Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A) today reported a systemwide load factor of 69.6 percent in February, the second highest February load factor in company history and 0.9 points below the record set last year.

In February 2000, Continental flew 4.6 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 6.7 billion available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 9.3 percent on a capacity increase of 10.7 percent versus February 1999. International traffic was 1.8 billion RPMs, up 16.9 percent from February 1999 and international capacity was 2.6 billion ASMs, up 20.0 percent from last year.

Continental Express, Continental’s wholly owned regional subsidiary, reported its second highest February load factor of 56.5 percent, 0.9 points below last February’s record. Continental Express flew 188.7 million RPMs and 334.2 million ASMs in February, resulting in a traffic increase of 44.5 percent and a capacity increase of 46.8 percent versus last year.

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