Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) reported a June consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 85.7 percent, 1.2 points above the June 2006 consolidated load factor, and a mainline load factor of 86.1 percent, 1.3 points above the June 2006 mainline load factor.
HOUSTON — The carrier reported a domestic mainline load factor of 87.7 percent, 1.0 point above June 2006, and an international mainline load factor of 84.4 percent, 1.7 points above June 2006. All four were records for June.
During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation on-time arrival rate of 67.9 percent and a mainline completion factor of 99.4 percent.
In June 2007, Continental flew 8.6 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 10.1 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 5.0 percent and a capacity increase of 3.4 percent as compared to June 2006. In June 2007, Continental flew 7.8 billion mainline RPMs and 9.0 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic increase of 6.9 percent and a 5.3 percent increase in mainline capacity as compared to June 2006. Domestic mainline traffic was 4.1 billion RPMs in June 2007, up 5.8 percent from June 2006, and domestic mainline capacity was 4.7 billion ASMs, up 4.5 percent from June 2006.
For June 2007, consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have increased between 1.5 and 2.5 percent compared to June 2006, while mainline passenger RASM is estimated to have increased between 3.5 and 4.5 percent compared to June 2006. For May 2007, consolidated passenger RASM decreased 0.8 percent compared to May 2006, while mainline passenger RASM increased 1.1 percent from May 2006.
Continental ended the second quarter of 2007 with unrestricted cash and short-term investments of approximately $3.17 billion.
Continental’s regional operations had a record June load factor of 82.8 percent, 0.5 points above the June 2006 load factor. Regional RPMs were 857.9 million and regional ASMs were 1,036.5 million in June 2007, resulting in a traffic decrease of 9.8 percent and a capacity decrease of 10.4 percent versus June 2006.
Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 144 domestic and 138 international destinations. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 44,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.
In 2007, Continental Airlines won its seventh J.D. Power and Associates award since 1996. The carrier received the highest rank in customer satisfaction among network carriers in North America in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Airline Satisfaction Survey(SM). For the fourth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World’s Most Admired Airline on its 2007 list of World’s Most Admired Companies. Continental was also named the No. 1 airline on the publication’s 2007 America’s Most Admired airline industry list. Additionally, Continental again won major awards at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards including „Best Airline Based in North America“ for the fourth year in a row, and „Best Executive/Business Class“ for the fifth consecutive year. For more company information, visit 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 2006 10-K and its other securities filings, including any amendments thereto, which identify important matters such as the consequences of the company’s significant financial losses and high leverage, the significant cost of aircraft fuel, its high labor and pension costs, service interruptions at one of its hub airports, disruptions in its computer systems, and industry conditions, including the airline pricing environment, industry capacity decisions, industry consolidation, terrorist attacks, regulatory matters, excessive taxation, 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
JUNE 2007 2006 Change
REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)
Domestic 4,110,835 3,885,939 5.8 Percent
International 3,665,094 3,384,840 8.3 Percent
Transatlantic 1,968,892 1,770,180 11.2 Percent
Latin America 1,011,465 961,360 5.2 Percent
Pacific 684,737 653,300 4.8 Percent
Mainline 7,775,929 7,270,779 6.9 Percent
Regional 857,903 951,253 -9.8 Percent
Consolidated 8,633,832 8,222,032 5.0 Percent
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic 4,688,256 4,484,583 4.5 Percent
International 4,343,952 4,092,840 6.1 Percent
Transatlantic 2,329,543 2,096,223 11.1 Percent
Latin America 1,203,330 1,195,513 0.7 Percent
Pacific 811,079 801,104 1.2 Percent
Mainline 9,032,208 8,577,423 5.3 Percent
Regional 1,036,474 1,156,418 -10.4 Percent
Consolidated 10,068,682 9,733,841 3.4 Percent
PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR
Domestic 87.7 Percent 86.7 Percent 1.0 Point
International 84.4 Percent 82.7 Percent 1.7 Points
Transatlantic 84.5 Percent 84.4 Percent 0.1 Points
Latin America 84.1 Percent 80.4 Percent 3.7 Points
Pacific 84.4 Percent 81.5 Percent 2.9 Points
Mainline 86.1 Percent 84.8 Percent 1.3 Points
Regional 82.8 Percent 82.3 Percent 0.5 Points
Consolidated 85.7 Percent 84.5 Percent 1.2 Points
ONBOARD PASSENGERS
Mainline 4,614,437 4,388,744 5.1 Percent
Regional 1,575,291 1,682,243 -6.4 Percent
Consolidated 6,189,728 6,070,987 2.0 Percent
CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)
Total 83,538 86,504 -3.4 Percent
PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS
YEAR-TO-DATE 2007 2006 Change
REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)
Domestic 22,269,204 21,111,999 5.5 Percent
International 18,886,084 17,535,127 7.7 Percent
Transatlantic 9,342,794 8,348,963 11.9 Percent
Latin America 5,771,671 5,500,002 4.9 Percent
Pacific 3,771,619 3,686,162 2.3 Percent
Mainline 41,155,288 38,647,126 6.5 Percent
Regional 4,917,842 5,052,290 -2.7 Percent
Consolidated 46,073,130 43,699,416 5.4 Percent
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic 26,652,881 25,345,587 5.2 Percent
International 23,885,512 22,572,422 5.8 Percent
Transatlantic 11,871,956 10,727,207 10.7 Percent
Latin America 7,157,045 7,005,793 2.2 Percent
Pacific 4,856,511 4,839,422 0.4 Percent
Mainline 50,538,393 47,918,009 5.5 Percent
Regional 6,302,603 6,456,244 -2.4 Percent
Consolidated 56,840,996 54,374,253 4.5 Percent
PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR
Domestic 83.6 Percent 83.3 Percent 0.3 Points
International 79.1 Percent 77.7 Percent 1.4 Points
Transatlantic 78.7 Percent 77.8 Percent 0.9 Points
Latin America 80.6 Percent 78.5 Percent 2.1 Points
Pacific 77.7 Percent 76.2 Percent 1.5 Points
Mainline 81.4 Percent 80.7 Percent 0.7 Points
Regional 78.0 Percent 78.3 Percent -0.3 Points
Consolidated 81.1 Percent 80.4 Percent 0.7 Points
ONBOARD PASSENGERS
Mainline 25,362,313 24,229,727 4.7 Percent
Regional 8,934,174 8,957,642 -0.3 Percent
Consolidated 34,296,487 33,187,369 3.3 Percent
CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)
Total 507,607 526,326 -3.6 Percent
PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS
JUNE 2007 2006 Change
On-Time Performance (1) 67.9% 67.8% 0.1 Points
Completion Factor (2) 99.4% 99.7% -0.3 Points
May 2007 year-over-year
consolidated RASM change -0.8 Percent
May 2007 year-over-year
mainline RASM change 1.1 Percent
June 2007 estimated
year-over-year
consolidated RASM change 1.5 - 2.5 Percent
June 2007 estimated
year-over-year mainline
RASM change 3.5 - 4.5 Percent
June 2007 estimated
average price per gallon
of fuel, including fuel
taxes 2.16 Dollars
Second Quarter 2007
estimated average price
per gallon of fuel,
including fuel taxes 2.08 Dollars
(1) Department of Transportation Arrivals within 14 minutes
(2) Mainline Mileage Completion Percentage
