Good morning earthlings. We are putting the final touches on this week’s long issue of PlaneBusiness Banter. Yes, it’s our first official earnings issue of the first quarter earnings season, and both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines get a very long look in this week’s issue.

I’ll post a note here when it is finished and posted for subscribers to read.

But in the meantime, I just wanted to mention an extremely impressive metric that was posted by Allegiant Travel in the first quarter.

While it is impressive enough that the airline posted better than expected profits for the quarter late on Sunday — as the company reported earnings of $28.2 million or $1.37 a share — that is only the tip of the impressive news.

The really impressive statistic in these results?

The airline posted a 31.3% operating margin.

Got that?

If that mind-numbing number doesn’t get your attention, I don’t know what will.

More later. Have to go finish this week’s PBB.