PR Newswire
SAN FRANCISCO, June 20, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO, June 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America today reports its financial results for the first quarter of 2014. The airline significantly narrowed its net loss from the same period in 2013 with a 51.8 percent year-over-year improvement.
First Quarter 2014 Financial Highlights
Executive Commentary
"Given our network's focus on transcontinental flying to the East Coast and with 30 percent of our revenue generated by New York markets alone, we bore the brunt of this year's winter storms with a significant increase in cancellations. Yet despite the challenging operating and financial environment brought on by the severe winter weather and a shift in holiday travel, Virgin America improved its year-over-year net results in the first quarter," said David Cush, Virgin America's President and Chief Executive Officer. "With our first full year of net income in 2013, this marks the sixth straight quarter that we have delivered improved year-over-year financial results. In addition, our continued sweep of the major travel awards remains a testament to the work of our 2,800 teammates who consistently deliver the best product in the skies – despite the tough operating conditions for the quarter."
In March, the California-based airline reported fourth quarter results and its first-ever full year profit in 2013, with a net income of $10.1 million, an improvement of $155.5 million over 2012. Total operating revenue for 2013 was $1.4 billion, a $91.8 million increase and 6.9 percent improvement over 2012. Virgin America achieved the highest year-over-year percentage increase in RASM of all major U.S. airlines in 2013.
Acquisition of Strategic Assets
As of the first quarter of 2014, Virgin America had finalized the purchase of slot assets at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) and at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) that became available as part of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement agreement resolving American Airline's merger with US Airways. With the further acquisition of new gates at Dallas' Love Field (DAL) which were made available in the same settlement process and with the support of Dallas consumers and local leaders, the airline will launch four new daily nonstop flights from DAL to LGA, three daily nonstop flights from DAL to DCA, and three daily nonstop flights from both Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to DAL as of October 2014. These acquisitions will allow Virgin America to significantly strengthen its network. The airline will be the only carrier at Love Field to offer a consistent, upscale product on every flight — with three classes of service, WiFi, in-seat power outlets, confirmed seating and touch-screen seatback entertainment available for every guest. Virgin America will be the second low-cost airline to serve all three major New York-area airports. In addition, the airline closed and funded a $40.0 million financing facility with two major banks early in the second quarter of 2014 to finance these slot purchases and further increase unrestricted cash.
Operational Highlights
Key milestones achieved in the first quarter of 2014:
Virgin America, Inc. | |||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations - Unaudited | |||||||
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 | |||||||
(in thousands) | |||||||
Three months ended |
|||||||
March 31 |
|||||||
2014 |
2013 |
% Change |
|||||
Passenger revenue |
$ 276,219 |
$ 269,034 |
2.7 |
||||
Other revenue |
$ 37,171 |
$ 32,298 |
15.1 |
||||
Total operating revenue |
$ 313,390 |
$ 301,332 |
4.0 |
||||
Aircraft fuel |
$ 115,760 |
$ 116,596 |
(0.7) |
||||
Aircraft rent |
$ 46,496 |
$ 59,018 |
(21.2) |
||||
Salaries, wages and benefits |
$ 53,824 |
$ 45,315 |
18.8 |
||||
Landing fees and other rent |
$ 32,221 |
$ 27,568 |
16.9 |
||||
Sales and marketing |
$ 24,562 |
$ 18,232 |
34.7 |
||||
Aircraft maintenance |
$ 19,044 |
$ 17,460 |
9.1 |
||||
Depreciation and amortization |
$ 3,269 |
$ 3,159 |
3.5 |
||||
Other operating expenses |
$ 31,345 |
$ 28,960 |
8.2 |
||||
Total operating expenses |
$ 326,521 |
$ 316,308 |
3.2 |
||||
Operating income (loss) |
$ (13,131) |
$ (14,976) |
(12.3) |
||||
Operating Margin |
(4.2%) |
(5.0%) |
0.8 |
pts | |||
Other expense |
$ 9,174 |
$ 31,412 |
(70.8) |
||||
Income (loss) before taxes |
$ (22,305) |
$ (46,388) |
(51.9) |
||||
Income tax expense |
$ 49 |
$ - |
NM |
||||
NET INCOME (LOSS) |
$ (22,354) |
$ (46,388) |
(51.8) |
Three months ended |
||||||
Key Operating Statistics |
March 31 |
|||||
2014 |
2013 |
% Change |
||||
Available seat miles (ASMs)(millions) |
2,777 |
2,695 |
3.0 |
|||
Departures |
13,825 |
12,582 |
9.9 |
|||
Average stage length (miles) |
1,406 |
1,511 |
(6.9) |
|||
Aircraft in service |
53 |
52 |
1.9 |
|||
Fleet utilization (blk hours per ac day) |
10.6 |
10.3 |
2.9 |
|||
Passengers (thousands) |
1,479 |
1,337 |
10.6 |
|||
Average fare |
$ 186.73 |
$ 201.18 |
(7.2) |
|||
Yield per passenger mile (cents) |
12.56¢ |
12.92¢ |
(2.8) |
|||
Revenue passenger miles - RPMs (millions) |
2,199 |
2,082 |
5.6 |
|||
Load factor |
79.2% |
77.3% |
1.9 |
pts | ||
Passenger revenue per available seat mile - PRASM (cents) |
9.95¢ |
9.98¢ |
(0.3) |
|||
Total revenue per available seat mile - RASM (cents) |
11.28¢ |
11.18¢ |
0.9 |
|||
Cost per available seat mile - CASM (cents) |
11.76¢ |
11.74¢ |
0.2 |
|||
Cost per ASM, excluding fuel (cents) |
7.59¢ |
7.41¢ |
2.4 |
|||
Fuel cost per gallon |
$ 3.16 |
$ 3.36 |
(6.0) |
|||
Fuel gallons consumed (thousands) |
36,547 |
34,724 |
5.2 |
|||
Teammates (FTEs) |
2,426 |
2,255 |
7.6 |
Virgin America is announcing these financial results in advance of the Department of Transportation quarterly reports.
Photos of Virgin America's unique aircraft can be downloaded for media use here.
About Virgin America: Headquartered in California's Silicon Valley and known for its mood-lit cabins, three beautifully designed classes of service and innovative fleetwide amenities – like touch-screen personal entertainment, WiFi and power outlets at every seat, Virgin America has built a loyal following of flyers and earned a host of awards since launching in 2007 — including being named both the "Best U.S. Airline" in Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for the past six consecutive years. The airline's base of operations is San Francisco International Airport (SFO)'s sleek and sustainable Terminal 2. Virgin America has created 2,800 jobs and flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs (seasonal), Philadelphia (suspends October 2014), Portland and Austin. The Red™ touch-screen entertainment platform offers guests on every Virgin America flight their own seatback screen, with 25 films, live TV, interactive Google Maps, videogames, a 4,000 song library and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order a cocktail or snack from their seatback any time during a flight. In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the airline's First Class offers white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers. The carrier's Main Cabin Select option offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding. In 2012, Virgin America opened its first airport lounge, The Loft at LAX, and rolled out enhancements to its Elevate frequent flyer program — including status levels. For more: www.virginamerica.com
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SOURCE Virgin America