May operation performance
 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....347&highlight=

Reading the May operation performance data, I do want to point out a few things:

1. Many of us here feel CO has not kept up with its trans-Atlantic expansion, especially when compared to DL. There's only one new destination, Athens this summer. But in fact, many has overlooked the very significant increase in service to many existing destinations, as I've described in an earlier thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=648297

Now, the May numbers are in. Capacity for Trans-Atlantic increased 12.3% compared to a year ago, and revenue seat miles increased 13%. And ATH hasn't even started.

2. Domestic traffic has a very healthy growth. 8.2% ASM increase and 8.9% RPM increase. That increase has picked up, as year-to-date increases are onl 5.3/5.4%. Again, great to see CO's not ignoring the domestic market, and is probably the only major legacy carrier growing domestically.

3. I don't understand why Pacific capacity has only grown 0.1%. With EWR-HKG becoming daily, I thought that would mean about a 1.5% increase in capacity. I don't think they've cut capacity elsewhere in the system. Kind of strange.

Cargo has been down each month this year. 3.6% YTD. I wonder what's up. Is that throughout the industry or just at Continental?

A 13% increase over last May also includes all the other flights that started last summer, both new destinations and dual-frequencies on some of the 752 routes. I don't remember all the cities started last summer, but they're included in here.

S.

I've been wondering about the cargo for the last several months, its down, and given how that's absolute, not even accounting for capacity, it makes you wonder...

DL is a much bigger airline. A smaller % increase for DL may mean a net of more added seats than a larger % on CO.

That's a good point. CGN stated 5/10, BCN stated 5/17 and CPH 5/23. The June performance figures which will include all of these 2006 additions as well as most of this year's ATH, will be more representative.

Good point by channa as well.