.A. County creased for the second consecutive year. Southwest Airlines remained the most active local carrier, with 11.3 million passengers.

American Airlines claimed the No. 2 spot, which last year was held by United Airlines. American increased its passenger count at the county's three commercial airports to 9.9 million, up 600,000 passengers while United saw its local share fall by 850,000 passengers.

Upstart JetBlue Airways moved up two spots to No. 7 after seeing its passenger total increase by 400,000 to 2.4 million. The Forest Hills, N.Y.-based airline started serving the local market through Long Beach in 2001 and added flights at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank in 2005.

American Trans Air lost its place on the list. The Indianapolis-based carrier filed for bankruptcy in October 2004 and severely reduced its routes through LAX.

The 25 busiest airlines handled 62 million passengers in L.A. County during 2005, accounting for 90 percent of all commercial airline traffic. They also transported nearly 750,000 tons of air cargo.

Total passenger traffic at the county's three commercial airports--Los Angeles International, Bob Hope and Long Beach--rose to 70 million, up 3 percent from the previous year.

--David Nusbaum

THE PACESETTER

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

FOR the third consecutive year, the Dallas-based carrier tops the list of the busiest airlines in L.A. County. The regional line flew 11.3 million passengers through Los Angeles International and Bob Hope airports, up 800,000 from the previous year. Its market share grew by 0.6 percent to 16.2 percent of all commercial arrivals and departures.

About two-thirds of Southwest's local passengers traveled through LAX, with the balance flying through Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.

"Los Angeles is a gateway to the world," said Chris Johnson, station manager. "We deal with a lot of passengers who travel domestically and then connect internationally," Johnson said.

Many business commuters use the airline because of its low cost flights. "There is increased frequency in flights to Sacramento," said Johnson. He has also seen an increase in travel on longer flights to Chicago and Nashville.

In an effort to speed travel through LAX, the airline has worked closely with officials at the airport and the Transportation Security Administration. "TSA has focused on staffing issues at LAX," said Johnson. "Additional checkpoint lanes have been added and security has been expedited."

A Southwest initiative has also helped the airline reduce check-in time. Passengers are now allowed to check-in at home within 24 hours of their flight.

Overall, Southwest Airlines employs 561 people at LAX and 180 people at Bob Hope Airport.

--David Nusbaum

Rank   Company (Ranking in 2005)            Passengers   Market Share
       * name                                 * 2005        * 2005
       * address                              * 2004        * 2004

   1   Southwest Airlines (1)               11,340,982      16.2%
       100 World Way                        10,674,414      15.6%
       Los Angeles 90045
   2   American Airlines (3)                 9,888,180       14.1
       222 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 2100    9,307,834       13.6
       El Segundo 90245
   3   United Airlines (2)                   9,556,599       13.6
       6018 Avion Drive                     10,410,752       15.2
       Los Angeles 90045
   4   Delta Airlines (4)                    4,708,705       6.7
       6150 W. Century Blvd.                 4,631,566       6.8
       Los Angeles 90045
   5   Alaska Airlines (5)                   3,370,949       4.8
       21143 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 414      3,336,745       4.9
       Torrance 90503
   6   Skywest Airlines (6)                  2,986,001       4.3
       5950 Avion Drive                      2,633,919       3.8
       Los Angeles 90045
   7   JetBlue Airways (9)                   2,480,284       3.5
       118-29 Queens Blvd.                   2,085,850       3
       Forest Hills 11375
   8   America West Airlines (1) (7)         2,287,925       3.3
       100 World Way                         2,267,919       3.3
       Los Angeles 90045
   9   Northwest Airlines (8)                2,199,090       3.1
       200 World Way                         2,154,926       3.1
       Los Angeles 90045
  10   Continental Airlines (10)             2,050,464       2.9
       600 World Way                         1,834,964       2.7
       Los Angeles 90045
  11   CMA Mexicana Airlines (12)            1,306,014       1.9
       6151 W. Century Blvd., Suite 1124     1,078,677       1.6
       Los Angeles 90045
  12   Qantas Airlines (11)                  1,305,942       1.9
       6080 Center Drive, Suite 400          1,264,950       1.8
       Los Angeles 90045
  13   American Eagle (14)                   1,021,198       1.5
       720 Aero Vista Place, Suite D         1,057,193       1.5
       San Luis Obispo 93401
  14   US Airways (13)                         988,236       1.4
       100 World Way                         1,061,686       1.5
       Los Angeles 90045
  15   Air Canada (17)                         948,916       1.4
       16478 Beach Blvd., PMB 401              881,985       1.3
       Westminster 92683
  16   Air New Zealand (16)                    881,152       1.3%
       1960 E. Grand Ave., Suite 300           913,632       1.3%
       El Segundo 90245
  17   Korean Air (18)                         723,061        1
       1813 Wilshire Blvd., Fourth Floor       690,567        1
       Los Angeles 90057
  18   British Airways (23)                    547,276       0.8
       177 Post St., Suite 500                 484,363       0.7
       San Francisco 94108
  19   Japan Airlines (19)                     541,900       0.8
       300 Continental Blvd., Suite 401        538,628       0.8
       Los Angeles 90045
  20   Air France (22)                         520,858       0.7
       725 S. Figueroa, Suite 3250             500,678       0.7
       Los Angeles 90017
  21   Hawaiian Airlines (20)                  515,132       0.7
       6040 Avion Drive, Suite 312             529,743       0.8
       Los Angeles 90045
  22   Cathay Pacific Airlines                 511,675       0.7
       360 Post St., Suite 300                 433,740       0.6
       San Francisco 94108
  23   Lufthansa German Airlines (21)          500,060       0.7
       380 World Way, Box S11                  520,968       0.8
       Los Angeles 90045
  24   Aeromexico (25)                         483,872       0.7
       6033 W. Century Blvd., Suite 990        479,839       0.7
       Los Angeles 90045
  25   China Airlines (24)                     474,509       0.7
       200 N. Continental Blvd.                481,697       0.7
       El Segundo 90245

Rank   Air Freight            Profile                 Ticket Info
         (tons)           * headquarters              * Web site
         * 2005           * stock ticker                * phone

   1     27,679               Dallas                 southwest.com
                                LUV                 [phone]
   2     99,359              Ft. Worth                  aa.com
                                AMR                 [phone]
   3     69,254               Chicago                 united.com
                               UAUA                 [phone]
   4     53,199               Atlanta                  delta.com
                                DAL                 [phone]
   5     10,008               Seattle                alaskaair.com
                                ALK                 [phone]
   6        7            St. George, Utah             skywest.com
                               SKYW                 [phone]
   7        0           Forest Hills, N.Y.            jetblue.com
                               JBLU                 [phone]
   8      4,020            Tempe, Ariz.              usairways.com
                                LCC                 [phone]
   9     65,338            Eagan, Minn.                 nwa.com
                             NWACQ.PK               [phone]
  10     17,065               Houston               continental.com
                                CAL                 [phone]
  11        0               Mexico City              mexicana.com
                      Mexican Stock Exchange        [phone]
  12     30,642          Sydney, Australia          quantasusa.com
                     Australian Stock Exchange      [phone]
  13        0                 Dallas                    aa.com
                                AMR                 [phone]
  14      2,562            Tempe, Ariz.              usairways.com
                                LCC                 [phone]
  15      4,994          Montreal, Canada            aircanada.com
                                N/A                 [phone]
  16     26,506        Auckland, New Zealand     airnewzealand.com/usa
                         New Zealand Stock          [phone]
                             Exchange
  17     101,471           Seoul, Korea              koreanair.com
                                N/A                 [phone]
  18     21,860       Harmondsworth, England      britishairways.com
                                BAB                 [phone]
  19     51,684                Tokyo                 japanair.com
                       Tokyo Stock Exchange         [phone]
  20     11,027                Paris                 airfrance.com
                                AKH                 [phone]
  21     11,689              Honolulu               hawaiianair.com
                                HA                  [phone]
  22     61,234              Hong Kong             cathaypacific.com
                     Hong Kong Stock Exchange       [phone]
  23     17,698          Cologne, Germany            lufthansa.com
                             DLAKY.PK               [phone]
  24       220              Mexico City             aeromexico.com
                      Mexican Stock Exchange        [phone]
  25     57,548           Taiwan, Taipei          china-airlines.com
                       Taiwan Stock Exchange        [phone]

Rank   Top Local Executive
       * name
       * title
       * phone

   1   Chris Johnson
       station manager
       (800) 435-992
   2   Brett Lee
       regional sales manager
       [phone]
   3   Mike Scanlan
       general manager, LAX
       [phone]
   4   Grant Reeder
       regional director, industry marketing
       [phone]
   5   Jeffrey Etherington
       district sales manager
       [phone]
   6   Terry Vais
       hub director
       [phone]
   7   David Neeleman
       chairman, ceo
       [phone]
   8   Ken Cook
       station manager
       [phone]
   9   Curt Longamore
       regional sales director
       [phone]
  10   Jay Wedding
       director, airport services
       [phone]
  11   Jorge Goytortua
       regional sales director, West Coast
       [phone]
  12   Wally Mariani
       sr. exec. v.p. of North America
       [phone]
  13   David M. Brown
       v.p., Southwest region
       [phone]
  14   Ken Cook
       station manager
       [phone]
  15   Anna Innis
       Southwest regional sales manager
       [phone]
  16   Rebecca Nicol
       marketing director
       [phone]
  17   T.S. Suk
       managing director
       [phone]
  18   Kevin Burns
       regional director, Western US and Canada
       [phone]
  19   Yasuyoshi Suzuki
       v.p., regional manager, Western region
       [phone]
  20   Ava Thomas
       v.p., sales
       [phone]
  21   Kelly Amimoto
       manager
       [phone]
  22   Dennis Owen
       sales manager, Southwestern U.S.A.
       [phone]
  23   David Thomas
       station manager
       [phone]
  24   Gabriella Cavalheiro
       regional manager, West coast
       [phone]
  25   Charles Peng
       regional director, Americas
       [phone]

N/A--Not Applicable

(1) America West Airlines merged with US Airways.

Note: Passenger and market share information has been provided by the
City of Los Angeles Department of Airports, the Long Beach Airport and
the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. Other information was
supplied by representatives of the airlines. Airlines are ranked by the
total number of enplaned and deplaned passengers carried in 2005 at
LAX, Bob Hope and Long Beach airports, the three L.A. County airports
featuring commercial passenger airlines.

To the best of our knowledge, this information is accurate as of press
time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and
thoroughness of the list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes
occur. Please send corrections or additions on company letterhead to
the Research Department, Los Angeles Business Journal, 5700 Wilshire
Blvd., Suite 170, Los Angeles 90036. [c]2006 Los Angeles Business
Journal. This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part without
prior written permission from the editor. Reprints are available from
Wright's Reprints, [phone].

Researched by David Nusbaum