Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A) today reported a systemwide load factor of 72.6 percent in May, the second highest May load factor in Continental`s history.

In May 1999, Continental flew 4.9 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 6.8 billion available seat miles (ASMs), resulting in a traffic increase of 8.1 percent on a capacity increase of 8.3 percent versus May 1998. Domestic traffic was 3.2 billion RPMs, up 4.3 percent from May 1998 and domestic capacity was 4.3 billion ASMs, up 4.1 percent from last year.

Continental Express, Continental`s wholly owned regional subsidiary, reported its highest load factor in company history of 64.8 percent, beating the previous record set in August 1998 by 1.3 points, based on 172.6 million RPMs and 266.2 million ASMs. Continental Express May traffic was up 32.4 percent and May capacity was up 22.7 percent from last year.

——-