...Roger, What happened, did Gordo give up his Suite at the EWR Hilton (or was it the Marriott?). Inquiring minds want to know... Bryant Petitt Cumming, GA --- Roger & Amanda La France <lafrance@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Continental Airlines halves quarterly loss=20 > =09 > > Thursday April 15, 8:02 AM EDT=20 > > > (Adds CEO comment, other details) > > CHICAGO, April 15 (Reuters) - Continental Airlines > Inc. (CAL > <http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=3D0&symbol_search_text=3DCA= > L> > ) on Thursday reported a quarterly loss that was > about half the year-ago > loss, even as high jet fuel prices took a heavy toll > on its business. > > Continental was the second major U.S. carrier to > post a quarterly loss > so far this earnings season, following Delta Air > Lines' (DAL > <http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=3D0&symbol_search_text=3DDA= > L> > ) $383 million loss reported on Wednesday. > Texas-based rival Southwest > Airlines (LUV > <http://money.excite.com/jsp/qt/full.jsp?time=3D0&symbol_search_text=3DLU= > V> > ) posted a $26 million profit on Thursday. > > "The outrageously high cost of fuel remains a > challenge to our return to > profitability," said Continental Chief Executive > Gordon Bethune, who is > leaving at year-end. > > The Houston-based No. 5 U.S. airline said its > first-quarter loss was > $124 million, or $1.88 a diluted share, compared > with a loss of $221 > million, or $3.38 a share, a year earlier. > > > =09 > > Excluding after-tax charges of $35 million, > Continental's loss was $1.36 > a share. On that basis, analysts had expected > Continental to post a loss > of $1.39 a share, with loss estimates ranging from > $1.20 to $1.70 a > share, according to Reuters Research, a unit of > Reuters Group Plc. > > Continental has warned that its plans to break even > or be profitable > this year are "at great risk" due to lofty oil > prices. The airline ended > the first quarter with $1.6 billion in cash and > short-term investments.=20 > > > =A92004 Reuters Limited. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - File online by April 15th http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html