NEW YORK, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced it will launch daily non-stop flights between New York/Newark and Germany's Berlin/Tegel Airport effective July 1, 2005, subject to government approval.
The new service will provide easier and faster travel options for travelers between the U.S. and Germany's capital.
"Continental will offer travelers between U.S. and Berlin an unbeatable combination -- award-winning service and more options for their trans-Atlantic travels," said Jim Summerford, Continental's Vice President - Europe & Middle East. "With our unique ability to offer travelers fast and easy connections at New York, we're confident that Continental will quickly become the first choice for non-stop travel to Berlin."
Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin, said: "Berlin is the capital of the biggest economy in Europe. Having a non-stop flight to the U.S. again after several years shows that Berlin is back on the map across the Atlantic as well. We look forward to welcoming a lot of American visitors to enjoy Berlin's various sights and cultural highlights and to deepen the economical and political relations that are so important for both our countries."
The face of Berlin -- the seat of the German government and a melting pot between western and eastern Europe -- has changed rapidly in recent years. The city's many cultural attractions include its renowned architecture, three opera houses, seven orchestras and more than 170 museums and galleries, while its vibrant club scene and nightlife make it very popular with young people. Some 130 U.S. companies have operations in the Berlin region.
Continental's New York/Newark-Berlin flights will be operated with a 172-seat Boeing 757 aircraft, carrying 16 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 156 in Economy.
Flight CO96 will depart New York/Newark daily at 6:45 p.m., arriving at Berlin at 8:40 a.m. the next day. The return flight, CO97, will depart Berlin daily at 10:15 a.m., arriving at New York/Newark at 1:25 p.m. the same day. The flying times will be approximately 7 hours 55 minutes eastbound and 9 hours 10 minutes westbound.
The new flights will feature Continental's renowned BusinessFirst service, which won the Best Executive/Business Class award in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards in both 2004 and 2003, based on voting by frequent flyers worldwide. BusinessFirst was also voted Best Transatlantic Business Class among U.S. airlines in Conde Nast Traveler magazine's Business Travel Awards 2003 -- for the 6th year running.
Berlin will become the 22nd city in Continental's Europe & Middle East route network.
Continental has been operating in Germany since 1991. The airline operates a daily Boeing 767-400ER non-stop service between Frankfurt and New York/Newark.
Continental Airlines is the world's sixth-largest airline with more than 3,000 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. Continental serves 151 domestic and 120 international destinations -- more than any other airline in the world -- and nearly 200 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With 42,000 employees, the airline has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and carries approximately 51 million passengers per year. In 2004, Continental has earned awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. FORTUNE ranks Continental one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America, an honor it has earned for six consecutive years, and also ranks Continental as the top airline in its Most Admired Global Companies in 2004. The carrier won major awards at the 2004 OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Airline of the Year," "Best Airline Based in North America" and "Best Executive/Business Class." For more company information, visit continental.com.
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