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Southwest Airlines Reports Traffic Gains

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DALLAS (AP) - Southwest Airlines Co. reports passengers flew more, flights were more crowded and a key revenue figure increased in February.

Dallas-based Southwest said Wednesday that traffic rose 6 percent as passengers flew 7.57 billion miles last month. The increase outstripped a 3.6 percent increase in capacity, which is measured in seats times miles flown.

Southwest has been adding larger versions of the Boeing 737 and flying longer average flights, which increase capacity.

The average flight was 79.9 percent full compared with 78.1 percent in February 2014.

A closely watched number, revenue for every seat flown a mile, rose about 1 percent over February 2014. That figure rises when planes fly with more passengers or average fares increase.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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