CHICAGO, Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL) today reported September 2012 combined operational results for its airline units.
UAL's consolidated traffic (revenue passenger miles) in September 2012 decreased 2.1 percent and consolidated capacity (available seat miles) decreased 1.3 percent versus September 2011. UAL's consolidated load factor in September 2012 decreased 0.7 points compared to September 2011.
UAL's September 2012 consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile ("PRASM") decreased an estimated 2.5 to 3.5 percent compared to September 2011.
About United
United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,574 flights a day to 377 airports on six continents from our hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In 2011, United carried more traffic than any other airline in the world, and operated more than two million flights carrying 142 million passengers. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 270 new aircraft deliveries through 2022, including 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 25 Airbus A350XWBs, and 100 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. United was rated the world's most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine's 2012 airline-industry list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United's MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.
Preliminary Operational Results
September
Year-to-Date
2012
2011
Change
2012
2011
Change
REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)
Domestic
7,195,759
7,484,108
(3.9%)
70,887,865
72,296,078
(1.9%)
International
7,202,971
7,234,872
(0.4%)
66,972,957
66,336,390
1.0%
Atlantic
3,421,995
3,612,294
(5.3%)
29,555,453
30,376,214
(2.7%)
Pacific
2,791,642
2,654,072
5.2%
24,554,288
23,574,242
4.2%
Latin
989,334
968,506
2.2%
12,863,216
12,385,934
3.9%
Mainline
14,398,730
14,718,980
(2.2%)
137,860,822
138,632,468
(0.6%)
Regional
2,099,556
2,124,814
(1.2%)
19,757,708
19,429,329
1.7%
Consolidated
16,498,286
16,843,794
(2.1%)
157,618,530
158,061,797
(0.3%)
AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)
Domestic
8,784,995
8,839,028
(0.6%)
83,277,016
84,689,206
(1.7%)
International
8,676,957
8,802,670
(1.4%)
82,677,324
82,111,478
0.7%
Atlantic
4,091,227
4,249,656
(3.7%)
36,886,663
37,826,882
(2.5%)
Pacific
3,317,209
3,286,336
0.9%
29,831,373
28,645,280
4.1%
Latin
1,268,521
1,266,678
0.1%
15,959,288
15,639,316
2.0%
Mainline
17,461,952
17,641,698
(1.0%)
165,954,340
166,800,684
(0.5%)
Regional
2,623,622
2,713,202
(3.3%)
24,740,148
25,012,987
(1.1%)
Consolidated
20,085,574
20,354,900
(1.3%)
190,694,488
191,813,671
(0.6%)
PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR
Domestic
81.9%
84.7%
(2.8) pts
85.1%
85.4%
(0.3) pts
International
83.0%
82.2%
0.8 pts
81.0%
80.8%
0.2 pts
Atlantic
83.6%
85.0%
(1.4) pts
80.1%
80.3%
(0.2) pts
Pacific
84.2%
80.8%
3.4 pts
82.3%
82.3%
0.0 pts
Latin
78.0%
76.5%
1.5 pts
80.6%
79.2%
1.4 pts
Mainline
82.5%
83.4%
(0.9) pts
83.1%
83.1%
0.0 pts
Regional
80.0%
78.3%
1.7 pts
79.9%
77.7%
2.2 pts
Consolidated
82.1%
82.8%
(0.7) pts
82.7%
82.4%
0.3 pts
ONBOARD PASSENGERS (000)
Mainline
7,286
7,545
(3.4%)
71,784
73,400
(2.2%)
Regional
3,782
3,746
1.0%
35,402
34,208
3.5%
Consolidated
11,068
11,291
(2.0%)
107,186
107,608
(0.4%)
CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)
Total
201,285
201,931
(0.3%)
1,858,761
1,984,866
(6.4%)
Preliminary Financial Results
August 2012 year-over-year consolidated PRASM change
(0.8)
%
August 2012 year-over-year mainline PRASM change
(1.5)
%
September 2012 estimated year-over-year consolidated PRASM change
(2.5) – (3.5)
%
September 2012 estimated year-over-year mainline PRASM change
(3.5) – (4.5)
%
September 2012 estimated consolidated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes
3.44
Dollars
Third Quarter 2012 estimated consolidated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes
3.19
Dollars
Preliminary Operational Results
2012
20113
Change
September On-Time Performance1
82.0%
81.2%
0.8
pts
September Completion Factor2
99.4%
99.5%
(0.1)
pts
1 Based on domestic mainline scheduled flights arriving within 14 minutes of scheduled arrival time, according to data published in the DOT Air Travel Consumer Report.
2 Mainline completion percentage.
3In order to provide a meaningful year-over-year comparison, 2011 operational results are combined on a weighted departure basis for the Company's two operating subsidiaries, United and Continental. On a standalone basis, United's September 2011 on-time performance and completion factor was 82.2% and 99.3%, respectively, and Continental's September 2011 on-time performance and completion factor was 79.8% and 99.7%, respectively.
Safe Harbor Statement
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements included in this release are forward-looking and thus reflect our current expectations and beliefs with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are and will be subject to many risks and uncertainties relating to our operations and business environment that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "will," "plans," "anticipates," "indicates," "believes," "forecast," "guidance," "outlook" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Additionally, forward-looking statements include statements which do not relate solely to historical facts, such as statements which identify uncertainties or trends, discuss the possible future effects of current known trends or uncertainties, or which indicate that the future effects of known trends or uncertainties cannot be predicted, guaranteed or assured. All forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to us on the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Our actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to numerous factors including, without limitation, the following: our ability to comply with the terms of our various financing arrangements; the costs and availability of financing; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity; our ability to execute our operational plans; our ability to control our costs, including realizing benefits from our resource optimization efforts, cost reduction initiatives and fleet replacement programs; our ability to utilize our net operating losses; our ability to attract and retain customers; demand for transportation in the markets in which we operate; an outbreak of a disease that affects travel demand or travel behavior; demand for travel and the impact that global economic conditions have on customer travel patterns; excessive taxation and the inability to offset future taxable income; general economic conditions (including interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, investment or credit market conditions, crude oil prices, costs of aviation fuel and energy refining capacity in relevant markets); our ability to cost-effectively hedge against increases in the price of aviation fuel; any potential realized or unrealized gains or losses related to fuel or currency hedging programs; the effects of any hostilities, act of war or terrorist attack; the ability of other air carriers with whom we have alliances or partnerships to provide the services contemplated by the respective arrangements with such carriers; the costs and availability of aviation and other insurance; the costs associated with security measures and practices; industry consolidation or changes in airline alliances; competitive pressures on pricing and on demand; our capacity decisions and the capacity decisions of our competitors; U.S. or foreign governmental legislation, regulation and other actions (including open skies agreements and environmental regulations); labor costs; our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations and the results of the collective bargaining agreement process with our union groups; any disruptions to operations due to any potential actions by our labor groups; weather conditions; the possibility that expected merger synergies will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; and other risks and uncertainties set forth under Item 1A., Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in the reports we file with the SEC. Consequently, forward-looking statements should not be regarded as representations or warranties by us that such matters will be realized.
SOURCE United Continental Holdings, Inc.