Continental Reports Monthly Drop in Traffic

Continental Airlines reported a March consolidated (mainline plus regional) load factor of 79.4 percent, 2.9 points below the March 2008 consolidated load factor, and a mainline load factor of 79.9 percent, 2.7 points below the March 2008 mainline load factor.

In addition, the carrier reported a March domestic mainline load factor of 84.3 percent, 0.9 points below the March 2008 domestic mainline load factor, and a March international mainline load factor of 75.8 percent, 4.2 points below March 2008.

In March 2009, Continental flew 7.5 billion consolidated revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 9.4 billion consolidated available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a consolidated traffic decrease of 9.7 percent and a consolidated capacity decrease of 6.4 percent as compared to March 2008.

In March 2009, Continental flew 6.7 billion mainline RPMs and 8.3 billion mainline ASMs, resulting in a mainline traffic decrease of 10.0 percent and a mainline capacity decrease of 7.0 percent as compared to March 2008. Domestic mainline traffic was 3.4 billion RPMs in March 2009, down 12.4 percent from March 2008, and domestic mainline capacity was 4.0 billion ASMs, down 11.5 percent from March 2008.

For March 2009, consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) is estimated to have decreased between 19.5 and 20.5 percent compared to March 2008, while mainline passenger RASM is estimated to have decreased between 18.5 and 19.5 percent compared to March 2008.