Actually, the winglets on the 737NGs have been shown, primarily by WN, to increase fuel economy on short hauls as well as long hauls, and this was back when oil was under $40 a barrel. While the 737Classic winglet program doesn't do as much for the aircraft as the 737NG program, with oil at these prices, it still makes a massive difference. Add to that CO's very high leasing costs on the 735s and it makes a lot of sense. -----Original Message----- From: lafrance@xxxxxxxxxxx To: AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 7:11 AM Subject: Re: [Sky-1] CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER PROFIT Just noticed in the press release, 737-500 winglets. Will this actually mak= e any difference with such short flights they do.=0A =0A =0AView our videos= at: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=3Dewrw4co=0A =0ARoger & Amanda La = France=0A=0A=0A=0A----- Original Message ----=0AFrom: Roger LaFrance <lafra= nce@xxxxxxxxxxx>=0ATo: Airline List <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Skyone <sk= yone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Airline2 Yahoo <airline2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>=0ASent: Th= ursday, October 19, 2006 7:46:50 AM=0ASubject: [Sky-1] CONTINENTAL AIRLINES= ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER PROFIT=0A=0ACONTINENTAL AIRLINES ANNOUNCES THIRD Q= UARTER PROFIT =0A =0ACo-workers=92 profit sharing pool now exceeds $100 mil= lion=0A =0AHOUSTON, October 19, 2006 -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) to= day reported third quarter 2006 net income of $237 million ($2.17 diluted e= arnings per share), which includes a $92 million gain on the sale of a port= ion of the company=92s investment in Copa Airlines. Excluding net special = charges of $1 million and the $92 million Copa gain, Continental recorded n= et income of $146 million ($1.36 diluted earnings per share). =0AOperating = income for the third quarter was $192 million, an $83 million improvement o= ver the same period of 2005, despite fuel price increases costing over $155= million and the negative impact of increased security measures that took e= ffect on Aug. 10. In addition, results for the third quarter of 2006 inclu= de a $42 million accrual for employee profit sharing, bringing the cumulati= ve accrued profit sharing pool to over $100 million. =0A =93Thanks to th= e hard work of my co-workers, we are delivering great results, both financi= ally and operationally,=94 said Larry Kellner, Continental=92s chairman and= chief executive officer. =93When we work together, we win together.=94=0A= Third Quarter Revenue and Capacity=0APassenger revenue for the quarter incr= eased 17.1 percent ($471 million) over the same period in 2005, to $3.2 bil= lion, with double digit percentage growth in each mainline geographic regio= n and in regional jet operations. Additional capacity and traffic, both do= mestic and international, and improved yield produced significantly higher = revenue for the company. Consolidated revenue per available seat mile (RAS= M) for the quarter increased 7.4 percent year-over-year due to increased yi= eld and record load factors in spite of elevated security concerns. =0ACon= tinental continued its capacity growth during the quarter, growing its main= line capacity 8.6 percent and its consolidated capacity 9.1 percent compare= d with the same period in 2005. =0AConsolidated revenue passenger miles (R= PMs) for the quarter increased 10.5 percent year-over-year on a capacity in= crease of 9.1 percent, resulting in a record consolidated load factor for t= he quarter of 82.2 percent, 1.1 points above the previous record set in the= same period in 2005. Consolidated yield increased 6.0 percent year-over-y= ear. =0A Mainline RPMs in the third quarter of 2006 increased 10.0 percent= over the third quarter 2005, on a capacity increase of 8.6 percent. Mainl= ine load factor was a record 82.7 percent, up 1.0 points year-over-year. C= ontinental=92s mainline yield during the quarter increased 5.5 percent over= the same period in 2005.=0ADuring the quarter, Continental continued to ac= hieve a domestic length-of-haul adjusted yield and RASM premium to the indu= stry.=0APassenger revenue for the third quarter of 2006 and period-to-perio= d comparisons of related =0Astatistics by geographic region for the company= =92s mainline and regional operations are as follows:=0A=0A=0A=0APassenger= =0ARevenue=0A(in millions)Percentage Increase in=0AThird Quarter 2006 vs. T= hird Quarter 2005=0APassenger=0ARevenue =0ARASM=0AASMs=0A =0ADomestic$1= ,389 14.1% 7.6% 6.1% =0ATrans-Atlantic636 16.7% 1.4% 15.1% =0ALatin America= 354 24.3% 10.0% 12.9% =0APacific251 13.4% 12.2% 1.0% =0ATotal Mainline$2,63= 0 16.0% 6.8% 8.6% =0A =0ARegional$ 601 22.3% 8.6% 12.6% =0A = =0AConsolidated$3,231 17.1% 7.4% 9.1% =0A=0A =0AOperational Accomplishme= nts=0AContinental=92s employees continued to work together to deliver a rec= ord third quarter systemwide mainline completion factor of 99.8 percent dur= ing the quarter, operating 28 days without a single mainline cancellation. = The company recorded a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on-time arr= ival rate of 75.1 percent during the quarter, which was affected by bad wea= ther, air traffic control ground delay programs, new security rules and rec= ord load factors.=0A=93My co-workers did a tremendous job this quarter, and= earned on-time bonuses for two out of the three months, despite operationa= l challenges,=94 said Jeff Smisek, Continental=92s president. =93I couldn= =92t be prouder of them, and I=92m delighted that our financial results hav= e permitted us to accrue over $100 million of profit sharing for my co-work= ers.=94=0AContinental Airlines continues to be recognized for superior serv= ice. For the ninth year in a row, Continental outranked all of its U.S. co= mpetition in international Business Class service, according to results of = a survey of Cond=E9 Nast Traveler readers published in the magazine=92s Oct= ober 2006 edition. Continental also placed highest among its network peers= for domestic premium-class service. Rankings were determined using a vari= ety of criteria including seat comfort/legroom, food, cabin service, amenit= ies/technolog y, airport lounge clubs and frequent-flier privileges.=0ADuri= ng the quarter, Continental submitted its case to the DOT for authority to = serve New York/Newark- Shanghai, the largest U.S.-China market currently wi= thout daily nonstop service. The route proceeding is supported by over 1= 10,000 signatures from civic parties, corporate travel partners, Continenta= l employees, elected officials, the airline=92s customers and other interes= ted citizens. =0AThird Quarter Financial Results=0AContinental=92s mainline= cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 5.9 percent in the third qua= rter compared to the same period last year, primarily due to record high fu= el prices. CASM decreased 0.8 percent holding fuel rate constant and exclu= ding employee profit sharing accruals and related payroll taxes, and specia= l charges. =0A=93It=92s great to report another quarter of solid performan= ce,=94 said Jeff Misner, Continental=92s executive vice president and chief= financial officer. =93Our cost control performance remains on target, and= we=92ll keep our focus, even in this improved revenue environment.=94 =0A= Mainline fuel costs for the quarter increased $174 million over the third q= uarter of 2005, primarily due to a 17.8 percent increase in fuel prices com= pared to the same period last year. =0AContinental continues to enhance it= s fuel efficient fleet. Today the company announced that it has signed an = agreement to acquire winglets for 37 of its 737-500 and 11 of its long-rang= e 737-300 aircraft, with installation beginning in 2007. The company has a= lready completed the installation of winglets on its entire fleet of 737-70= 0s and -800s and plans to finish the installation of winglets on its entire= 757-200 fleet in the fourth quarter of 2006. When these installations are= complete, Continental will operate 230 narrowbody aircraft outfitted with = winglets. Winglets lower drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, which ca= n reduce fuel consumption by up to five percent.=0A By year-end,= the company expects to have improved fuel efficiency by nearly 25 percent = per available seat mile as compared to 1998, as a result of several factors= , including fleet modernization, improved operating procedures and implemen= tation of fuel-saving technology like winglets and GE90 3D Aero blades.=0AD= uring the third quarter, Continental recorded net special charges of $1 mil= lion consisting of an $8 million settlement charge related to lump-sum paym= ents to retiring pilots and a $7 million reduction of previous charges rela= ted to permanently grounded MD-80 aircraft.=0AContinental ended the third q= uarter with approximately $2.5 billion in unrestricted cash and short-term = investments.=0AOther Accomplishments=0AContinental contributed $79 million = to its pension plans during the quarter and an additional $70 million to th= e plans in October. The contributions bring its 2006 pension contributions= to $246 million. Since the beginning of 2002, Continental has contributed= more than $1.1 billion to its pension plans.=0AContinental has accrued a c= umulative profit sharing pool of over $100 million through Sept. 30, 2006. = The actual amount of profit sharing that the company will be able to distr= ibute to employees on Feb. 14, 2007, depends on the company=92s full-year f= inancial results and may exceed or be less than $100 million. =0AContinent= al converted 12 existing orders for Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft int= o orders for 12 new Boeing 737-900ERs, expected to be delivered in 2008. C= ontinental is the first U.S. carrier to order the extended-range twinjet th= at flies about 500 nautical miles farther than the existing 737-900. The n= ew aircraft will have among the lowest operating costs in Continental=92s f= leet and will allow the carrier to serve high demand markets more efficient= ly. =0AContinental amended its $350 million loan facility secured by subst= antially all of its Pacific operations. The amended loan agreement lowered = the interest rate, which is expected to save the =0Acompany approximately $= 6 million annually. =0AContinental was awarded a $258 million, five-year m= ail contract with the U.S. Postal Service, the company=92s largest cargo cu= stomer, effective September 30, 2006, extending Continental=92s relationshi= p with the U.S. Postal Service for five more years. The contract includes = Priority, First Class and Express mail products within the U.S. and Puerto = Rico. =0ACorporate Background=0AContinental Airlines is the world=92s fift= h largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Cont= inental Connection, has more than 3,200 daily departures throughout the Ame= ricas, Europe and Asia, serving 151 domestic and 136 international destinat= ions. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airli= nes. With more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New Yor= k, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carr= ies approximately 61 million passengers per year. Continental consistently = earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate = culture. For more company information, visit continental. com. =0AContinen= tal Airlines will conduct a regular quarterly telephone briefing today to d= iscuss these results and the company's financial and operating outlook with= the financial community and news media at 9:30 a.m. CT/10:30 a.m. ET. To l= isten to a live broadcast of this briefing, go to continental. com/company.= =0AThis press release contains forward-looking statements that are not limi= ted to historical facts, but reflect the company's current beliefs, expecta= tions 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 su= ch risks and uncertainties, please see the risk factors set forth in the co= mpany's 2005 10-K and its other securities filings, including any amendment= s thereto, which identify important matters such as the consequences of our= significant financial losses and high leverage, terrorist attacks, domesti= c and international economic conditions, the significant cost of aircraft f= uel, labor costs, competition, and industry conditions, including the deman= d for air travel, the airline pricing environment and industry capacity dec= isions, regulatory matters, disruptions in its computer systems, and the se= asonal nature of the airline business. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly upd= ate or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumsta= nces that may arise after the date of this press release. =0A =0A =0AView o= ur videos at: http://www.youtube. com/profile? user=3Dewrw4co=0A =0ARoger &= Amanda La France=0A__._,_.___ =0AMessages in this topic (2) Reply (via web= post) | Start a new topic =0AMessages | Files | Photos | Links | Database = | Polls | Calendar =0ASkyOne--The Airline News Channel=0A To Post message:= Skyone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =0A To Subscribe: Skyone-subscribe@yahoogroups.= com =0A To Unsubscribe: Skyone-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =0A List owne= r: Skyone-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =0ASkyone URL:=0A http://www.yahoogroups= .com/group/Skyone =0A =0AChange settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) = =0AChange settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch form= at to Traditional =0AVisit Your Group | Yahoo! 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