DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 
 

Delta Air Lines Inc.'s (DAL) traffic growth continued to abate last month, while its active capacity expansion resulted in a sharp drop in plane fullness.

Overall, carriers have been reporting improved traffic recently as demand for air travel bounces back from the recession. However, Delta's traffic growth has been slowing since October, when the metric hit its post-recession apex of an 8.6% climb. The monthly statistics from rival United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL), which overtook Delta as the world's biggest airline in October, reveal the same trend, with traffic even declining slightly in February. United Continental hasn't reported March data yet.

Tuesday, Delta said traffic rose 0.5% in March. As capacity jumped 6.2%, Delta's load factor--a measure of plane occupancy--fell to 79.7% from 84.2%.

Discount airlines haven't exhibited the creeping traffic declines. Earlier Tuesday, AirTran Holdings Inc. (AAI) reported its traffic growth gained momentum again in March, while its soon-to-be parent Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) has reported double-digit percentage gains in traffic from November through February.

In its latest quarterly results, Delta swung to a profit and said it expected earnings this year would improve despite the rising cost of jet fuel.

Delta shares fell 1.2% to $9.71 in recent trading. The stock has fallen 33% in the last year.

-By Joan E. Solsman, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2291; joan.solsman@dowjones.com

 
 
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