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UNITED STATES

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 1, 2006

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

DELAWARE

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

1-10323

74-2099724

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1600 Smith Street, Dept. HQSEO, Houston, Texas

77002

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

(713) 324-2950

(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

______________________________________

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act

(17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act

(17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On March 1, 2006, we issued a press release announcing our February 2006 performance. The press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits
 

99.1

Press Release for February Performance
     

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Continental Airlines, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.

 

 

March 1, 2006

By   /s/ Jennifer L. Vogel

       Jennifer L. Vogel

Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Corporate Compliance Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

        
 

       
     

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1

Press Release for February Performance
   

 

 
News Release

EXHIBIT 99.1

News Release

Contact: Corporate Communications

Houston: 713.324.5080

Email: corpcomm@coair.com

News archive: continental.com/company/news/ Address: P.O. Box 4607, Houston, TX 77210-4607


CONTINENTAL AIRLINES REPORTS FEBRUARY 2006

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

HOUSTON, March 1, 2006 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today reported a February consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 76.0 percent, 2.1 points above last year's February consolidated load factor. The carrier reported a mainline load factor of 76.1 percent, 1.7 points above the February 2005 mainline load factor, and a domestic mainline load factor of 81.0 percent, 4.2 points above February 2005. All three were records for February. In addition, the airline had an international mainline February load factor of 70.5 percent, 1.0 points below February 2005.

During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation on-time arrival rate of 71.0 percent and a systemwide mainline completion factor of 98.4 percent. These operational results were negatively impacted by the record blizzard in the Northeast the weekend of Feb. 11.

In February 2006, Continental flew 6.0 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 7.9 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 13.0 percent and a capacity increase of 9.9 percent as compared to February 2005. In February 2006, Continental flew 5.3 billion mainline RPMs and 7.0 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic increase of 12.3 percent and a mainline capacity increase of 9.9 percent as compared to February 2005. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.0 billion RPMs in February 2006, up 10.7 percent from February 2005, and domestic mainline capacity was 3.7 billion ASMs, up 4.9 percent from February 2005.

For the month of February 2006, consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have increased between 8.0 and 9.0 percent compared to February 2005, while mainline passenger RASM is estimated to have increased between 6.0 and 7.0 percent compared to February 2005.  For January 2006, consolidated passenger RASM increased 5.0 percent compared to January 2005 while mainline

passenger RASM increased 3.3 percent from January 2005.

Continental's regional operations (Continental Express) had a record February load factor of 75.0 percent, 4.9 points above last year's February load factor. Regional RPMs were 693.9 million and regional ASMs were 924.9 million in February 2006, resulting in a traffic increase of 17.9 percent and a capacity increase of 10.2 percent versus February 2005.

Continental Airlines is the world's sixth-largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 151 domestic and 133 international destinations - more than any other carrier in the world. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With 42,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 61 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.

For the third consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline on its 2006 list of Most Admired Global Companies. Continental was also named the No. 1 airline on the publication's 2006 America's Most Admired airline industry list. In 2005, Continental again won major awards at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Airline of the Year" and "Best Airline Based in North America" for the second consecutive year, and "Best Executive/Business Class" for the third 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 2005 10-K and its other securities filings, including any amendments thereto, which identify important matters such as the consequences of our significant financial losses and high leverage, terrorist attacks, domestic and international economic conditions, the significant cost of aircraft fuel, labor costs, competition, and industry conditions, including the demand for air travel, the airline pricing environment and industry capacity decisions, regulatory matters and the seasonal nature of the airline business. The company undertakes no obligation to public ly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this press release.

 

PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS

FEBRUARY

2006

2005

Change                    

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

Domestic

3,019,661

2,728,128

10.7

Percent

International

2,305,985

2,012,533

14.6

Percent

Transatlantic

991,344

807,410

22.8

Percent

Latin America

800,800

734,621

9.0

Percent

Pacific

513,841

470,502

9.2

Percent

Mainline

5,325,646

4,740,662

12.3

Percent

Regional

693,857

588,542

17.9

Percent

Consolidated

6,019,503

5,329,204

13.0

Percent

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

3,728,226

3,553,389

4.9

Percent

International

3,272,272

2,815,847

16.2

Percent

Transatlantic

1,464,969

1,184,571

23.7

Percent

Latin America

1,064,388

986,968

7.8

Percent

Pacific

742,916

644,308

15.3

Percent

Mainline

7,000,499

6,369,236

9.9

Percent

Regional

924,884

839,358

10.2

Percent

Consolidated

7,925,383

7,208,593

9.9

Percent

PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

81.0 Percent

76.8 Percent

4.2

Points

International

70.5 Percent

71.5 Percent

-1.0

Points

Transatlantic

67.7 Percent

68.2 Percent

-0.5

Points

Latin America

75.2 Percent

74.4 Percent

0.8

Points

Pacific

69.2 Percent

73.0 Percent

-3.8

Points

Mainline

76.1 Percent

74.4 Percent

1.7

Points

Regional

75.0 Percent

70.1 Percent

4.9

Points

Consolidated

76.0 Percent

73.9 Percent

2.1

Points

ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

3,456,431

3,162,967

9.3

Percent

Regional

1,230,971

1,071,542

14.9

Percent

Consolidated

4,687,402

4,234,509

10.7

Percent

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

83,798

85,588

-2.1

Percent

PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS

YEAR-TO-DATE

2006

2005

Change

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

Domestic

6,223,330

5,590,148

11.3

Percent

International

4,996,051

4,397,835

13.6

Percent

Transatlantic

2,154,097

1,792,508

20.2

Percent

Latin America

1,706,821

1,572,836

8.5

Percent

Pacific

1,135,133

1,032,491

9.9

Percent

Mainline

11,219,381

9,987,983

12.3

Percent

Regional

1,426,892

1,206,636

18.3

Percent

Consolidated

12,646,273

11,194,619

13.0

Percent

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

7,819,278

7,314,656

6.9

Percent

International

6,898,958

5,939,100

16.2

Percent

Transatlantic

3,075,600

2,511,609

22.5

Percent

Latin America

2,244,177

2,065,461

8.7

Percent

Pacific

1,579,181

1,362,030

15.9

Percent

Mainline

14,718,236

13,253,756

11.0

Percent

Regional

1,932,605

1,734,972

11.4

Percent

Consolidated

16,650,841

14,988,728

11.1

Percent

PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

79.6 Percent

76.4 Percent

3.2

Points

International

72.4 Percent

74.0 Percent

-1.6

Points

Transatlantic

70.0 Percent

71.4 Percent

-1.4

Points

Latin America

76.1 Percent

76.1 Percent

0.0

Points

Pacific

71.9 Percent

75.8 Percent

-3.9

Points

Mainline

76.2 Percent

75.4 Percent

0.8

Points

Regional

73.8 Percent

69.5 Percent

4.3

Points

Consolidated

75.9 Percent

74.7 Percent

1.2

Points

ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

7,164,530

6,520,994

9.9

Percent

Regional

2,528,504

2,176,783

16.2

Percent

Consolidated

9,693,034

8,697,777

11.4

Percent

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

164,118

166,998

-1.7

Percent

 

 

PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS

FEBRUARY

2006

2005

Change

On-Time Performance 1

71.0%

77.1%

(6.1)

Points

Completion Factor 2

98.4%

99.6%

(1.2)

Points

January 2005 year-over-year consolidated RASM change

5.0

Percent

January 2005 year-over-year mainline RASM change

3.3

Percent

February 2006 estimated year-over-year consolidated RASM change

8.0-9.0

Percent

February 2006 estimated year-over-year mainline RASM change

6.0-7.0

Percent

February 2006 estimated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

1.92

Dollars

First Quarter 2006 est. average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

1.90

Dollars

1 Department of Transportation Arrivals within 14 minutes

2 Mainline Mileage Completion Percentage

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