HOUSTON, April 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines
(NYSE: CAL) today reported a March consolidated (mainline plus
regional) load factor of 79.4 percent, 2.9 points below the March
2008 consolidated load factor, and a mainline load factor of 79.9
percent, 2.7 points below the March 2008 mainline load factor. In
addition, the carrier reported a March domestic mainline load
factor of 84.3 percent, 0.9 points below the March 2008 domestic
mainline load factor, and a March international mainline load
factor of 75.8 percent, 4.2 points below March 2008. During the
month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) on-time arrival rate of 74.2 percent and a mainline segment
completion factor of 99.0 percent. In March 2009, Continental flew
7.5 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 9.4
billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a
consolidated traffic decrease of 9.7 percent and a consolidated
capacity decrease of 6.4 percent as compared to March 2008. In
March 2009, Continental flew 6.7 billion mainline RPMs and 8.3
billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic decrease of
10.0 percent and a mainline capacity decrease of 7.0 percent as
compared to March 2008. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.4 billion
RPMs in March 2009, down 12.4 percent from March 2008, and domestic
mainline capacity was 4.0 billion ASMs, down 11.5 percent from
March 2008. For March 2009, consolidated passenger revenue per
available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have decreased between
19.5 and 20.5 percent compared to March 2008, while mainline
passenger RASM is estimated to have decreased between 18.5 and 19.5
percent compared to March 2008. For February 2009, consolidated
passenger RASM decreased 11.5 percent compared to February 2008,
while mainline passenger RASM decreased 10.0 percent compared to
February 2008. Continental ended the first quarter 2009 with an
unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments
balance of approximately $2.65 billion. Continental's regional
operations had a March load factor of 75.7 percent, 4.0 points
below the March 2008 regional load factor. Regional RPMs were 815.9
million and regional ASMs were 1,078.0 million in March 2009,
resulting in a traffic decrease of 7.2 percent and a capacity
decrease of 2.2 percent versus March 2008. Continental Airlines is
the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with
Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,800
daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving
135 domestic and 132 international destinations. More than 650
additional points are served via current alliance partners. With
more than 42,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York,
Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express,
carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. Celebrating
its 75th anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns
awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its
corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine
named Continental the No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline on its
2009 list of World's Most Admired Companies. For more company
information, go to continental.com. This press release contains
forward-looking statements that are not limited to historical
facts, but reflect the company's current beliefs, expectations or
intentions regarding future events. All forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. For
examples of such risks and uncertainties, please see the risk
factors set forth in the company's 2008 Form 10-K and its other
securities filings, including any amendments thereto, which
identify important matters such as the significant volatility in
the cost of aircraft fuel, its transition to a new global alliance,
the consequences of its high leverage and other significant capital
commitments, its high labor and pension costs, delays in scheduled
aircraft deliveries, service interruptions at one of its hub
airports, disruptions to the operations of its regional operators,
disruptions in its computer systems, and industry conditions,
including the recession in the U.S. and global economies, the
airline pricing environment, terrorist attacks, regulatory matters,
excessive taxation, industry consolidation, the availability and
cost of insurance, public health threats and the seasonal nature of
the airline business. The company undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press
release, except as required by applicable law. PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC
RESULTS MARCH 2009 2008 Change REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)
Domestic 3,390,269 3,870,731 -12.4 Percent International 3,277,526
3,541,997 -7.5 Percent Transatlantic 1,565,813 1,716,250 -8.8
Percent Latin America 1,113,772 1,169,405 -4.8 Percent Pacific
597,941 656,342 -8.9 Percent Mainline 6,667,795 7,412,728 -10.0
Percent Regional 815,944 878,815 -7.2 Percent Consolidated
7,483,739 8,291,543 -9.7 Percent AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic 4,020,884 4,542,933 -11.5 Percent International 4,326,643
4,428,434 -2.3 Percent Transatlantic 2,135,950 2,203,699 -3.1
Percent Latin America 1,390,708 1,381,112 0.7 Percent Pacific
799,985 843,623 -5.2 Percent Mainline 8,347,527 8,971,367 -7.0
Percent Regional 1,078,034 1,102,732 -2.2 Percent Consolidated
9,425,561 10,074,099 -6.4 Percent PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR Domestic
84.3 Percent 85.2 Percent -0.9 Points International 75.8 Percent
80.0 Percent -4.2 Points Transatlantic 73.3 Percent 77.9 Percent
-4.6 Points Latin America 80.1 Percent 84.7 Percent -4.6 Points
Pacific 74.7 Percent 77.8 Percent -3.1 Points Mainline 79.9 Percent
82.6 Percent -2.7 Points Regional 75.7 Percent 79.7 Percent -4.0
Points Consolidated 79.4 Percent 82.3 Percent -2.9 Points ONBOARD
PASSENGERS Mainline 3,994,311 4,539,771 -12.0 Percent Regional
1,503,202 1,578,906 -4.8 Percent Consolidated 5,497,513 6,118,677
-10.2 Percent CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000) Total 73,549 93,471
-21.3 Percent ( more ) PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS YEAR-TO-DATE
2009 2008 Change REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000) Domestic 8,909,320
10,428,767 -14.6 Percent International 8,780,258 9,494,327 -7.5
Percent Transatlantic 4,040,633 4,477,011 -9.7 Percent Latin
America 3,105,758 3,182,659 -2.4 Percent Pacific 1,633,867
1,834,657 -10.9 Percent Mainline 17,689,578 19,923,094 -11.2
Percent Regional 2,099,797 2,356,778 -10.9 Percent Consolidated
19,789,375 22,279,872 -11.2 Percent AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic 11,176,555 12,726,078 -12.2 Percent International
12,175,408 12,551,799 -3.0 Percent Transatlantic 6,024,745
6,208,622 -3.0 Percent Latin America 3,933,991 3,875,205 1.5
Percent Pacific 2,216,672 2,467,972 -10.2 Percent Mainline
23,351,963 25,277,877 -7.6 Percent Regional 2,970,993 3,097,608
-4.1 Percent Consolidated 26,322,956 28,375,485 -7.2 Percent
PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR Domestic 79.7 Percent 81.9 Percent -2.2
Points International 72.1 Percent 75.6 Percent -3.5 Points
Transatlantic 67.1 Percent 72.1 Percent -5.0 Points Latin America
78.9 Percent 82.1 Percent -3.2 Points Pacific 73.7 Percent 74.3
Percent -0.6 Points Mainline 75.8 Percent 78.8 Percent -3.0 Points
Regional 70.7 Percent 76.1 Percent -5.4 Points Consolidated 75.2
Percent 78.5 Percent -3.3 Points ONBOARD PASSENGERS Mainline
10,561,693 12,196,376 -13.4 Percent Regional 3,846,171 4,242,642
-9.3 Percent Consolidated 14,407,864 16,439,018 -12.4 Percent CARGO
REVENUE TON MILES (000) Total 200,414 261,272 -23.3 Percent ( more
) PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS MARCH 2009 2008
Change On-Time Performance (1) 74.2% 68.4% 5.8 Points Completion
Factor (2) 99.0% 98.9% 0.1 Points February 2009 year-over-year
consolidated RASM change (11.5) Percent February 2009
year-over-year mainline RASM change (10.0) Percent March 2009
estimated year-over-year consolidated RASM change (19.5) - (20.5)
Percent March 2009 estimated year-over-year mainline RASM change
(18.5) - (19.5) Percent March 2009 estimated average price per
gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes 1.68 Dollars First Quarter
2009 estimated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel
taxes 1.83 Dollars (1) Department of Transportation Arrivals within
14 minutes (2) Mainline Segment Completion Percentage DATASOURCE:
Continental Airlines CONTACT: Corporate Communications of
Continental Airlines, +1-713-324-5080, Web Site:
http://www.continental.com/
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