Continental Airlines reports January 2006 Operational Performance

Continental Airlines has reported a January consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 75.9%, 0.5 points above last year’s January consolidated load factor. 

The carrier reported a mainline load factor of 76.4%, 0.2 points above the January 2005 mainline load factor, and a domestic mainline load factor of 78.3%, 2.2 points above January 2005. All three were records for January. In addition, the airline had an international mainline January load factor of 74.2%, 2.2 points below January 2005.

During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation on-time arrival rate of 78.1% and a systemwide mainline completion factor of 99.8%.

 In January 2006, the airline flew 6.6 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 8.7 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 13.0% and a capacity increase of 12.2% as compared to January 2005. In January 2006, Continental mainline flew 5.9 billion mainline RPMs and 7.7 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic increase of 12.3% and a mainline capacity increase of 12.1% as compared to January 2005. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.2 billion RPMs in January 2006, up 11.9% from January 2005, and domestic mainline capacity was 4.1 billion ASMs, up 8.8% from January 2005.

For the month of January 2006, consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have increased between 4.5 and 5.5% compared to January 2005, while mainline passenger RASM is estimated to have increased between 3 and 4% compared to January 2005. For December 2005, consolidated passenger RASM increased 7.5% compared to December 2004 while mainline passenger RASM increased 6% from December 2004.

Continental’s regional operations (Continental Express) had a record January load factor of 72.7%, 3.7 points above last year’s January load factor. Regional RPMs were 733 million and regional ASMs were 1,007.7 million in January 2006, resulting in a traffic increase of 18.6% and a capacity increase of 12.5% versus January 2005.

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