Continental Airlines to Inaugurate Flights from New York and Houston to London Heathrow

HOUSTON, March 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) will launch nonstop flights to London/Heathrow from both its New York and Houston hubs on Saturday, March 29, 2008. This will be the largest single-day international service expansion in the company's history.

The new Heathrow flights have been made possible by the new Open Skies agreement between the U.S. and the European Union. Until now, the airline has been prevented from operating to Heathrow by the restrictive U.S.-U.K. bilateral air services agreement. Continental's Flight 28 departing from Newark Liberty International Airport will be the first aircraft of the new-entrant carriers to arrive at Heathrow on March 30.

"Continental has waited a long time to gain access to Heathrow and this is a great day for us, as well as for all trans-Atlantic travelers," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and CEO. "We can now provide our customers with what they have requested -- the opportunity to fly to both of London's main airports with their preferred airline."

Continental will offer twice-daily nonstop service to Heathrow from both Liberty and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The airline will continue to offer nonstop flights to London/Gatwick from both New York (twice daily) and Houston (daily), as well as Cleveland (daily, seasonal). Continental has served Gatwick Airport since 1985.

    Effective March 29, 2008, Continental's London schedule will be as
follows:


    To Heathrow
    Origin         Flight   Departure    Arrival     Frequency  Aircraft type
                   no.
    New York/EWR   CO 18    9:00 a.m.    9:15 p.m.   Daily      767-200ER
    Houston        CO 4     6:25 p.m.    9:35 a.m.*  Daily      777
    New York/EWR   CO 28**  6:40 p.m.    6:45 a.m.*  Daily      777
    Houston        CO 32    10:25 p.m.   2:05 p.m.*  Daily      767-200ER


    From Heathrow
    Destination    Flight   Departure    Arrival     Frequency   Aircraft type
                   no.
    Houston        CO 33    8:30 a.m.    1:05 p.m.   Daily       767-200ER
    New York/EWR   CO 29    10:25 a.m.   1:15 p.m.   Daily       777
    Houston        CO 5     11:15 a.m.   3:35 p.m.   Daily       777
    New York/EWR   CO 19    4:00 p.m.    7:15 p.m.   Daily       767-200ER

    To Gatwick
    Origin         Flight   Departure    Arrival     Frequency   Aircraft
                   no.                                           type
    Houston        CO 34    4:00 p.m.    7:45 a.m.*  Daily       767-400ER
    New York/EWR   CO 114   6:35 p.m.    6:55 a.m.*  Daily       757-200
    Cleveland      CO 66    6:25 p.m.    6:55a.m.*   Daily,      757-200
                                                     seasonal
    New York/EWR   CO 116   8:25 p.m.    8:40 a.m.*  Daily       757-200


    From Gatwick
    Destination    Flight   Departure   Arrival     Frequency   Aircraft
                   no.                                          type
    Houston        CO 35    9:30 a.m.   2:05 p.m.   Daily       767-400ER
    New York/EWR   CO 115   10:30 a.m.  1:55 p.m.   Daily       757-200
    Cleveland      CO 67    11:20 a.m.  3:00 p.m.   Daily,      757-200
                                                    seasonal
    New York/EWR   CO 117   11:30 a.m.  2:55 p.m.   Daily       757-200


    * indicates next-day arrival

**For the period March 29, 2008-April 28, 2008 only, this flight will depart Liberty at 7:25 p.m. and arrive Heathrow at 7:30 a.m. the following day.

Continental's Heathrow flights will be operated using two aircraft types: the 283-seat Boeing 777-200, carrying 48 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 235 in coach, and the 174-seat Boeing 767-200ER, with 25 BusinessFirst seats and 149 coach seats. The airline's Gatwick flights will be operated using the 235-seat Boeing 767-400ER, with 35 BusinessFirst seats and 200 coach seats, and the 175-seat Boeing 757-200, carrying 16 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 159 in coach.

Continental's Heathrow flights will operate at Terminal 4, which will be the future base for all SkyTeam carriers operating at the airport. Flights to London from Liberty and Houston are easily accessible from numerous cities in the Americas on a connecting basis.

Heathrow will be the eighth U.K. airport to be served by Continental. The airline already operates nonstop trans-Atlantic flights to more airports in the U.K. and Ireland than any other airline: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Gatwick and Manchester, as well as Dublin and Shannon.

In addition, Continental and Virgin Atlantic Airways codeshare on several Virgin Atlantic-operated flights serving Heathrow and Gatwick, as well as selected Continental-operated flights serving Gatwick. Heathrow will be the 31st destination in Continental's trans-Atlantic route network.

Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,900 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 144 domestic and 139 international destinations. More than 550 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines.

With more than 45,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 69 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.