Aeronautics: Empty Seats

Most transport planes on U. S. airlines accommodate twelve passengers. In the past year such planes flew each trip with an average of seven seats empty, according to figures published last week by the Department of Commerce. The Department’s analysis was begun October 1931, showed an average of 39% seat-occupancy for that month. The average dipped to 28% for the bad-weather month of December, climbed steadily to a 53% peak last August, dropped to 43% in October. Average for 13 months: 41%.