=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2006/10/24/financial/= f082443D52.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, October 24, 2006 (AP) Jet Blue Swings to 3Q Loss (10-24) 08:24 PDT NEW YORK, (AP) -- Low-fare airline JetBlue Airways Corp. on Tuesday said it swung to a loss in the third quarter, as results were weighted down by new security measures and higher operating expenses. The carrier posted a loss of $500,000, or break-even per share, compared to a profit of $2.7 million, or 2 cents per share during the same period last year. Revenue climbed 28 percent to $628 million, from $453 million last year. Analysts expected break-even per share results on revenue of $630.6 million, according to a Thomson Financial poll. Operating expenses grew 33.7 percent to $587 million, compared to the sa= me period last year. The company said the environment during the quarter was "challenging" as it expanded into new markets and faced lower-than-expected demand, due in part to security concerns. Airport security measures were tightened following this summer's foiled trans-Atlantic bombing attempts in London. Traffic grew 10.5 percent to 6.1 billion revenue passenger miles. Each revenue passenger mile is equal to one paying passenger flown one mile. Available seat miles grew 19 percent to 7.54 billion. Load factor, or occupancy, fell 6.2 points to 80.4 percent, while capaci= ty grew 19 percent over the year ago quarter. In the fourth quarter, JetBlue expects capacity to grow 13 percent and 15 percent. Next year, capacity is expected to grow between 14 and 17 percent, the company said. -------------------------------------------------------------= --------- Copyright 2006 AP