Which statement best describes load factor?

Which statement best describes load factor?

• A. The load factor is the percentage of seats filled on a flight.
• B. The load factor is the number of meals served per flight.
• C. The load factor is the total baggage weight carried.
• D. The load factor is the number of passengers who travel without a ticket.

Answer: (A)

Load factor shows how full the flight is in terms of seats that are actually occupied by paying passengers. It’s calculated by taking the number of revenue passengers on board, dividing by the total number of seats on the aircraft, and multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. For example, a flight with 144 passengers on a 180-seat plane has a load factor of 80%. This metric helps airlines understand capacity utilization and informs pricing, scheduling, and route decisions. It doesn’t measure meals, baggage, or passengers without tickets—those are separate considerations like service levels, weight/balance, and revenue integrity.

Load factor shows how full the flight is in terms of seats that are actually occupied by paying passengers. It’s calculated by taking the number of revenue passengers on board, dividing by the total number of seats on the aircraft, and multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. For example, a flight with 144 passengers on a 180-seat plane has a load factor of 80%. This metric helps airlines understand capacity utilization and informs pricing, scheduling, and route decisions. It doesn’t measure meals, baggage, or passengers without tickets—those are separate considerations like service levels, weight/balance, and revenue integrity.