CONTINENTAL AIRLINES RECEIVES TENTATIVE
APPROVAL TO OPERATE FLIGHTS TO CHINA
=
NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2005 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) t=
oday announced that it has received tentative approval from the U.S. Depa=
rtment of Transportation (DOT) to initiate service to Beijing in the Peop=
le=92s Republic of China from its hub at New York/Newark Liberty Internat=
ional Airport. =
A date for the daily nonstop flight to Beijing will be announced once fin=
al approval is granted. Continental will be the only U.S. flag carrier l=
inking the People=92s Republic of China with New York, one of the largest=
origin-and-destination points in the United States for China travel. T=
he flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER with 283-seats, 48 in Bu=
sinessFirst and 235 in coach. =
=93We commend the Department of Transportation for opening th=
e door to new competition between the U.S. and China,=94 said Larry Kelln=
er, chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines. =93Business travelers will=
appreciate how easy and convenient it is to use Continental to access Be=
ijing=92s thriving network of high-tech industries and manufacturing plan=
ts.=94
Kellner thanked his coworkers, elected officials and thousand=
s of concerned citizens and corporations for their support in securing se=
rvice to Beijing. Nearly 13,000 Continental employees sent letters to th=
e Department of Transportation, Congress and state and local officials ur=
ging approval.
In March 2001, Continental launched daily nonstop service from New York/N=
ewark to Hong Kong.
The 13-hour flight (CO 89) will depart Liberty, subject to government app=
roval, at noon, arriving in Beijing at 1:50 p.m. the next day. The retur=
n flight (CO 88) will leave the People=92s Republic of China at 3:50 p.m.=
, arriving in the United States 13 hrs. 25 minutes later at 5:15 p.m.
With a population of 1.3 billion, the People=92s Republic of China is the=
largest country in the world. =
Beijing is the nation=92s capital - home to more than 12.5 million people=
=2E Although a largely industrial city comprised of textile mills, steel=
factories, and chemical and manufacturing plants, a significant portion =
of Beijing=92s economy revolves around the high-technology sector. As th=
e country=92s economic and political center, Beijing is a crucial transpo=
rtation hub for the rest of China.
Roger
EWROPS