Passenger Load Factor (PLF) measures how effectively an airline uses its available passenger-carrying capacity. It is expressed as a percentage. A higher PLF generally indicates that an airline is carrying more passengers relative to its available capacity, but it does not necessarily mean the airline is profitable.
What Should Passengers Know About PLF?
Passengers do not need to calculate PLF when booking a flight or boarding an aircraft. It is primarily used by airlines, investors and analysts to assess airline performance.
How Is Passenger Load Factor Calculated?
PLF (%) = (Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) ÷ Available Seat Kilometres (ASK)) × 100
Other Important Aviation Terms
- Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK)
- Break-Even Load Factor (BELF)
- India’s Aviation Passenger Traffic Report
- Available Seat Kilometres (ASK)
- Airport Glossary