About Airport

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Continental Airlines has its hubs at Houston Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Newark Liberty in greater New York City, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio. Operating over 6,000 flights a day to destinations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and to many locations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Micronesia, Continental employs over 82,000 workers.

Continental, along with Northwest, Delta, Aeromexico, Air France, KLM, and Alitalia, is currently a member of the SkyTeam alliance. In October, 2009, however, Continental will discontinue its membership in SkyTeam to join the Star Alliance. Membership in Star Alliance will allow Continental to cooperate more closely with United, with which it has been in merger discussions since 2006. Coordinating with Star Alliance, however, is currently a higher priority for Continental than merging with United.

The Continental frequent flyer program is OnePass. Member earn valuable miles on all Continental flights, as well as when they travel on Aero Republica, Copa, or any other SkyTeam carrier (Star Alliance after October 2009). Frequent flyers can earn and use their miles on Continental or any other carrier in its alliance.

Continental Airlines was founded in’31 as Varney Speed Lines. The company name was changed to Continental Airlines in’37. The airline was originally based in El Paso, Texas and offered service to New Mexico, Colorado and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Many modern flyers do not know that at one time, the only class was first class?and ticket prices were always high. Continental pioneered the lower fare movement, introducing coach class fares in’62. Continental has been flying to Europe since’85.

Continental was the first American airline to hire an African-American pilot, in’63, as well as the first U.S. carrier to survive bankruptcy.

Continental recently achieved yet another first with the first biofuel-powered flight by any commercial airline in the U.S. The fuel for the flight was a fuel oil blend extracted from jatrophra seeds and algae. Continental plans to continue working with biofuels, as part of its comprehensive effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Every passenger on Continental gets an opportunity to buy carbon offsets for as little as two dollars a ticket, the money used to restore deforested areas. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has honored Continental for its continuing efforts at greener transportation.

Every Continental jet is made by Boeing?737, 757, 767, or 777. Continental plans to add the Boeing Dreamliner 787 to its fleet in the next several years. Boeing has had an exclusive agreement with Continental to build its aircraft since’90, although the European Commission found that the contract was void when Boeing acquired rival McDonnell Douglas in’97. Continental continues, however, to get all its jets from Boeing.

Like every other airline, Continental has struggled with its finances. It reported losing millions of dollars in 2008 due to fuel costs and funding needs for retired pilots.

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for South Arica?s leading Flight comparison & Booking portal, which includes Continental Airlines amongst others.