cerealmarketer

I can't post the verbatim transcript here because of copyright issues, but if you're interested, go to CO.com Investor Relations and listen to the webcast of today's earnings conference call.

A number of interesting things including:


- Top 50 corp customer meeting in December revealed they will not pay more for a lie flat product, but very interested in something between business first and economy.

- Smisek said looking at an Economy Plus type product internationally

- A new biz class product will roll out on the 787 and will go on the rest of the fleet

- CO would like to avoid a 3 class product though

- EWR will see reduction of regional jets through upgauging of flights in concert with the voluntary flight caps the D.O.T. announced

- First quarter bookings still healthy even with strong pricing

- Bonus disbursement will once again be on Valentine's Day

- CRJ's are starting to leave -- 7 will be given back this year, and what I saw indicated they were trying to phase them out, but may be misinterpreting

- Clearly said they don't have enough Pacific service and the 787s will do a lot to fill that gap. Did acknowledge domestic weakness is north-south West Coast market

- Got very guarded by the lawyers when asked whether there had been discussions about the 'golden share' with Northwest in the last couple weeks (read: they have)

- Summer 2009 will be tough with China expansion and 787 delay

- New 737s will get a lot of play in Latin America markets

- Mobile checkin will be expanded to Boston / Reagan National / Newark when TSA is ready. Goal is to someday no longer have paper involved in the boarding process.

- On fuel surcharge pullback...Continental actually went in with a much broader surcharge across more fares, but they saw other airlines were being more narrow, so they were forced to pull it.