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Continental Airlines Reports Record October Load Factor

HOUSTON, November 1, 1999 -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A) today reported a systemwide load factor of 73.2 percent in October, the highest October load factor in company history and 2.1 points above the previous record set last year.

In October 1999, Continental flew 5.2 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 7.1 billion available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 14.7 percent on a capacity increase of 11.5 percent versus October 1998. International traffic was 1.9 billion RPMs, up 30.9 percent from October 1998 and international capacity was 2.6 billion ASMs, up 22.9 percent from last year.

Continental Express, Continental’s wholly owned regional subsidiary, reported its highest October load factor ever of 64.7 percent, 5.3 points above last October’s record. Continental Express flew 209.8 million RPMs and 324.1 million ASMs in October, resulting in a traffic increase of 42.5 percent and a capacity increase of 30.7 percent versus last year.

PRELIMINARY TRAFFIC RESULTS

OCTOBER 1999 1998 Change
   
REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)
Domestic          3,272,674          3,061,841     6.9 Percent
International 1,948,118 1,488,129 30.9 Percent
Total Jet 5,220,792 4,549,970 14.7 Percent
Cont'l. Express 209,848 147,251 42.5 Percent
 
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic 4,506,268 4,260,298 5.8 Percent
International 2,624,454 2,134,959 22.9 Percent
Total Jet 7,130,722 6,395,257 11.5 Percent
Cont'l. Express 324,144 248,005 30.7 Percent
 
PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR
Domestic 72.6 Percent 71.9 Percent 0.7 Points
International 74.2 Percent 69.7 Percent 4.5 Points
Total Jet 73.2 Percent 71.1 Percent 2.1 Points
Cont'l. Express 64.7 Percent 59.4 Percent 5.3 Points
 
CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)
Total 99,726 75,109 32.8 Percent
 
YEAR-TO-DATE 1999 1998 Change
 
REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)
Domestic 31,790,529 29,936,250 6.2 Percent
International 18,481,436 15,305,732 20.7 Percent
Total Jet 50,271,965 45,241,982 11.1 Percent
Cont'l. Express 1,744,421 1,282,536 36.0 Percent
 
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic 43,535,115 41,126,955 5.9 Percent
International 24,547,945 21,006,451 16.9 Percent
Total Jet 68,083,060 62,133,406 9.6 Percent
Cont'l. Express 2,774,197 2,162,580 28.3 Percent
 
PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR
Domestic 73.0 Percent 72.8 Percent 0.2 Points
International 75.3 Percent 72.9 Percent 2.4 Points
Total Jet 73.8 Percent 72.8 Percent 1.0 Points
Cont'l. Express 62.9 Percent 59.3 Percent 3.6 Points
 
CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)
Total 805,527 710,371 13.4 Percent