Hawaiian Airlines’ passenger traffic rose 3.1 percent in September from the year-earlier quarter even though it filled a lower percentage of its available seats. 

The state’s largest carrier said today it transported 848,252 people compared with 823,008 in September 2014. Its load factor, or percentage of seats filled, dipped 0.4 percentage points to 82.1 percent from 82.5 percent. 

Available seat miles, or one seat transported one mile, increased 2.8 percent to 1.44 million from 1.40 million. Revenue passenger miles, or one paying passenger transported one mile, rose 2.3 percent to 1.18 million from 1.16 million. 

The company also revised its third-quarter outlook and said it now expects its cost per available seat mile, excluding fuel for the third quarter, will improve relative to prior guidance. Hawaiian now says it expects its cost per available seat mile to rise in a range of only 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent from 7.80 cents a year ago. Its prior guidance for the third quarter was that its CASM would increase in a range of 2.5 percent to 5.5 percent. 

Also, Hawaiian said its operating revenue per available seat mile will be on the favorable end of its prior guidance range. Hawaiian now expects its operating RASM to be down in a range of 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent. That compares to its previous guidance of being down 4 percent to 7 percent.