CONTINENTAL AIRLINES RECEIVES FINAL =0ADOT APPROVAL TO JOIN=0AANTITRUST IMM= UNIZED ALLIANCE WITH UNITED, STAR =0ACARRIERS=0A =0AWASHINGTON, =0AD.C., Ju= ly 10, 2009 =E2=80=93 The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today app= roved =0Athe application for Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) to join the e= xisting =0Aantitrust immunized alliance including United Airlines and eight= other Star =0AAlliance member carriers. =0A=E2=80=9CWe are pleased =0Ato r= eceive final approval from the Department of Transportation,=E2=80=9D said = Larry =0AKellner, Continental=E2=80=99s chairman and CEO. =E2=80=9CContine= ntal is working to provide a =0Aseamless transition for its customers from = the SkyTeam alliance to Star Alliance =0Athis fall. The DOT decision great= ly benefits our customers, employees and =0Ashareholders. It ensures globa= l competition with other antitrust immunized =0Aalliances while encouraging= the retention and growth of open skies between the =0AU.S. and other natio= ns.=E2=80=9D=0A=E2=80=9CToday=E2=80=99s =0Adecision from the Department of = Transportation facilitates the development of a =0Acompetitive partnership = that is good for consumers, our employees and the =0Acommunities we serve,= =E2=80=9D said Glenn Tilton, United=E2=80=99s chairman, president and CEO. = =0A=E2=80=9CUnited, Continental and the Star Alliance carriers will be able= to compete more =0Aeffectively in an increasingly global air travel market= , while providing our =0Arespective customers with improved access to more = of the world and creating =0Aopportunities for our employees.=E2=80=9D=0ACo= ntinental =0Aand United expressed their appreciation to the numerous commun= ity and civic =0Aparties whose enthusiastic support has been critical to th= e airlines=E2=80=99 efforts to =0Asecure this approval. The airlines also t= hank their employees, their millions of =0Acustomers and the travel profess= ionals, congressional, state and local =0Agovernment representatives and bu= siness partners who urged timely approval of =0Athe application.=0AContinen= tal =0Aand United also expressed their appreciation for the efforts of DOT = Secretary =0ARay LaHood and his staff who have worked diligently to protect= the needs =0Aof consumers, communities and airline employees by f= inalizing its order =0Awith modest adjustments while recognizing the issues= facing the =0Aindustry.=0AIn addition =0Ato United, the eight Star Allianc= e members who have been granted DOT approval =0Afor antitrust immunity are = Air Canada, Austrian, bmi, Lufthansa, LOT Polish =0AAirlines, Scandinavian = Airlines (SAS), SWISS and TAP Air Portugal. =0AContinental =0AAirlines is = the world=E2=80=99s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with =0AC= ontinental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,750 daily = =0Adepartures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 133 domesti= c and =0A132 international destinations. With more than 43,000 employees, = Continental =0Ahas hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and = together with its =0Aregional partners, carries approximately 67 million pa= ssengers per year. =0ACelebrating =0Aits 75th anniversary this year, Contin= ental consistently earns awards and =0Acritical acclaim for both its operat= ion and its corporate culture. For the =0Asixth consecutive year, FORTUNE = magazine named Continental the No. 1 World=E2=80=99s =0AMost Admired Airlin= e on its 2009 list of World=E2=80=99s Most Admired Companies. For =0Amore c= ompany information, go to continental.com. =0A United Airlines = =0A(NASDAQ: UAUA) operates over 3,100 flights a day on United and United E= xpress =0Ato more than 200 U.S. domestic and international destinations fro= m its hubs in =0ALos Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington= , D.C. With key =0Aglobal air rights in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe an= d Latin America, United =0Ais one of the largest international carriers bas= ed in the United States. United =0Aalso is a founding member of Star Allia= nce, which provides connections for our =0Acustomers to 912 destinations in= 159 countries worldwide. United's 48,500 =0Aemployees reside in every U.S= . state and in many countries around the world. =0ANews releases and other= information about United can be found at the company's =0AWeb site at unit= ed.com. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".