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): August 1, 2005

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 August 1, 2005, we issued a press release announcing our July performance and our estimated consolidated breakeven load factor for August. The press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

    1. Exhibits

 

99.1

Press Release for July 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.

 

 

August 2, 2005

By   /s/ Jennifer L. Vogel

       Jennifer L. Vogel

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

 

        

 

       
     

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1

Press Release for July 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 JULY 2005

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

HOUSTON, Aug. 1, 2005 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today reported a July consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 83.9 percent, 1.5 points below last year's July consolidated load factor. The carrier reported a mainline load factor of 84.6 percent, 1.5 points below last year's July mainline load factor, and a domestic mainline load factor of 86.4 percent, 0.1 points below July 2004. In addition, the airline had an international mainline July load factor of 82.5 percent, 3.1 points below July 2004.

During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation on-time arrival rate of 69.5 percent. The carrier's on-time arrival rate was impacted by severe weather, which plagued the carrier's hub operations in both Newark and Houston throughout much of July. Despite these difficult weather conditions, Continental maintained a systemwide mainline completion factor of 99.6 percent.

In July 2005, Continental flew 7.9 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 9.4 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 7.8 percent and a capacity increase of 9.6 percent as compared to July 2004. In July 2005, Continental flew 7.0 billion mainline RPMs and 8.3 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic increase of 6.6 percent and a mainline capacity increase of 8.5 percent as compared to July 2004. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.8 billion RPMs in July 2005, up 2.4 percent from July 2004, and domestic mainline capacity was 4.4 billion ASMs, up 2.5 percent from July 2004.

For the month of July 2005, both consolidated and mainline passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) are estimated to have increased between 4.5 and 5.5 percent compared to July 2004. For June 2005, both consolidated and mainline passenger RASM increased 6.6 percent compared to June 2004.

Continental's regional operations (Continental Express) had a July load factor of 78.7

percent, 0.6 points below last year's July load factor. Regional RPMs were 861.8 million and regional ASMs were 1,094.5 million in July 2005, resulting in a traffic increase of 18.1 percent and a capacity increase of 19.0 percent versus July 2004.

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 150 domestic and 131 international destinations, more than any other carrier in the world. Nearly 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines, which include Aeromexico, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines.  With 41,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 56 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.

For the second consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline on its 2005 list of Most Admired Global Companies. Continental was also included in the publication's annual "Top 50" list, which ranks all companies, across a wide variety of industries, that appear in the Global Most Admired Companies issue. Continental again won major awards at the 2005 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 2004 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.

(more)

 

 

 

PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS

JULY

2005

2004

Change

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

Domestic

3,797,032

3,706,537

2.4

Percent

International

3,224,998

2,880,162

12.0

Percent

Transatlantic

1,616,005

1,419,716

13.8

Percent

Latin America

957,611

924,948

3.5

Percent

Pacific

651,382

535,498

21.6

Percent

Mainline

7,022,030

6,586,699

6.6

Percent

Regional

861,801

729,722

18.1

Percent

Consolidated

7,883,831

7,316,420

7.8

Percent


AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

4,392,931

4,286,223

2.5

Percent

International

3,910,508

3,365,158

16.2

Percent

Transatlantic

1,900,757

1,643,429

15.7

Percent

Latin America

1,164,149

1,077,630

8.0

Percent

Pacific

845,602

644,099

31.3

Percent

Mainline

8,303,439

7,651,380

8.5

Percent

Regional

1,094,546

920,062

19.0

Percent

Consolidated

9,397,985

8,571,442

9.6

Percent


PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

86.4 Percent

86.5 Percent

-0.1

Points

International

82.5 Percent

85.6 Percent

-3.1

Points

Transatlantic

85.0 Percent

86.4 Percent

-1.4

Points

Latin America

82.3 Percent

85.8 Percent

-3.5

Points

Pacific

77.0 Percent

83.1 Percent

-6.1

Points

Mainline

84.6 Percent

86.1 Percent

-1.5

Points

Regional

78.7 Percent

79.3 Percent

-0.6

Points

Consolidated

83.9 Percent

85.4 Percent

-1.5

Points


ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

4,293,903

4,164,935

3.1

Percent

Regional

1,518,628

1,325,608

14.6

Percent

Consolidated

5,812,531

5,490,543

5.9

Percent


CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

82,891

83,936

-1.2

Percent

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PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS

YEAR-TO-DATE

2005

2004

Change


REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

Domestic

23,134,588

22,136,002

4.5

Percent

International

18,092,588

15,993,492

13.1

Percent

Transatlantic

8,625,144

7,367,353

17.1

Percent

Latin America

5,623,971

5,232,362

7.5

Percent

Pacific

3,843,473

3,393,777

13.3

Percent

Mainline

41,227,176

38,129,494

8.1

Percent

Regional

5,060,113

4,177,657

21.1

Percent

Consolidated

46,287,289

42,307,151

9.4

Percent

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

28,458,870

28,784,176

-1.1

Percent

International

23,145,887

20,693,560

11.9

Percent

Transatlantic

10,747,941

9,261,039

16.1

Percent

Latin America

7,337,149

7,080,594

3.6

Percent

Pacific

5,060,797

4,351,927

16.3

Percent

Mainline

51,604,757

49,477,736

4.3

Percent

Regional

6,860,724

5,922,580

15.8

Percent

Consolidated

58,465,481

55,400,316

5.5

Percent


PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

81.3 Percent

76.9 Percent

4.4

Points

International

78.2 Percent

77.3 Percent

0.9

Points

Transatlantic

80.2 Percent

79.6 Percent

0.6

Points

Latin America

76.7 Percent

73.9 Percent

2.8

Points

Pacific

75.9 Percent

78.0 Percent

-2.1

Points

Mainline

79.9 Percent

77.1 Percent

2.8

Points

Regional

73.8 Percent

70.5 Percent

3.3

Points

Consolidated

79.2 Percent

76.4 Percent

2.8

Points


ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

26,357,778

25,102,034

5.0

Percent

Regional

9,116,982

7,756,195

17.5

Percent

Consolidated

35,474,760

32,858,229

8.0

Percent

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

578,463

582,801

-0.7

Percent

(more)

 

 

PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS

JULY

2005

2004

Change

On-Time Performance 1

69.5%

76.5%

-7.0

Points

Completion Factor 2

99.6%

99.7%

-0.1

Points

YEAR-TO-DATE

2005

2004

Change

On-Time Performance 1

77.1%

77.0%

0.1

Points

Completion Factor 2

99.6%

99.6%

-

Points



June 2005 consolidated breakeven load factor 3



73.7



Percent

June 2005 year-over-year consolidated RASM change

6.6

Percent

June 2005 year-over-year mainline RASM change

6.6

Percent

July 2005 estimated year-over-year consolidated RASM change

4.5-5.5

Percent

July 2005 estimated year-over-year mainline RASM change

4.5-5.5

Percent

July 2005 estimated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

1.74

Dollars

July 2005 estimated consolidated breakeven load factor 3

75

Percent

July 2005 actual consolidated load factor4

83.9

Percent

August 2005 estimated consolidated breakeven load factor 3

77

Percent

 

1 Department of Transportation Arrivals within 14 minutes

2 Mainline Mileage Completion Percentage

3 Consolidated load factor (including Continental Airlines and Continental Express) needed to break even on a

consolidated net income basis. Actual consolidated breakeven load factor may vary significantly from

estimates depending on actual passenger revenue yields, fuel price and other factors. Month-to-date consolidated

load factor information can be found on Continental's website at continental.com in the Investor Relations-

Financial/Traffic Releases section.

4 Includes Continental Airlines and Continental Express

###