EX-99.1 2 d463354dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE Press Release

Exhibit 99.1

 

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UNITED REPORTS DECEMBER 2012

OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE

CHICAGO, Jan. 8, 2013 – United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL) today reported December 2012 combined operational results for its airline units.

UAL’s consolidated traffic (revenue passenger miles) in December 2012 decreased 4.0 percent and consolidated capacity (available seat miles) decreased 5.4 percent versus December 2011. UAL’s consolidated load factor in December 2012 increased 1.2 points compared to December 2011.

UAL’s December 2012 consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) increased an estimated 2.5 to 3.5 percent compared to December 2011. Core passenger revenue growth showed sequential strength from November 2012 to December 2012, but was partially offset by year-end revenue adjustments.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,557 flights a day to 378 airports on six continents from the airline’s hubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Guam, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. United is upgrading its cabins with more flat-bed seats in first and business class and more extra-legroom economy-class seating than any other airline in North America. United now has 180 airplanes featuring DIRECTV®, offering customers more live television access than any other airline in the world. United operates nearly 700 mainline aircraft and has orders for more than 270 new aircraft deliveries through 2022. In 2012, United was the first North American airline to take delivery of new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. United was rated the world’s most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine’s 2012 airline-industry list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. Readers of Global Traveler magazine have voted United’s MileagePlus program the best frequent flyer program for eight consecutive years. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 193 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com or follow United on Twitter and Facebook. The common stock of United’s parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

 

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UAL REPORTS DECEMBER 2012 OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE/Page 2

 

Preliminary Operational Results

 

     December     Year-to-Date  
     2012     2011     Change     2012     2011     Change  

REVENUE PASSENGER MILES (000)

            

Domestic

     7,294,836        7,752,603        (5.9 %)      92,654,685        95,069,896        (2.5 %) 

International

     6,838,979        6,982,065        (2.0 %)      86,761,121        86,693,558        0.1

Atlantic

     2,757,774        2,890,038        (4.6 %)      37,817,032        39,280,149        (3.7 %) 

Pacific

     2,600,344        2,616,274        (0.6 %)      32,360,042        31,350,439        3.2

Latin

     1,480,861        1,475,753        0.3     16,584,047        16,062,970        3.2

Mainline

     14,133,815        14,734,668        (4.1 %)      179,415,806        181,763,454        (1.3 %) 

Regional

     2,071,797        2,148,219        (3.6 %)      26,068,761        25,768,002        1.2

Consolidated

     16,205,612        16,882,887        (4.0 %)      205,484,567        207,531,456        (1.0 %) 

AVAILABLE SEAT MILES (000)

            

Domestic

     8,747,198        9,311,662        (6.1 %)      109,105,345        111,734,624        (2.4 %) 

International

     8,337,481        8,707,176        (4.2 %)      107,224,901        107,702,131        (0.4 %) 

Atlantic

     3,434,047        3,698,344        (7.1 %)      47,428,563        49,189,706        (3.6 %) 

Pacific

     3,070,544        3,160,691        (2.9 %)      39,234,124        38,207,995        2.7

Latin

     1,832,890        1,848,141        (0.8 %)      20,562,214        20,304,430        1.3

Mainline

     17,084,679        18,018,838        (5.2 %)      216,330,246        219,436,755        (1.4 %) 

Regional

     2,580,166        2,777,392        (7.1 %)      32,529,763        33,091,282        (1.7 %) 

Consolidated

     19,664,845        20,796,230        (5.4 %)      248,860,009        252,528,037        (1.5 %) 

PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR

            

Domestic

     83.4     83.3     0.1  pts      84.9     85.1     (0.2 ) pts 

International

     82.0     80.2     1.8  pts      80.9     80.5     0.4  pts 

Atlantic

     80.3     78.1     2.2  pts      79.7     79.9     (0.2 ) pts 

Pacific

     84.7     82.8     1.9  pts      82.5     82.1     0.4  pts 

Latin

     80.8     79.9     0.9  pts      80.7     79.1     1.6  pts 

Mainline

     82.7     81.8     0.9  pts      82.9     82.8     0.1  pts 

Regional

     80.3     77.3     3.0  pts      80.1     77.9     2.2  pts 

Consolidated

     82.4     81.2     1.2  pts      82.6     82.2     0.4  pts 

ONBOARD PASSENGERS (000)

            

Mainline

     7,331        7,780        (5.8 %)      93,595        96,360        (2.9 %) 

Regional

     3,746        3,778        (0.8 %)      46,846        45,439        3.1

Consolidated

     11,077        11,558        (4.2 %)      140,441        141,799        (1.0 %) 

CARGO REVENUE TON MILES (000)

            

Total

     199,466        223,892        (10.9 %)      2,460,438        2,645,600        (7.0 %) 

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UAL REPORTS DECEMBER 2012 OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE/Page 3

 

Preliminary Financial Results  

November 2012 year-over-year consolidated PRASM change

     (2.1 )% 

November 2012 year-over-year mainline PRASM change

     (2.5 )% 

December 2012 estimated year-over-year consolidated PRASM change

     2.5 - 3.5

December 2012 estimated year-over-year mainline PRASM change

     1.5 - 2.5

December 2012 estimated consolidated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

     3.23 Dollars   

Fourth Quarter 2012 estimated consolidated average price per gallon of fuel, including fuel taxes

     3.29 Dollars   

 

Preliminary Operational Results
     2012     20113     Change

December On-Time Performance1

     78.4     82.1   (3.7) pts

December Completion Factor2

     99.2     99.5   (0.3) pts

 

1 

Based on domestic mainline scheduled flights arriving within 14 minutes of scheduled arrival time, according to data published in the DOT Air Travel Consumer Report.

2

Mainline completion percentage.

3 

In order to provide a meaningful year-over-year comparison, 2011 operational results are combined on a weighted departure basis for the Company’s two operating subsidiaries, United and Continental. On a standalone basis, United’s December 2011 on-time performance and completion factor was 84.0% and 99.4%, respectively, and Continental’s December 2011 on-time performance and completion factor was 79.8% and 99.5%, respectively.

Safe Harbor Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements included in this release are forward-looking and thus reflect our current expectations and beliefs with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are and will be subject to many risks and uncertainties relating to our operations and business environment that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects,” “will,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “indicates,” “believes,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “outlook” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Additionally, forward-looking statements include statements which do not relate solely to historical facts, such as statements which identify uncertainties or trends, discuss the possible future effects of current known trends or uncertainties, or which indicate that the future effects of known trends or uncertainties cannot be predicted, guaranteed or assured. All forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to us on the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Our actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to numerous factors including, without limitation, the following: our ability to comply with the terms of our various financing arrangements; the costs and availability of financing; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity; our ability to execute our operational plans; our ability to control our costs, including realizing benefits from our resource optimization efforts, cost reduction initiatives and fleet replacement programs; our ability to utilize our net operating losses; our ability to attract and retain customers; demand for transportation in the markets in which we operate; an outbreak of a disease that affects travel demand or travel behavior; demand for travel and the impact that global economic conditions have on customer travel patterns; excessive taxation and the inability to offset future taxable income; general economic conditions (including interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, investment or credit market conditions, crude oil prices, costs of aviation fuel and energy refining capacity in relevant markets); our ability to cost-effectively hedge against increases in the price of aviation fuel; any potential realized or unrealized gains or losses related to fuel or currency hedging programs; the effects of any hostilities, act of war or terrorist attack; the ability of other air carriers with whom we have alliances or partnerships to provide the services contemplated by the respective arrangements with such carriers; the costs and availability of aviation and other insurance; the costs associated with security measures and practices; industry consolidation or changes in airline alliances; competitive pressures on pricing and on demand; our capacity decisions and the capacity decisions of our competitors; U.S. or foreign governmental legislation, regulation and other actions (including open skies agreements and environmental regulations); labor costs; our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations and the results of the collective bargaining agreement process with our union groups; any disruptions to operations due to any potential actions by our labor groups; weather conditions; the possibility that expected merger synergies will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; and other risks and uncertainties set forth under Item 1A., Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in the reports we file with the SEC. Consequently, forward-looking statements should not be regarded as representations or warranties by us that such matters will be realized.

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