A Shift on Continental, for a Trade By Jim Cramer RealMoney.com Columnist 6/20/2006 4:13 PM EDT Click here for more stories by Jim Cramer Editor's note: This column is an update of a portion of the "Mad Money" episode that aired June 19. Click here to read the full Mad Money Recap for that episode. I'm about to do something I thought I would never do. I'm about to break so many of my own rules, I'll be doing the self-flagellation thing for hours. I'm going against two decades of experience and hard work. That's right. I want you to buy an airline, and not one of these awesome Brazilian airlines. I'm talking about one of our own dysfunctional American-type airlines. If you read the book, Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World, you know I tell you that at no time, ever, should you own an airline. These companies have just been pieces of garbage, they've been like Vonage (VG:NYSE - commentary - research - Cramer's Take) the dog for so long I can barely remember the last time they were worth owning. And now, guess what: I want you to buy Continental Airlines (CAL:NYSE - commentary - research - Cramer's Take). This ain't an investment, let's get that straight right up front. If you invest in an airline, you lose money. But it is a really terrific trade. I never thought I'd be saying this, but here's how an airline trade can make you money. There's a lot going on here, but the most important factor is this "Open Skies" initiative that our government, of, by and for the airlines, has been pushing. It's not here yet, but if the Department of Transportation decides to run with it, and I bet it will, then we'll be able to ease restrictions on foreign airlines buying our domestic ones. Both Air France (AKH:NYSE - commentary - research - Cramer's Take) and KLM are desperate to buy. I hate to say it, I really do, because I just despise these airlines. But Open Skies could make every single one a takeover target. I want you to buy only the best and that's Continental, because of its terrific management team and recent strong performance. Go to NEXT PAGE Roger & Amanda La France