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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): May 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 May 1, 2006, we issued a press release announcing our April 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 April 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.

 

 

May 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 April 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 APRIL 2006

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

HOUSTON, May 1, 2006 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today reported an April consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 82.5 percent, 5.0 points above last year's April consolidated load factor, and a mainline load factor of 82.9 percent, 4.7 points above the April 2005 mainline load factor. The carrier reported a domestic mainline load factor of 85.9 percent, 5.9 points above April 2005, and an international mainline load factor of 79.5 percent, 3.6 points above April 2005. All four were records for April.

During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation on-time arrival rate of 72.7 percent and a mainline completion factor of 99.9 percent.

In April 2006, Continental flew 7.5 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 9.1 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 17.3 percent and a capacity increase of 10.2 percent as compared to April 2005. In April 2006, Continental flew 6.6 billion mainline RPMs and 8.0 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic increase of 16.4 percent and a mainline capacity increase of 9.9 percent as compared to April 2005. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.6 billion RPMs in April 2006, up 11.7 percent from April 2005, and domestic mainline capacity was 4.2 billion ASMs, up 4.1 percent from April 2005.

For the month of April 2006, consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have increased between 12.5 and 13.5 percent compared to April 2005, while mainline passenger RASM is estimated to have increased between 11.5 and 12.5 percent compared to April 2005.  April results benefited from the shift of Easter and Passover to April in 2006 from March in 2005. For March 2006, consolidated passenger RASM increased 7.4 percent compared to March 2005 while mainline passenger RASM increased 5.3 percent from March 2005.

April 2006 sales at continental.com increased 68 percent over April 2005.

Continental's regional operations (Continental Express) had a record April load factor of 79.7 percent, 7.7 points above last year's April load factor. Regional RPMs were 870.0 million and regional ASMs were 1,092.0 million in April 2006, resulting in a traffic increase of 24.3 percent and a capacity increase of 12.3 percent versus April 2005.

Continental Airlines is the world's sixth-largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,200 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 151 domestic and 137 international destinations. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines.  With more than 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 obligat ion to publicly 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

APRIL

2006

2005

Change             

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

Domestic

3,629,985

3,249,637

11.7

Percent

International

2,994,405

2,440,048

22.7

Percent

Transatlantic

1,418,576

1,194,072

18.8

Percent

Latin America

986,225

771,938

27.8

Percent

Pacific

589,603

474,038

24.4

Percent

Mainline

6,624,390

5,689,686

16.4

Percent

Regional

869,967

700,073

24.3

Percent

Consolidated

7,494,357

6,389,759

17.3

Percent

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

4,226,566

4,060,787

4.1

Percent

International

3,767,673

3,215,833

17.2

Percent

Transatlantic

1,745,898

1,485,447

17.5

Percent

Latin America

1,223,252

1,044,619

17.1

Percent

Pacific

798,523

685,767

16.4

Percent

Mainline

7,994,239

7,276,620

9.9

Percent

Regional

1,091,996

972,189

12.3

Percent

Consolidated

9,086,235

8,248,809

10.2

Percent


PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

85.9 Percent

80.0 Percent

5.9

Points

International

79.5 Percent

75.9 Percent

3.6

Points

Transatlantic

81.3 Percent

80.4 Percent

0.9

Points

Latin America

80.6 Percent

73.9 Percent

6.7

Points

Pacific

73.8 Percent

69.1 Percent

4.7

Points

Mainline

82.9 Percent

78.2 Percent

4.7

Points

Regional

79.7 Percent

72.0 Percent

7.7

Points

Consolidated

82.5 Percent

77.5 Percent

5.0

Points

ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

4,190,213

3,714,237

12.8

Percent

Regional

1,532,681

1,270,584

20.6

Percent

Consolidated

5,722,894

4,984,821

14.8

Percent

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

89,730

81,903

9.6

Percent

PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS

YEAR-TO-DATE

2006

2005

Change              

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

 

Domestic

13,598,711

12,411,004

9.6

Percent

International

11,043,826

9,437,792

17.0

Percent

Transatlantic

4,969,279

4,181,258

18.8

Percent

Latin America

3,683,562

3,217,826

14.5

Percent

Pacific

2,390,985

2,038,708

17.3

Percent

Mainline

24,642,537

21,848,796

12.8

Percent

Regional

3,187,921

2,652,764

20.2

Percent

Consolidated

27,830,458

24,501,560

13.6

Percent

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

16,535,213

15,720,027

5.2

Percent

International

14,493,359

12,402,212

16.9

Percent

Transatlantic

6,591,067

5,435,862

21.3

Percent

Latin America

4,699,079

4,211,120

11.6

Percent

Pacific

3,203,213

2,755,230

16.3

Percent

Mainline

31,028,572

28,122,239

10.3

Percent

Regional

4,173,946

3,712,128

12.4

Percent

Consolidated

35,202,518

31,834,367

10.6

Percent

PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

82.2 Percent

79.0 Percent

3.2

Points

International

76.2 Percent

76.1 Percent

0.1

Points

Transatlantic

75.4 Percent

76.9 Percent

-1.5

Points

Latin America

78.4 Percent

76.4 Percent

2.0

Points

Pacific

74.6 Percent

74.0 Percent

0.6

Points

Mainline

79.4 Percent

77.7 Percent

1.7

Points

Regional

76.4 Percent

71.5 Percent

4.9

Points

Consolidated

79.1 Percent

77.0 Percent

2.1

Points

ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

15,675,794

14,313,367

9.5

Percent

Regional

5,640,516

4,794,264

17.7

Percent

Consolidated

21,316,310

19,107,631

11.6

Percent

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

352,714

342,627

2.9

Percent

 

 

PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS

APRIL

2006

2005

Change

On-Time Performance 1

72.7%

80.4%

(7.7)

Points

Completion Factor 2

99.9%

99.8%

0.1

Points

March 2006 year-over-year consolidated RASM change

7.4

Percent

March 2006 year-over-year mainline RASM change

5.3

Percent

April 2006 estimated year-over-year consolidated RASM change

12.5-13.5

Percent

April 2006 estimated year-over-year mainline RASM change

11.5-12.5

Percent

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

2.00

Dollars

Second Quarter 2006 estimated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

2.09

Dollars

1 Department of Transportation Arrivals within 14 minutes

2 Mainline Mileage Completion Percentage

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