ST. GEORGE, Utah, April 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyWest, Inc., (NASDAQ: SKYW) ("SkyWest") SkyWest reported a 4.8 percent increase in revenue passenger miles (RPMs) for March, while available seat miles (ASMs) increased 1.1 percent compared to March 2011. Passenger boardings for March increased 4.5 percent to 4,981,514 compared to 4,767,814 for the same period last year.  The combined airlines generated 2.57 billion RPMs for the month, while ASMs increased to 3.20 billion. Load factor was 80.5 percent compared to 77.6 percent, up 2.9 percentage points compared to March 2011.  SkyWest also reported a slight decrease in departures to 121,488 for March compared to 122,075 for the same period last year. 

About SkyWestSkyWest is the holding company for two scheduled passenger airline operations and an aircraft leasing company and is headquartered in St. George, Utah. SkyWest's scheduled passenger airline operations consist of SkyWest Airlines also based in St. George, Utah and ExpressJet Airlines based in Atlanta, Georgia.  SkyWest Airlines operates as United Express and Delta Connection carriers under contractual agreements with United Airlines, Inc. ("United") and Delta Air Lines, Inc. ("Delta").  SkyWest Airlines also operates as US Airways Express under a contractual agreement with US Airways, Inc., and operates flights for Alaska Airlines under a contractual agreement.  ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express and Delta Connection carriers under contractual agreements with United and Delta. System-wide, SkyWest serves markets in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean with approximately 3,900 daily departures and a fleet of approximately 721 regional aircraft.  This press release and additional information regarding SkyWest can be accessed at www.skywest.com                                                                                              

FLIGHT STATISTICS
SkyWest, Inc. March Traffic
		2012	2011	% Change
Passengers		4,981,514	4,767,814	4.5
Revenue Passenger Miles		2,574,210,073	2,456,392,809	4.8
Available Seat Miles		3,199,738,796	3,165,343,522	1.1
Load Factor		80.5	77.6	2.9 pts
Block Hours		197,155	197,504	(0.2)
Departures		121,488	122,075	(0.5)

                                                             

                      

Calendar Year-To-Date
		2012	2011	% Change
Passengers		13,366,246	12,557,060	6.4
Revenue Passenger Miles		6,938,912,710	6,448,155,921	7.6
Available Seat Miles		9,003,482,385	8,607,003,560	4.6
Load Factor		77.1	74.9	2.2 pts
Block Hours		556,421	539,910	3.1
Departures		341,140	332,375	2.6

SOURCE SkyWest, Inc.

For further information: Investor Relations, St. George, UT 84790, +1-435-634-3203, Fax: +1-435-634-3205