The article below from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@xxxxxxxxx /--------- E-mail Sponsored by Fox Searchlight ------------\ THE CLEARING - IN THEATERS JULY 2 - WATCH THE TRAILER NOW An official selection of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, THE CLEARING stars ROBERT REDFORD and HELEN MIRREN as Wayne and Eileen Hayes - a husband and wife living the American Dream. Together they've raised two children and struggled to build a successful business from the ground up. But there have been sacrifices along the way. When Wayne is kidnapped by an ordinary man, Arnold Mack (WILLEM DAFOE), and held for ransom in a remote forest, the couple's world is turned inside out. Watch the trailer at: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/theclearing/index_nyt.html \----------------------------------------------------------/ Continental Is Raising Fares to Offset Surging Fuel Costs May 19, 2004 HOUSTON, May 18 (AP) - Continental Airlines is raising its fares to offset surging fuel costs and said Tuesday that it would be forced to consider wage and benefit cuts, plus employee furloughs, if the higher fares did not help company finances. Because of rising fuel costs and what it termed a weak fare environment, Continental said it no longer expected to break even in 2004 and could have a significant loss for the year. The company is predicting losses in the quarter ending June 30. Continental said it would increase its fares $10 each way for flights under 1,000 miles and $20 each way for those over 1,000 miles. The increases are effective immediately. Continental said it expected the new fares to offset 15 percent to 20 percent of its fuel costs. In April, Continental, which is based in Houston, tried to raise a fuel surcharge that it adds to tickets to $30 from $20 per round trip for most travel within the United States and Canada. But it dropped the increase after rivals declined to match it. Gordon M. Bethune, Continental's chairman and chief executive, said in a news release Tuesday night that the company would have to seek "significant wage and benefit concessions and furloughs" to survive if the fare increases were not successful in buffering fuel costs. Continental has about 41,000 employees, with hubs in Cleveland, Houston and Newark. Continental had projected 2004 fuel costs would be 68 cents a gallon, but current prices are $1.14 a gallon, which could result in an additional $700 million in company operating expenses. Although Continental expects to end the second quarter with an unrestricted cash and short-term investment balance of $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion, the company said it expected to post a loss for the quarter ending June 30, as well as 2004 and beyond. The company is also looking at whether to fund its pension program above the $17 million minimum required for 2004. The company is expected to apply for deficit reduction contribution relief under the newly passed Pension Funding Equity Act. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/19/business/19air.html?ex=1085973557&ei=1&en=8d28e28e615fbdda --------------------------------- Get Home Delivery of The New York Times Newspaper. Imagine reading The New York Times any time & anywhere you like! Leisurely catch up on events & expand your horizons. Enjoy now for 50% off Home Delivery! Click here: http://homedelivery.nytimes.com/HDS/SubscriptionT1.do?mode=SubscriptionT1&ExternalMediaCode=W24AF HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@xxxxxxxxxxx or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@xxxxxxxxxxxx Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company