ISSUES IN ACCOUNTING EDUCATION
Vol. 26, No. 1
2011
pp. 181–200
American Accounting Association
DOI: 10.2308/iace.2011.26.1.181
A Case Study on Cost Estimation and
Profitability Analysis at Continental Airlines
Francisco J. Román
ABSTRACT: This case exposes students to the application of regression analyses to be used as a tool pursuant to understanding cost behavior and forecasting future costs using publicly available data from Continental Airlines. Specifically, the case focuses on the harsh financial situation faced by Continental as a result of the recent financial crisis and the challenges it faces to remain profitable. It then highlights the importance of reducing and controlling costs as a viable strategy to restore
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Continental’s internal forecasts indicated that a further decline in passenger volume should be anticipated throughout 2009, with a recovery in travel possibly occurring by the middle of 2010.
To summarize, adverse economic conditions in the U.S., coupled with the rise in fuel costs, were dragging down Continental’s profits and relief was unlikely through the foreseeable future.
THE DECISION TO REDUCE FLYING CAPACITY AND THE IMPACT ON
OPERATING COSTS
Given the situation described above, management needed to act swiftly to restore profitability.
Several strategic options were evaluated. Since the U.S. and much of the world was facing a severe recession, the prospect for growing revenues by either raising airfares or passenger volume seemed futile. Contrary to raising revenue, Continental’s managers believed that raising fares could potentially erode future revenues beyond the present level. Discounting fares did not seem a plausible solution either, because given the severity of the economic situation a fare cut could fall short in stimulating additional passenger demand and lead to lowering revenues.
Thus, because management anticipated that revenues would remain flat for most of the year, the only viable short-term solution to restoring profits was a substantial and swift reduction in operating costs. This could most effectively be accomplished in two ways. First, through a reduction in flying
• A situation where a reduction in production will result in less overhead allocated to the respective product
The rise of crude oil has also effected the sales of trucks. With comapnays no buying or spending as much on a truck has hurt the econonmy.
The maintenance costs and other operating costs, allows the company to offer low price solutions to its customers (Investopedia, 2017).
Once upon a time Americans hopped into their cars on warm spring days and took long drives to admire the beauty of nature. Teenagers took joy rides around town to meet friends and rode from one “hot spot” to another. Those were the days when gas prices were affordable to the average American. Over the past few years, gas prices in the United States have been on the rise. What is causing the increase in gas prices?
Another way to look at the relevant cost savings is by looking at the savings incurred as a result of
* Least expensive of the three strategies due to the lack of excess inventory and employee overtime
Initially, American leaders were unsure about how exactly containment would be implemented. Would it be applied everywhere? Would it involve economic aid to help nations reconstruct their economies? Would it involve military confrontation? The answer was to come soon.
Option 2: Decrease Cost of Goods Sold and Expense by 20% due to the current economic climate.
Looking at the brief history of Boeing, the company was first founded in Puget Sound, Washington in 1916 by William Edward Boeing.
Cost accounting is a type of accounting process that aims to capture a company's costs of production by assessing the input costs of each step of production as well as fixed costs such as depreciation of capital equipment. Cost accounting will first measure and record these costs individually, then compare input results to output or actual results to aid company management in measuring financial performance (Cost Accounting, n.d.).
Continental, Northwest and United Airlines intended to adopt part of the new fare system. Continental, because it is in Chapter
A drop in fares has been the best result of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. It has been the impetus for the increase in the number of flights, which in turn has spurred a drive for greater safety in airlines. But with the current airline market, this development has given us one negative. Since ticket prices have dropped to new lows, the realities of an industry which operates on such economies of scale dictates that only a few competitors have the capacity to operate within the market. This is not the desired effect of either political side on this issue, but it is an economic necessity with the environment that has been created, very similar to that of public utilities and phone companies.
Founded in the 1930s, American Airlines (AA) is the world recognized airline company and is headquartered in Fort Worth, TX. Before 2013, AA ran under three carriers; American Airlines, American Eagle and American Connection, and with these three carriers they were in over 260 airports all over the world and operated in more than 50 countries and territories while maintaining an average of 3,500 flights a day.
4. Several major airlines filed for bankruptcy. Many airlines significantly decreased their capacity, reduced their routes and postponed purchases of new aircraft. Some airlines reported a 50% reduction in routes and flight frequency. All these events provided opportunities for the low-cost carriers not only to increase the number of flights but also to introduce services on new routes.
Under the new cost system, two broad sources of costs were identified: manufacturing and SM&A. All costs within these categories were reclassified as either volume driven or order driven. Hence, four cost pools were set up.