Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAI.B and CAI.A) today reported a systemwide load factor of 70.5 percent in February, the highest February load factor in Continental’s history and 2.4 points above the previous record set last February.

In February 1999, Continental flew 4.2 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 6.0 billion available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 14.9 percent and a capacity increase of 11.0 percent versus February 1998. International traffic was 1.5 billion RPMs, up 18.4 percent from February 1998 and international capacity was 2.1 billion ASMs, up 14.7 percent from last year.

Continental Express, Continental’s wholly owned regional subsidiary, also reported its highest February load factor of 57.4 percent, up 4.8 points from last year’s record, based on 130.6 million RPMs and 227.7 million ASMs. Continental Express February traffic was up 39.5 percent and February capacity was up 27.9 percent from last year.

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