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): February 1, 2007

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 February 1, 2007, we issued a press release announcing our January 2007 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 January 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.

 

 

February 1, 2007

By  /s/ Lori A. Gobillot

      Lori A. Gobillot

Staff Vice President and Assistant General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
   
   

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1

Press Release for January 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 JANUARY 2007

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

HOUSTON, Feb. 1, 2007 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today reported a January consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 76.3 percent, 0.4 points above the January 2006 consolidated load factor, and a mainline load factor of 76.8 percent, 0.4 points above the January 2006 mainline load factor. Both load factors were records for the month. In addition, the carrier reported a domestic mainline load factor of 78.1 percent, 0.2 points below January 2006, and an international mainline load factor of 75.3 percent, 1.1 points above January 2006.

During the month, Continental recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation on-time arrival rate of 74.3 percent and a January mainline completion factor of 99.6 percent.

In January 2007, Continental flew 7.0 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 9.2 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 5.9 percent and a capacity increase of 5.5 percent as compared to January 2006. In January 2007, Continental flew 6.3 billion mainline RPMs and 8.2 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic increase of 6.2 percent and a 5.6 percent increase in mainline capacity as compared to January 2006. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.4 billion RPMs in January 2007, up 4.8 percent from January 2006, and domestic mainline capacity was 4.3 billion ASMs, up 5.1 percent from January 2006.

For January 2007, consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have increased between 2.0 percent and 3.0 percent compared to January 2006, while mainline passenger RASM is estimated to have increased between 3.5 and 4.5 percent compared to January 2006. For December 2006, consolidated passenger RASM increased 4.1 percent compared to December 2005, while mainline passenger RASM increased 6.2 percent from December 2005.

January 2007 sales at continental.com increased 17 percent over January 2006.

Continental's regional operations had a January load factor of 72.3 percent, 0.4 points below the January 2006 load factor. Regional RPMs were 759.7 million and regional ASMs were 1,050.4 million in January 2007, resulting in a traffic increase of 3.6 percent and a capacity increase of 4.2 percent versus January 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 150 domestic and 136 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 2006, Continental Airlines won its sixth 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 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index SurveySM. 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. Additionally, Continental again won major awards at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Best Airline Based in North America" for the third year in a row, and "Best Executive/Business Class" for the fourth 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, disruptions in its computer systems, and the seasonal nature of the airline busine ss. 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

JANUARY

2007

2006

Change

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

Domestic

3,357,564

3,203,670

4.8

Percent

International

2,902,042

2,689,952

7.9

Percent

Transatlantic

1,304,339

1,162,639

12.2

Percent

Latin America

979,478

906,021

8.1

Percent

Pacific

618,225

621,292

-0.5

Percent

Mainline

6,259,606

5,893,622

6.2

Percent

Regional

759,667

733,035

3.6

Percent

Consolidated

7,019,273

6,626,657

5.9

Percent

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

Domestic

4,298,945

4,091,051

5.1

Percent

International

3,852,025

3,626,685

6.2

Percent

Transatlantic

1,792,013

1,610,631

11.3

Percent

Latin America

1,225,435

1,179,789

3.9

Percent

Pacific

834,577

836,265

-0.2

Percent

Mainline

8,150,970

7,717,736

5.6

Percent

Regional

1,050,400

1,007,721

4.2

Percent

Consolidated

9,201,370

8,725,457

5.5

Percent

PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

Domestic

78.1 Percent

78.3 Percent

-0.2

Points

International

75.3 Percent

74.2 Percent

1.1

Points

Transatlantic

72.8 Percent

72.2 Percent

0.6

Points

Latin America

79.9 Percent

76.8 Percent

3.1

Points

Pacific

74.1 Percent

74.3 Percent

-0.2

Points

Mainline

76.8 Percent

76.4 Percent

0.4

Points

Regional

72.3 Percent

72.7 Percent

-0.4

Points

Consolidated

76.3 Percent

75.9 Percent

0.4

Points

ONBOARD PASSENGERS

Mainline

3,857,098

3,708,099

4.0

Percent

Regional

1,354,589

1,297,533

4.4

Percent

Consolidated

5,211,687

5,005,632

4.1

Percent

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

Total

80,051

80,319

-0.3

Percent

PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS

JANUARY

2007

2006

Change

On-Time Performance1

74.3%

78.1%

(3.8)

Points

Completion Factor2

99.6%

99.7%

(0.1)

Points

December 2006 year-over-year consolidated RASM change

4.1

Percent

December 2006 year-over-year mainline RASM change

6.2

Percent

January 2007 estimated year-over-year consolidated RASM change

2.0-3.0

Percent

January 2007 estimated year-over-year mainline RASM change

3.5-4.5

Percent

January 2007 estimated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

1.98

Dollars

First Quarter 2007 estimated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

1.95

Dollars

1 Department of Transportation Arrivals within 14 minutes

2 Mainline Mileage Completion Percentage

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