 Home > About Continental > History > 2001 to 2010
January 9, 2001
The Federal District Court found that United Airlines conspired with other carriers to violate federal antitrust laws when they agreed to install baggage sizing templates at security screening checkpoints at Washington/Dulles International Airport.
January 17, 2001
Continental Airlines reported diluted earnings per share jumped 45 percent in the fourth quarter to $0.61, up from $0.42 the same quarter last year (both excluding special gains and charges).
January 22, 2001
Continental Airlines stockholders approved Continental’s previously announced recapitalization proposal at a special stockholders meeting held on Jan. 22, 2001.
January 22, 2001
Continental Airlines celebrated its independence. For the first time since 1983, the carrier flew without an outside controlling shareholder.
January 26, 2001
Continental Airlines was again named "Airline of the Year" by the aviation industry's leading monthly trade publication, Air Transport World. As recipient of the same honor in 1996, Continental is the first airline to receive the coveted "Airline of the Year" distinction twice in five years.
February 6, 2001
Continental Airlines won more awards than any other airline in the world at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards 2001. Continental took the top honors in five categories: Best short-haul executive/business class; Best long-haul executive/business class; Best trans-Atlantic airline; Best airline based in North America and Best frequent flyer program.
February 7, 2001
Continental Airlines Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gordon Bethune urged the U.S. government to stop the proposed mega-mergers of United Airlines/US Airways and American Airlines/US Airways/TWA/DC Air during his testimony before the Antitrust, Business Rights, and Competition Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee of the Judiciary.
February 13, 2001
Continental Airlines was again named the No. 2 Most Admired U.S. Airline by FORTUNE magazine in its "America's Most Admired Companies" list, published in the Feb. 19, 2001, issue. Continental maintained the number two ranking and also achieved a higher score than last year - 7.02 compared to 6.72 in 2000.
February 26, 2001
Continental Airlines listed for the fourth consecutive year in HISPANIC Magazine’s "Corporate 100 Providing the Most Opportunities for Latinos," which appeared in the January/February 2001 issue.
March 1 , 2001
Continental Airlines launched the first-ever nonstop air service between New York and Hong Kong, creating a direct link between two of the world's most vibrant cities and cutting the current travel time by more than two hours.
March 26, 2001
In a victory for air travelers, United Airlines and the Dulles Airport Management Council were ordered to promptly remove all baggage-sizing templates from the security screening checkpoints throughout Dulles International Airport. They were been permanently enjoined from re-installing bag sizers at shared locations, and Continental Airlines and Continental Express were awarded more than $250,000 in damages resulting from the illegal agreement between United and the airport management council.
April 16, 2001
Continental Airlines reported first quarter net income of $9 million ($0.16 diluted earnings per share). This marked the 24th consecutive profitable quarter for Continental and exceeded the First Call consensus of $0.05 diluted earnings per share.
April 23, 2001
Continental Airlines’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gordon Bethune was named, for the third consecutive year, one of the 50 best CEOs in America by Worth magazine.
April 26, 2001
Continental Airlines’ OnePass frequent flyer program garnered four top Freddie Awards, including "Program of the Year" and "Best Elite-Level Program," during InsideFlyer's 13th Annual Freddie Awards ceremony. The OnePass program also received the "Best Award" in recognition of reduced miles from the U.S. to Latin America, as well as "Best Web Site" for 2000.
May 2, 2001
Greg Brenneman resigned as president, chief operating officer and director to return to his Texas-based private equity firm TurnWorks, Inc.
May 10, 2001
United Airlines removed baggage sizing templates the week of May 10 from all security screening checkpoints at Washington Dulles International Airport following a March 22 court order banning them.
May 10, 2001
Continental Airlines announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Lawrence W. Kellner was nominated by the company's board of directors for election to the board at the company's May 15 annual meeting of stockholders in light of the decision of Gregory D. Brenneman on May 2 not to stand for re-election at the meeting.
May 15, 2001
Continental Airlines announced that its simplified, streamlined senior management reporting structure. Continental’s three current Executive Vice Presidents, Larry Kellner, C.D. McLean and Jeff Smisek, were promoted and assumed new responsibilities.
May 15, 2001
Continental Airlines announced that Larry Kellner was named president of the company by its board of directors. Kellner, formerly executive vice president and chief financial officer of Continental, also was elected to the company's board of directors at the annual meeting of stockholders.
May 31, 2001
Continental Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 737-900 aircraft.
June 5, 2001
Continental Airlines and Transbrasil formed a broad strategic marketing alliance. This new partnership will include codesharing on each other's flights, reciprocal frequent flyer benefits on both Continental and Transbrasil's flights network-wide.
July 10, 2001
Continental Airlines announced that ExpressJet, its wholly owned subsidiary operating as Continental Express, filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock.
August 1, 2001
Continental began enhanced inflight entertainment with the additions of a new headset available for purchase; to/from video programming; and the TNT Originals Channel on DC-10s, 757s, 767s and 777s.
August 7, 2001
Continental Airlines announced a code share agreement with Air Europa beginning November 1, 2001.
September 11, 2001
Terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania shock the nation and the world. The U.S. government mandated that all aircraft be grounded and all international inbound flights diverted. Continental worked hard to accommodate passengers affected by the days events, keeping them updated on flight information and offering refunds, waiving change fees and more. It launched an aggressive employee communications effort to update employees as events unfolded.
September 12, 2001
Although Continental was in compliance with all new Federal Aviation Administration security procedures, the government did not allow any U.S. airlines to operate flights. Customers scheduled to travel Sept. 11-13 were able to refund or change any ticket without a fee. Employees reported to work as scheduled, ready to fly when the government opened air space.
September 13, 2001
Continental operated a limited number of flights, but was unable to secure government clearance to fly to many U.S. destinations. International flights, many diverted to Canada over 60 hours earlier, were still unable to enter the United States until cleared by the U.S. government. In light of heightened security, customers were advised to check into the airport at least two hours before departure. Curbside check-in was prohibited, and passengers needed a valid boarding pass to go through security checkpoints.
September 14, 2001
Continental operated about 50 percent of flights, planning a reduced weekend schedule on Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16.
September 15, 2001
Continental was the first airline to announce that it would reduce its long-term flight schedule by approximately 20 percent and be forced to furlough approximately 12,000 employees. Nearly all other carriers made similar cuts in the following days.
September 17, 2001
Continental announces 10 cities it will no longer serve from hubs due to forced capacity reductions as a result of 9/11. Changes took effect between September 17 and October 1.
September 20, 2001
Along with many other U.S. airlines, Continental began its painful furlough process, which included closing the Denver Reservations Center and Los Angeles flight attendant base.
September 21, 2001
The U.S. Government passed the Air Stabilization Act, giving $4.5 billion in direct cash for the airline industry, to compensate them for the government forced shutdown, and another $10 billion in federal loans if needed. More than $400 million in direct cash was given to Continental.
September 21, 2001
Continental offers special compassion fares to and from the New York area to assist family members of the 9/11 victims, relief organizations and volunteers.
September 26, 2001
Chairman and CEO Gordon Bethune and President Larry Kellner elected to forego all compensation for the remainder of 2001. Also, Continental announced that it was able to avert more than 1,000 furloughs through its Voluntary Company Offered Leave of Absence (COLA) program.
October 1, 2001
Continental grounded all DC-10 aircraft. 31 Continental narrow-body aircraft and 14 Continental Express turbo props were subject to temporary grounding.
October 20, 2001
Continental completed ahead of schedule the installation of temporary secondary cockpit door restraints on all of its 338 aircraft.
October 21, 2001
Continental began its AirTrain service, providing fast and convenient links from Newark International Airport and downtown New York/Manhattan, as well as other major cities in the Northeastern United States.
October 23, 2001
Continental announced a code share agreement with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, effective Dec. 1.
October 26, 2001
Continental is named the official airline of the New York Knicks.
October 31, 2001
Continental announced a third quarter profit, despite terrorist attacks.
November 1, 2001
Continental added a $10 fee per passenger for paper tickets when the travel itinerary qualifies for electronic ticketing.
November 4, 2001
Continental sponsors New York City Marathon.
November 5, 2001
Continental hosted a press conference in New York City, where CEO Gordon Bethune and New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani spoke to 60 international journalists about the continuing growth and demand for New York travel following September 11, signaling the city’s return to normalcy after the attacks.
November 20, 2001
Continental launched code share service with Air Europa.
November 27, 2001
Continental named Jeff Misner chief financial officer.
November 28, 2001
Continental announced the pricing of a public offering of 6.74 million shares of its Class B Common Stock at $22.50 per share.
December 6, 2001
Continental opened the new C-3 concourse at Newark International Airport, the centerpiece of $1.4 billion in improvements, as it neared completion of its ongoing ‘Global Gateway’ project. It established Newark as the preferred airport in the New York area.
December 20, 2001
Continental took delivery of its first Boeing 757-300.
January 2, 2002
Continental sets record for highest volume of customer check-ins through its eService Centers. 650,000 domestic eTicket customers chose the option over traditional means.
January 15, 2002
Continental and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines launched code share agreement.
January 16, 2002
Continental announced a fourth quarter and full year loss.
January 17, 2002
Continental teamed with Amtrak to offer first ever air/rail code share in the United States.
January 22, 2002
For the fourth consecutive year, Continental was named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For," by FORTUNE magazine in a study conducted in conjunction with the Great Place to Work Institute of San Francisco. Continental was ranked No. 55, the only passenger airline on the list.
February 4, 2002
Continental halted all pilot furloughs to minimize impact on Continental Express.
February 5, 2002
For the fifth consecutive year, Continental was listed in HISPANIC magazine’s "Hispanic Corporate 100: One Hundred Companies Providing the Most Opportunities for Hispanics."
February 5, 2002
Continental launches TripAlert notification system, allowing OnePass members to receive electronic flight updates.
February 14, 2002
Continental honored customers and employees in a special "Heart of Our Business" day, coinciding with Valentine’s Day.
February 20, 2002
Continental was ranked the No. 2 Most Admired U.S. Airline on America’s Most Admired Companies list by FORTUNE magazine for the third consecutive year. Airlines were ranked based on innovation, financial soundness, employee talent, use of corporate assets, long-term investment value, social responsibility, quality of management and quality of service.
March 5, 2002
Continental ranked No. 30, the highest-ranking commercial airline, on the Top 50 "All Stars" list of the World’s Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE magazine, up from its previous ranking of 48. The airline was also ranked No. 2 on the "Global Most Admired Airlines" list, the top-ranked U.S. airline.
March 8, 2002
Continental and Amtrak launched their comprehensive codeshare agreement.
March 13, 2002
President Larry Kellner unveiled Continentals enhanced and specially engineered BusinessFirst seats to be installed in the airline’s Boeing 777 aircraft.
March 20, 2002
Continental launched interline eTicket agreement with American Airlines.
March 28, 2002
Continental unveiled its new $80 million international arrivals facility at Newark International Airport.
April 10, 2002
Continental flew its first trans-Atlantic flight with new, specially engineered seats in the BusinessFirst cabin. The seats feature several significant design improvements that provide more comfort for customers. At 22 inches, it is the widest business class seat in the world; offers 170-degree recline from seat cushion to seat back and 6 1/2 feet of sleeping space in the fully extended position.
April 23, 2002
Continental’s Terminal C at Newark International Airport took first place in an Airport Retail News concessions poll for "Best Overall Program" and "Best Management Team." It was judged to have some of the finest retail concessions at any U.S. airport.
April 26, 2002
Continental was recognized for offering the best Elite Level Program, OnePass, of any U.S. airline, according to Inside Flyer’s 14th Annual Freddie Awards Competition.
May 1, 2002
Continental inaugurates nonstop service between George Bush Intercontinental Airport, its hub in Houston, and Amsterdam.
May 2, 2002
Continental began all-jet service at Newark International Airport, the carrier’s New York-area hub.
May 17, 2002
Continental adds its 150th regional jet to its operating fleet.
June 4, 2002
Continental and eBay, the world’s online marketplace™, announced a new, co-branded site allowing OnePass members to bid on sporting events, VIP performing arts experiences and Continental Airlines Vacations using frequent flier miles.
June 17, 2002
Continental Airlines was named the official airline of the Houston Texans NFL football team.
June 27, 2002
Continental unveiled its Airport of the Future domestic check-in facilities in Terminal C at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
August 20, 2002
In the wake of 9/11, Continental announced a series of revenue-generating and cost-saving initiatives designed to achieve pre-tax contributions in excess of $350 million on an annual basis, and $80 million for 2002.
September 16, 2002
Continental unveiled its redesigned, customer-friendly Web site.
September 19, 2002
Continental’s Gateway hub in the New York area was renamed Newark Liberty International Airport, in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks.
September 20, 2002
For the second consecutive year, Continental hosted a press conference in New York City, where CEO Gordon Bethune and other panelists discussed the rise in travel demand to the New York metropolitan area post-9/11.
October 1, 2002
Continental renewed its multi-year sponsorship of New York City Marathon.
October 3, 2002
Continental announced the results of Condé Nast Traveler’s annual survey of business travelers. In the magazine’s October issue, Continental bested its U.S. competition in premium class comfort, reliability and value on trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights. Continental’s BusinessFirst service outranked other U.S. airlines for each of the five years that Condé Nast Traveler readers completed the annual survey.
November 3, 2002
Continental Airlines sponsors the New York City Marathon in Manhattan.
December 8, 2002
Supertyphoon Pongsona hit Guam with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour. Continental’s hub in Guam suffered extensive damage, and employees on the island were left without water or electricity.
December 10, 2002
Continental completed installation of its BusinessFirst sleeper seats throughout its fleet of 18 Boeing 777 aircraft.
December 12, 2002
Continental opened a new runway at its hub in Cleveland, Ohio, the only runway to open in the United States during 2002.
January 6, 2003
For the fifth consecutive year, Continental made FORTUNE’s "100 Best Companies to Work For." The carrier moved up to No. 42 on the list.
January 9, 2003
Continental announced a code share with French rail operator SNCF, making it the first airline with air/rail code share partners on both sides of the Atlantic.
January 15, 2003
Continental reports a fourth quarter and full year loss.
January 15, 2003
ExpressJet reports fourth quarter earnings of $22.3 million.
January 21, 2003
Continental, Northwest and Delta Air Lines announce they will implement an alliance agreement.
January 30, 2003
Continental announced an industry record for self-service check-ins in 2002, with customers checking in using eService Centers more than 12.7 million times during the year. Also, 62.4 percent of customers traveling in the continental U.S. were reported to use eService check-in as of December 2002.
February 10, 2003
Continental named to HISPANIC magazine's "Hispanic Corporate 100: One Hundred Companies Offering the Most Opportunities for Hispanics" for the sixth consecutive year.
February 13, 2003
Continental and US Airways launch interline eTicketing.
February 20, 2003
Continental was ranked most admired international U.S. airline among Fortune magazine's annual list of America's Most Admired Companies. For the fourth consecutive year, Continental ranked No. 2 as the Most Admired U.S. Airline. Of the top-nine U.S. carriers ranked, Continental rated highest for the quality of its products and services.
March 6, 2003
Continental launched nonstop service from its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport, to Geneva, Switzerland.
March 18, 2003
Continental announced temporary reductions in International capacity due to decreased capacity from war threats.
March 19, 2003
Continental cut senior management by 25 percent and the officer group by 15 percent. The carrier also announced 1,200 furloughs and $500 million in additional cost savings.
March 31, 2003
Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines cleared final United States regulatory hurdle for an alliance.
April 8, 2003
Continental completed flight deck door modifications.
April 10, 2003
Continental launched interline eTicketing with Delta Air Lines.
April 10, 2003
Continental won the Best Executive/Business Class award at the 2003 OAG Awards ceremony in London.
April 15, 2003
Continental announced a first quarter net loss of $221 million.
May 8, 2003
Continental introduced Continental Currency, available for purchase in all of its eService Centers kiosks. Continental Currency is redeemable inflight for beverages and audio headsets.
May 16, 2003
Continental Micronesia celebrated 35th anniversary of service in the western Pacific.
May 29, 2003
Continental and TAP Air Portugal signed a codesharing agreement.
June 3, 2003
Continental opened the first phase of its 23-gate Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. The 600,000-square-foot terminal will ultimately handle all of Continental’s international flights arriving and departing Houston.
June 12, 2003
Continental began daily, nonstop service between its hub in Houston and Morelia, Mexico.
June 18, 2003
Continental, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines launched their alliance with frequent flyer and lounge benefits.
June 28, 2003
Continental began nonstop service between its hub in Houston and Maui, Hawaii.
September 29, 2003
Continental announced that it completed installation of Verizon Airfone JetConnect with Email to become the first airline to offer three of the most popular business applications, two-way e-mail, instant messaging and text messaging, on its fleet of 737, 757 and MD 80 aircraft.
October 1, 2003
Continental outranked its U.S. competition in premium class comfort and value on trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and U.S. domestic flights, according to Cond Nast Traveler magazine's annual survey of business travelers.
November 6, 2003
Continental announced that it signed a codeshare agreement with Maersk Air of Denmark, which will enable Continental customers to make quick and easy connections to and from the Danish cities of Copenhagen and Billund, via London/Gatwick and Amsterdam.
November 12, 2003
Continental announced that sales via continental.com topped $1 billion year-to-date in 2003, an increase of 80 percent over the same period in 2002.
November 13, 2003
Continental announced that it received the highest overall score of all airlines surveyed in the 2003 Business Travel News Annual Airlines Survey. The airline garnered top marks in five of the 10 categories, including services/amenities, special VIP services, quality of airline communication, value of its sales manager visits and empowerment of Continental’s sales representatives.
December 4, 2003
AeroMexico and Continental announced that the signing of an alliance agreement for flights between the United States and Mxico beginning in the first quarter of 2004.
December 16, 2003
Exactly 100 years after the first successful airplane flight, Continental helped perpetuate the legacy of flight by donating its award-winning, historic, 63-year-old DC-3 aircraft to the Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston, Texas.
December 29, 2003
For the sixth consecutive year, Continental was named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE magazine. Continental ranked No. 62, the only passenger airline on the list.
January 6, 2004
Continental opened the final phase of its new 23-gate, 600,000 square-foot "Terminal E" at its largest and busiest hub, Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
January 8, 2004
Continental announced that sales via continental.com in 2003 reached $1.16 billion, an increase of 82 percent over 2002.
January 8, 2004
Continental announced that it had completed the installation of eService Center self-check-in kiosks in all of the airline's domestic airport terminal check-in areas.
January 16, 2004
Continental announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gordon Bethune elected to retire effective Dec. 31, 2004, and that Gordon would be succeeded by President and Chief Operating Officer Larry Kellner.
January 20, 2004
Continental’s net income for the full year was $38. Excluding special items ($136 million after taxes) and the government security fee reimbursement ($111 million after taxes), the net loss for the year would have been $209 million.
February 2, 2004
Continental announced that EWR Terminal C was recognized by Airport Revenue News and a panel of ARN-selected industry experts as having the best concession design. EWR also was recognized for the best overall concession program and most unique services among U.S. Airports.
February 9, 2004
Continental announced a major expansion of its Mexico service.
February 11, 2004
Continental for the seventh consecutive year was named to HISPANIC Magazine's "Hispanic Corporate 100, 2004
One Hundred Companies Providing the Most Opportunities for Hispanics."
February 23, 2004
FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 international airline on its annual list of America's Most Admired Companies, and, for the fifth consecutive year, the No. 2 airline overall.
March 1, 2004
Continental ranked as the most admired airline on FORTUNE magazine's annual list of Most Admired Global Companies.
April 1, 2004
Continental announced the election of Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief financial officer of CSX Corporation, to its board of directors.
April 7, 2004
Continental announced plans to eliminate paper tickets by the end of 2004 for all travel on the airline, including interline or multi-carrier tickets.
April 15, 2004
Continental reported a first quarter net loss of $124 million, including previously-announced after-tax special charges of $35 million.
April 28, 2004
Continental was rated No. 1 Best Airline-North America category and No. 2 in the Best Airline-Transatlantic category in the Skytrax Airline of the Year Survey 2004.
May 21, 2004
Continental was named "Airline of the Year" by the OAG Airline of the Year Awards 2004. The airline also won "Best Executive/Business Class" and "Best Airline Based in North America."
June 5, 2004
Continental and Maersk Air of Denmark began codesharing on flights between Copenhagen and Billund and London/Gatwick and between Billund and Amsterdam.
June 10, 2004
Continental inaugurates service between Newark/New York (EWR) and Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI).
June 17, 2004
Continental inaugurates service between Newark/New York (EWR) and Oslo, Norway (OSL).
July 12, 2004
Continental offers free wireless Internet access in all of its domestic Presidents Clubs, except in Chicago where it shares a club with Northwest Airlines.
July 20, 2004
Continental reported a second-quarter net loss of $17 million, which included a special charge of $19 million after taxes, due to the retirement of leased MD-80 aircraft.
August 12, 2004
Continental’s board of directors elected Executive Vice President Jeffery A. Smisek to be president of the company when Larry Kellner assumes the responsibilities of chairman and chief executive officer at the end of 2004. The board also named Marketing Sr. VP Jim Compton, Operations Sr. VP Mark Moran and Sr. VP and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Misner as Executive Vice Presidents.
September 1, 2004
Continental signed a "Partnership Accord" with its pilots union, the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), to codify key aspects of their new approach to labor/management relations. The partnership is based on open, honest communication and trust.
September 2, 2004
Continental announced that it had identified approximately $200 million of additional annual, pre-tax cost savings. The cost savings included a reduction of approximately 425 positions, primarily in management and clerical positions.
September 15, 2004
Continental joins SkyTeam, the fastest-growing airline alliance in the world, which aligns nine international carriers and offers 14,320 daily departures to more than 650 destinations.
October 26, 2004
For the seventh year in a row, Continental outranks all of its U.S. competition in international long-haul service and comfort, according to results of a survey of Conde Nast Traveler readers.
November 8, 2004
Continental receives the highest overall score of all airlines surveyed in the 2004 Business Travel News Annual Airlines Survey. The airline garnered top marks in five of the 10 categories, including corporate pricing, meeting pricing, contract performance, quality of airline communication and value of sales representative visits.
November 9, 2004
Continental unveiles a new look for aircraft No. 001, one of the carrier's 18 Boeing-777 aircraft. In honor of Chairman and CEO Gordon Bethune's more than ten year career and pending retirement at the end of December 2004, Continental employees named the aircraft "Gordon M. Bethune," and presented Bethune with a plaque documenting the highlights of his long career in aviation, which will be displayed inside the cabin.
November 18, 2004
Continental announces that it needs an annual $500 million reduction in payroll and benefits costs.
November 30, 2004
Jeff Smisek, executive vice president and president-elect of Continental Airlines, Inc., elected to Continental board of directors. Smisek will join the board upon the retirement of Gordon Bethune.
December 14, 2004
Continental finalizes changes to wages, work rules and benefits for most U.S.-based management and clerical employees.
December 16, 2004
Continental launches its latest expansion of service to Mexico, with new daily nonstop routes between Los Angeles International Airport and three Mexican destinations -- Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Morelia -- and between Laredo, Texas, and Mexico City.
December 16, 2004
Continental finalizes changes to wages and salaries, work rules, and benefits for Reservations and Chelsea employees.
December 29, 2004
Continental reaches agreement with Boeing to become the first major U.S. airline to order the Boeing 7E7 aircraft, with the first 7E7 to be delivered in 2009. The company's initial 7E7 order is for 10 aircraft.
January 3, 2005
Continental retires its last MD-80 aircraft, which reduces the fleet to just three Boeing aircraft types -- the 777, 767/757 and 737 models.
January 4, 2005
Continental announces a significantly enhanced profit-sharing program. The new profit-sharing program will share 30 percent of the first $250 million of pre-tax income, 25 percent of the next $250 million and 20 percent of amounts over $500 million. The previous profit-sharing program shared 15 percent of the company's pre-tax income at every level of profitability.
January 27, 2005
Continental finalizes wage and benefit reductions and work rule changes for its Field Services Division, which includes domestic airport ticket, gate, ramp, operations and cargo agent employees.
January 25, 2005
The new International Arrivals Building (IAB) at George Bush Intercontinental Airport opens.
February 2, 2005
Continental announces that customers can now book cruises on continental.com.
February 7, 2005
Continental named for the eighth consecutive year to HISPANIC Magazine's "Hispanic Corporate 100: One Hundred Companies Providing the Most Opportunities for Hispanics."
February 15, 2005
Continental board of directors agrees to cut its compensation and forego its entire 2005 stock option grant.
February 15, 2005
Continental announces adjustments to management's annual incentive program and that officers will forego their restricted stock units (RSUs) for 2005, in order to avoid the appearance that management could benefit from the $500 million reduction in pay and benefits.
February 17, 2005
Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport, the principal base for Continental and its New York hub operations, sweeps the 2005 Airport Revenue News Best Concessions Poll in the Single Terminal category, which includes awards for Best Concession Design, Best Customer Service, Best Concessions Management Team, Most Unique Services and Best Overall Concession Program.
February 23, 2005
Continental is rated the most admired airline among FORTUNE magazine's annual list of Most Admired Global Companies. The carrier also ranked No. 1 in several key categories on FORTUNE's America's Most Admired Companies airline industry list, including innovation, quality of management, social responsibility and quality of products and services. Overall, for the sixth consecutive year, Continental was the most admired international airline on that list. In addition, the airline ranked No. 49 on FORTUNE's Global Most Admired "Top 50" list, which ranks companies in a wide variety of industries. Continental was the only U.S. passenger carrier on the "Top 50" list.
February 26, 2005
Continental begins codesharing with Air France, allowing Continental customers to more easily access 12 additional destinations in Europe and the Middle East on flights operated by Air France from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.
March 31, 2005
Continental pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and simulator engineers ratify new collective bargaining agreements with the airline. The flight attendants, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, were the only work group failing to ratify their agreement and join the rest of Continental's employees in the needed pay and benefit reductions.
April 20, 2005
Continental Airlines reports a first quarter 2005 net loss of $184 million ($2.77 diluted loss per share), including a net special gain of $8 million related to the company's defined benefit pension plan. Excluding the special items, Continental records a net loss of $192 million ($2.89 diluted loss per share) for the quarter, which compares favorably to the First Call mean estimate of $3.10 loss per share.
April 28, 2005
Continental receives honors for companywide excellence in Aviation Maintenance Training from the Federal Aviation Administration. The carrier earned the FAA Diamond Certificate of Excellence for Aviation Maintenance Training, the highest award offered as part of the organization's Aviation Maintenance Technician Award Program.
May 19, 2005
Continental begins daily nonstop flights from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Bristol, England. This service links New York with the largest city in southwest England, and is the first ever scheduled nonstop trans-Atlantic service to this region.
May 20, 2005
Continental wins three major awards including "Airline of the Year" in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards 2005. Continental Airlines was named "Airline of the Year" and "Best Airline Based in North America" -- both for the second year in a row. It was also named for having the "Best Executive/Business Class" for the third year in the row.
May 26, 2005
Continental begins daily nonstop flights from its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Belfast, Northern Ireland. This route is the first nonstop scheduled service ever to operate from the U.S. to Northern Ireland.
June 2, 2005
Continental begins daily nonstop flights from its New York-area hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Stockholm, Sweden.
June 2, 2005
The first Continental Boeing 757-200 aircraft equipped with Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets(TM) enters revenue service. The addition of the winglets, which replace the standard wingtip, enable increased fuel efficiency and range. Continental is the first carrier to add winglets to Boeing 757-200 aircraft.
June 9, 2005
Continental inaugurates daily nonstop service from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Hamburg, Germany. This is the only scheduled nonstop trans-Atlantic service from this German city.
June 9, 2005
Continental inaugurates daily, nonstop service between Bangor, Maine (BGR) and its New York-area hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
June 15, 2005
Continental becomes the first U.S. passenger airline to initiate flights to mainland China in nearly 20 years as it inaugurates new daily service from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Beijing.
June 30, 2005
Continental inaugurates nonstop flights from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Berlin/Tegel, Germany. This latest route makes Continental the leading U.S. carrier in terms of cities served across the Atlantic, bringing the total to 24 in 13 countries.
July 15, 2005
Continental begins new daily nonstop service between Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Cali, Colombia, the airline's eighth South American destination and its 67th destination in Latin America and the Caribbean.
July 20, 2005
Continental reports second quarter 2005 net income of $100 million or $1.26 diluted earnings per share. Net income included a $47 million gain related to the contribution of ExpressJet shares to Continental's defined benefit pension plan during the quarter. Excluding the gain, Continental recorded net income of $53 million or $0.69 diluted earnings per share for the quarter, which compares favorably to the First Call mean estimate of $0.20 earnings per share.
July 28, 2005
Continental orders two additional Boeing 777- 200ER (extended range) widebody airplanes from The Boeing Company, as the airline continues its international route expansion.
July 28, 2005
Field service employees reject representation sought by the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU).
August 11, 2005
Continental announces that its continental.com Web site is generating record sales volume for the airline, setting a single-day sales record and achieving record sales volume of $2 billion for the most recent 12-month period, ending July 31.
August 31, 2005
Continental puts 1,000,000 OnePass miles into both its American Red Cross and AmeriCares mileage donation accounts to support the relief effort in the areas of the southeastern United States impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
September 25, 2005
Continental resumes operations at its Houston hub in the aftermath of hurricane Rita and reports excellent operational reliability.
October 11, 2005
Continental announces that it is the first airline to implement a new personal gift registry account for airline tickets at continental.com.
October 18, 2005
Continental reports third quarter 2005 net income of $61 million or $0.80 diluted earnings per share, including a $3 million net special charge. Excluding the net special charge, Continental records net income of $64 million ($0.83 diluted earnings per share) which compares favorably to the First Call mean estimate of $0.27 earnings per share.
October 31, 2005
For the eighth year in a row, Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) outranked all of its U.S. competition in international Business Class service, according to results of a survey of Conde Nast Traveler readers published in the magazine's October 2005 edition.
November 1, 2005
Continental becomes the first carrier to inaugurate scheduled nonstop service between the United States and India, with the launch of daily flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
November 8, 2005
Continental bests all U.S. network carriers in Zagat's 2005 U.S. Airline Survey and 2005 International Airline Survey, outscoring its network competitors in every category for both premium and economy-class service.
November 14, 2005
Continental named the "world's Leading Business Class Airline" and "North America's Leading Business Class Airline" at the 2005 World Travel Awards.
November 17, 2005
Continental begins daily nonstop service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Ponce, Puerto Rico.
December 2, 2005
Continental announces the launch of The Travel Club @ continental.com, a new online program offering its members special deals and travel credits.
December 14, 2005
Continental begins daily nonstop flights between the airline's hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Buenos Aires, Argentina, Continental's ninth destination in South America and 77th Latin American/Caribbean destination.
December 16, 2005
Continental begins service from its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport to Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Continental also inaugurates service from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Liberia, Costa Rica and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Service begins from LaGuardia International Airport to the Caribbean island of Aruba.
December 21, 2005
Continental receives $172 million from the sale of approximately nine million shares of common stock in the initial public offering of Copa Holdings, S.A., parent company of Copa Airlines. The company contributes $50 million of the proceeds to Continental Airlines' pension plans. The contribution bring its 2005 pension contributions to $354 million
December 22, 2005
An industry leader in interline eTicket technology, Continental announces that it has implemented interline eTicket capability with 33 carriers worldwide, and expects to add 24 more interline eTicket partner airlines in the first half of 2006.
December 28, 2005
Continental today announces that it has given notice it will withdraw 69 of 274 regional jet aircraft from its capacity purchase agreement with ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: XJT) and ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (ExpressJet).
January 17, 2006
Continental Airlines reports a fourth quarter 2005 net loss of $43 million ($0.53 diluted loss per share), including a gain of $106 million related to the sale of Copa stock and other special charges of $21 million. Excluding these special items, Continental recorded a net loss of $128 million for the quarter ($1.58 diluted loss per share).
January 29, 2006
Continental advised, after local vote counts at its flight attendant bases (Houston, Newark and Cleveland), that its agreement with the flight attendants was ratified.
February 13, 2006
Continental and the March of Dimes announce a partnership that names Continental the "official airline" of the March of Dimes 2006 National Ambassador Program and a national sponsor of the March of Dimes WalkAmerica. Continental is the first airline to become a national sponsor for WalkAmerica
February 21, 2006
Continental rated the most admired U.S. airline on FORTUNE magazine's America's Most Admired Companies airline industry list. Continental ranked No. 1 in several key categories on the list, including quality of products and services, quality of management, innovation, and social responsibility.
March 1, 2006
Continental announced that it was again rated the top airline on FORTUNE magazine's annual airline industry list of Most Admired Global Companies. This is the third year that Continental has topped that list.
April 6, 2006
SkyTeam alliance members Continental Airlines and Alitalia announce they are beginning codesharing to provide better service to passengers who travel between Italy and the U.S. and transfer between the two carriers.
April 18, 2006
Continental installs its 1,000th Self Check-in Kiosk in Bogota, Colombia. Continental now offers more kiosks per customer than any other airline.
April 20, 2006
Continental reports a first quarter 2006 net loss of $66 million ($0.76 diluted loss per share), including a net loss from special items of $20 million. Excluding special items, Continental recorded a net loss of $46 million ($0.53 diluted loss per share) for the quarter.
April 25, 2006
Continental unveils an animal kenneling facility at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, the first airline-owned kennel situated on airport property in the United States. This new service will be offered to the carrier's four-legged customers that utilize the acclaimed PetSafe service.
May 2, 2006
Continental inaugurates the first ever nonstop flight between the airline's New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and New Brunswick's Greater Moncton International Airport (YQM). Moncton is the ninth city served in Canada by Continental Airlines.
May 5, 2006
Continental announced that it has received notice from ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: XJT) that ExpressJet will keep the 69 regional jets that Continental recently elected to remove from the capacity purchase agreement between the two companies. Continental will continue to sublease the aircraft to ExpressJet, but at significantly increased lease rates.
May 10, 2006
Continental inaugurates daily nonstop flights between its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Cologne/Bonn, Germany.
May 17, 2006
Continental inaugurates daily nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Barcelona, Spain. This gives Continental a total of 28 transatlantic destinations. Continental flies to more cities in Europe nonstop from the New York area than any other airline.
May 19, 2006
Continental wins two major awards in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards 2006. Continental wins "Best Executive/Business Class" for the fourth year in a row. This award recognizes the excellent comfort, service and value of BusinessFirst, available on many international flights. Continental also wins "Best Airline Based in North America" for the third year in a row.
May 24, 2006
Continental inaugurates daily nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Copenhagen, Denmark. With Copenhagen, Continental now offers transatlantic service to 28 cities in 15 countries.
June 6, 2006
Continental announced that it has ordered 10 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, bringing to 20 the total number of 787s the company has ordered from The Boeing Company and making Continental the largest U.S. customer for Boeing's newest widebody aircraft.
In addition, the company will acquire 24 more Boeing Next-Generation 737 (737NG) aircraft, bringing the total number of Boeing 737NGs in its fleet to 213 when these aircraft, and pre-existing firm order 737NG aircraft, are delivered.
June 20, 2006
For the second consecutive year the Presidents Club at Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal E named the Priority Pass Lounge of the Year.
June 29, 2006
Continental ranked the highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers in North America in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Study(SM). This marks Continental's sixth customer satisfaction award by J.D. Power and Associates since 1996.
July 13, 2006
Continental Airlines implemented electronic interline ticketing capabilities with Japan Airlines, its 50th interline eTicketing partner.
July 20, 2006
Continental Airlines reported second quarter 2006 net income of $198 million ($1.84 diluted earnings per share), a significant improvement over its second quarter 2005 net income of $100 million ($1.26 diluted earnings per share).
July 21, 2006
Continental Airlines selected Republic Airways Holdings' subsidiary Chautauqua Airlines to operate 44 regional jets as a Continental Express carrier beginning in 2007, under a new capacity purchase agreement.
October 2, 2006
For the ninth year in a row, Continental Airlines outranked all of its U.S. competition in international Business Class service in the Conde Nast Traveler rankings.
October 6, 2006
Continental contributed $70 million to its pension plans bringing its year-to-date pension contributions to $246 million.
October 19, 2006
Continental Airlines reported third quarter 2006 net income of $237 million ($2.17 diluted earnings per share), which includes a $92 million gain on the sale of a portion of the company's investment in Copa Airlines.
December 4, 2006
Continental Airlines and U.S. Helicopter partnered to begin eight-minute shuttle service between Manhattan and Newark Liberty International Airport.
December 11, 2006
Continental Airlines outranked all other U.S. carriers to be chosen as the Best Airline for North American Travel in Business Traveler magazine's 2006 Readers' Choice Best in Business Travel Survey.
January 4, 2007
Continental Airlines completed the installation of Audio/Video on Demand (AVOD) in the BusinessFirst cabins of its entire Boeing 757 fleet used on transatlantic flights from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
January 11, 2007
Continental Airlines contributed $71 million to its pension plans.
January 16, 2007
Continental Airlines announced daily nonstop service between Athens and New York to begin June 8, 2007. The new service will link the capital of Greece with more than 230 cities throughout North, Central and South America, the Caribbean and beyond via Continental's New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
January 18, 2007
Continental Airlines reported 2006 net income of $343 million ($3.30 diluted earnings per share), a substantial improvement over the 2005 net loss of $68 million.
January 31, 2007
Continental contributed an additional $35 million in cash to its defined benefit pension plans.
February 5, 2007
Continental Airlines selected Pinnacle Airlines Corporation's subsidiary Colgan Air to operate 74-seat Bombardier Q400 twin-turboprop as Continental Connection from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport starting in early 2008.
February 27, 2007
Continental Airlines earned top honors in LATIN TRADE magazine's "Best of Latin America" annual readers' poll, published in the February 2007 issue.
February 14, 2007
Continental distributed $111 million in profit sharing to employees, the largest profit sharing distribution to employees in the company's history.
March 6, 2007
Continental Airlines was rated the most admired U.S. airline on FORTUNE magazine's 2007 list of America's Most Admired Companies.
March 2007
Continental Airlines increased its commitment to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, raising its firm order to 25 aircraft. With expanded range capabilities, unmatched fuel efficiency and superior operating economics, the 787s will allow the company to replace less efficient widebody aircraft and target additional long-haul markets.
March 7, 2007
Continental Airlines announced daily nonstop service between New York and Mumbai beginning in October 2007, subject to government approval. Mumbai will be the 30th city in Continental's trans-Atlantic route network.
March 12, 2007
For the fourth consecutive year, Continental Airlines was the top airline on FORTUNE's annual airline industry list of World's Most Admired Companies. In addition, across all industries, Continental was ranked among the top ten in seven of the nine categories in the World's Most Admired Companies survey.
March 22, 2007
Continental Airlines announced plans to inaugurate service from its Houston hub to London/Heathrow on March 30, 2008, subject to government approval and the airline obtaining necessary slots and facilities at Heathrow airport.
April 11, 2007
Continental Airlines contributed an additional $30 million in cash to its defined benefit pension plans, bringing its total year-to-date contribution to $136 million.
April 18, 2007
Continental won two major awards in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards 2007. For the fifth consecutive year, the carrier won "Best Executive/Business Class," which recognizes the excellent comfort, service and value of Continental's BusinessFirst product, available on many international flights. Continental also won "Best Airline Based in North America" for the fourth year in a row.
April 19, 2007
Continental Airlines reported first quarter 2007 net income, including special items, of $22 million ($0.21 diluted earnings per share).
April 20, 2007
Continental Airlines completed interline eTicket capability with all of its alliance partners, including all current and planned members of SkyTeam and planned SkyTeam associates, as well as all other codeshare and frequent flyer partners. Continental is the IATA global industry leader in interline eTicket implementation, currently having interline eTicket capabilities with 77 carriers.
May 30, 2007
Continental Airlines announced plans to offer customers the option to participate in a carbon offsetting program. The voluntary program will allow travelers to calculate the carbon footprint of their booked itineraries and purchase carbon offsets online from non-profit Sustainable Travel International.
June 7, 2007
Continental Airlines launched daily nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Athens, Greece.
June 7, 2007
Continental began twice-weekly service between George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, and Loreto, Mexico, the airline's 31st Mexican destination.
June 11, 2007
Continental Airlines' number one flight attendant on the system seniority list, Norma Heape, celebrated 50 years of service with the company on a flight between New York and Hong Kong. She has logged over 26 million miles in her illustrious 50-year career with the airline.
June 18, 2007
Continental Airlines and China Southern Airlines, the largest airline in China, announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership for frequent flyer and airport lounge access reciprocity and extensive codesharing.
July 2, 2007
Representatives from the Continental pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and Continental Airlines signed a Protocol Agreement that sets the stage for the parties to begin talks about changes to the pilots' contract.
July 5, 2007
Continental Airlines and Kingfisher Airlines, one of the fastest growing airlines in India, announced that they have entered into a comprehensive partnership for frequent flyer and airport lounge access reciprocity and future codesharing.
July 11, 2007
Continental Airlines announced that it has contributed an additional $75 million in cash to its defined benefit pension plans, bringing its total year-to-date contribution to $211 million.
July 12, 2007
OnePass, Continental's award winning frequent flier program which began in 1987, celebrates its twentieth anniversary.
July 16, 2007
Continental Airlines submitted its application to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide the first nonstop U.S. carrier service between its New York hub at Newark's Liberty International Airport and Shanghai, China.
July 18, 2007
Continental Airlines announced it will begin non-stop seasonal service from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Mont-Tremblant, Canada, the airline's 10th Canadian destination.
July 19, 2007
Continental Airlines reported second quarter 2007 net income of $228 million ($2.03 diluted earnings per share). Excluding a special charge of $7 million for pilot pension plan settlement charges, Continental recorded net income of $235 million ($2.10 diluted earnings per share), an improvement of 13 percent compared to the same period last year.
August 28, 2007
Continental implemented new functionality at continental.com to allow customers to change flights online as part an ongoing effort to improve the customer experience.
September 6, 2007
The NFL New York Giants named Continental its "official airline."
September 11, 2007
Continental contributed an additional $50 million to its pension plans, bringing the year-to-date contribution to $261 million.
September 14, 2007
Continental announced a major expansion at Cleveland Hopkins Airport that will increase capacity at the hub by 40 percent over a two-year period and create 700 new jobs.
September 25, 2007
Continental Airlines was awarded tentative approval by the Department of Transportation to operate daily nonstop service between New York/Newark and Shanghai beginning in March 2009. Shanghai will be the third city in China, following Hong Kong and Beijing, served by Continental.
October 11, 2007
Continental Airlines contributed an additional $75 million in cash to its defined benefit pension plans. The company has contributed $336 million to its pension plans in 2007, significantly exceeding its minimum funding requirement of $187 million for the year.
October 15, 2007
Continental Airlines announced that interline eTicket capabilities were implemented with Dragon Air, its 100th eTicket partner, and that it is nearing its target to have all interline agreements eTicketable for the end of the year.
October 18, 2007
Continental reported third quarter net income of $241 million ($2.15 diluted earnings per share). Excluding a special charge of $12 million for pilot pension plan settlement charges, Continental recorded net income of $253 million ($2.25 diluted earnings per share), an improvement of 73 percent compared to the same period last year.
October 23, 2007
Continental announced that it reached new agreements with two of its major suppliers, EDS and GE Aviation. The new contracts, together with several other smaller initiatives, are expected to reduce costs by approximately $100 million annually when fully implemented.
October 25, 2007
For the 10th consecutive year, Continental outranked all of its U.S. competitors in international business class and domestic first class service, according to results of a survey of Conde Nast Traveler readers published in the magazine's October 2007 edition.
November 1, 2007
Continental introduced new first-class menus on flights throughout the United States, Canada and to select Latin American and Caribbean destinations. The new menus were created by Continental's Congress of chefs based on extensive feedback from customers and employees.
December 3, 2007
Continental announced that it has launched a carbon offsetting program, developed in partnership with non-profit Sustainable Travel International. The voluntary program allows customers worldwide to view the carbon footprint of their booked itinerary, which Sustainable Travel International calculates from fuel consumption of Continental's aircraft, and to make a contribution to Sustainable Travel International.
December 4, 2007
Continental teamed with the Transportation Security Administration to be the first U.S. carrier to launch a paperless boarding pass pilot program that allows passengers to receive boarding passes electronically on their cell phones or PDAs.
December 6, 2007
Continental outranked all other U.S. carriers to be chosen as the Best Airline for North American Travel in Business Traveler magazine's 2007 Readers' choice Best in Business Travel Survey.
January 11, 2008
Continental Airlines contributed $60 million in cash to its defined benefit pension plans.
January 14, 2008
Continental celebrated the delivery of the airline's first Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range) airplane, becoming the first airline in the Americas to operate the 737-900ER, a higher-capacity, longer-range derivative and newest member of the Next-Generation 737 airplane family.
January 29, 2008
Continental's agreement with LiveTV allows the airline to offer 36 channels of live, satellite-based television programming at every seat on Continental's next generation Boeing 737s and on its 757-300 aircraft. The service is expected to be available to customers on flights operating within the continental United States beginning in January 2009. In addition, the company expects to introduce onboard Wi-Fi services including e-mail and instant messaging connectivity.
February 4, 2008
Continental Airlines begins use of Bombardier Q400 Aircraft for New York-based regional service allowing the carrier to increase seat capacity at its Newark hub without adding more flights.
February 14, 2008
Continental distributed a record $158 million in profit-sharing payments to tens of thousands of employees at more than 200 locations worldwide on Valentine's Day. Continental's profit-sharing plan is the most generous in the industry.
February 21, 2008
Continental added 27 aircraft to its firm order positions at Boeing, including eight new 777 and 19 new Next-Generation 737 (737NG) aircraft giving Continental the flexibility to replace less efficient airplanes and to pursue growth opportunities.
February 29, 2008
Continental begins new daily nonstop service from its Cleveland hub at Hopkins International Airport to three new cities -- Greensboro, N.C.; Omaha, Neb.; and Savannah, Ga.
March 5, 2008
The Houston Dynamo name Continental Airlines as the team's "Official Airline."
March 11, 2008
For the fifth consecutive year, Continental was rated the top airline on FORTUNE magazine's annual airline industry list of World's Most Admired Companies. Continental also ranked No. 41 on FORTUNE's World's Most Admired Companies "Top 50" list, which ranks companies in a wide variety of industries. Continental was the only U.S. passenger carrier on the "Top 50" list.
March 13, 2008
Continental announces it will conduct a biofuels demonstration flight in the first half of 2009 in an effort to identify sustainable fuel solutions for the aviation industry. Continental is the first major U.S. carrier to announce plans to highlight technological advancements in sustainable biofuels that can help to further reduce carbon emissions.
March 29, 2008
Continental launched nonstop flights to London/Heathrow from New York and Houston. It was the largest single-day international service expansion in the company's history. The new Heathrow flights were made possible by the Open Skies agreement between the U.S. and the European Union. Continental's Flight 28 departing from Newark Liberty International Airport was the first aircraft of the new-entrant carriers to arrive at Heathrow on March 30.
April 2008
Continental Airlines received an award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment Program in recognition of the airline's use of an environmentally friendly, non-chromium surface pretreatment for its aircraft. Continental is the first commercial air carrier to use this technology on its aircraft.
April 2008
Continental Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration announced plans to expand the Paperless Boarding Pass pilot program to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Logan International Airport in Boston. This innovative approach allows passengers to receive boarding passes electronically on their cell phones or PDAs, eliminating the need for a paper boarding pass. Continental is the first U.S. carrier to test paperless boarding passes.
May 2008
To mark the 21st birthday of its OnePass frequent flyer program, Continental invited its top customers to participate in a Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tournament where they can bet frequent flyer miles to gamble on the chance to win the tournament's grand prize, 21 million OnePass miles. The four day event begins on Aug. 6, 2008, and will take place at the legendary Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
May 2008
Continental launched the first-ever non-stop service between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France. In addition to providing a link for the business communities on both sides of the Atlantic, the Cleveland to Paris route will provide convenient onward connections for travelers to points throughout Europe, Asia and Africa.
June 2008
Continental was named the "Best Airline in North America" at the 2008 OAG Airline of the Year Awards. This was the fifth straight year that Continental received the award. In addition, Continental was awarded the "Best Airline Finance Deal."
June 2008
Continental announced reductions to its capacity, fleet and staffing with 67 mainline aircraft and 3,000 positions to be eliminated. Continental's CEO and President declined their salaries for the remainder of 2008.
June 2008
Continental Airlines and United Airlines announced a framework agreement, linking their worldwide networks and services to benefit customers, and create revenue opportunities, cost savings and other efficiencies. In addition, Continental plans to join United in the Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive airline alliance.
July 2008
Continental unveiled new 180-degree lie-flat seats for the BusinessFirst cabin. Customers will begin seeing lie-flats seats on Continental's Boeing 777 and 757-200 aircraft that serve long-haul international routes in the fall of 2009, with installation on 12 of its 767-400 aircraft (which will also receive audio video on demand entertainment systems) beginning in 2010, and on its Boeing 787 fleet as the aircraft are delivered to Continental.
July 2008
Continental was named the "Best Domestic Airline," "Best Airline for Customer Service" and "Best Airline for Flights to Mexico" in Executive Travel Magazine's 2008 Leading Edge Awards. The award winners were selected by a survey of the magazine's readers.
July 2008
Continental filed an application with the DOT to join United, Lufthansa, Air Canada and certain other Star Alliance members in an antitrust immunized alliance. Approval by the DOT will enable Continental, United and the other immunized Star Alliance carriers to work closely together to deliver highly competitive international flight schedules, fares and service.
August 2008
Continental will launch daily nonstop flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and Shanghai beginning March 25, 2009, subject to government approval.
August 2008
Continental Airlines celebrated its OnePass 21st Birthday with a Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in which the grand prize winner took home 21 million frequent flyer miles.
August 2008
Continental now waives the fee for a third checked bag for active U.S. military personnel. Continental has always allowed active service members to check two bags without charge.
August 2008
Continental now offers travelers the opportunity to utilize PayPal when purchasing flights at continental.com. Continental customers with a PayPal account can use several different payment options to fund transactions, including PayPal account balances, bank accounts, debit cards, and credit cards, all while keeping their financial information private and secure.
September 2008
Continental was named "Best Airline: North America," in the Skytrax 2008 World Airline Awards. The carrier was also named "Best Cabin Staff: North America." The award winners were selected in an independent worldwide passenger survey.
September 2008
Continental announced a $15 service fee for the first checked bag for certain customers who purchase economy-class tickets to destinations within the U.S., and between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada for travel beginning Oct. 7. Continental expects to generate in excess of $100 million in net benefits from the fee on an annualized basis.
September 2008
Continental will provide new nonstop seasonal service between Houston and Rio de Janeiro. The new nonstop flight is timed to provide convenient roundtrip flight connections at Continental's Houston hub to more than 160 cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
September 2008
Continental will launch a third daily non-stop flight between Newark Liberty International Airport, and London's Heathrow Airport. The airline will discontinue flights to London/Gatwick Airport from both New York and Houston.
October 2008
Continental Airlines filed an application with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate daily year-round service between its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport and Rio De Janeiro and through flight service between New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro beginning June 2009.
October 2008
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Continental Airlines expanded the Paperless Boarding Pass pilot program to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York.
November 2008
Continental Airlines was named the Best Large Domestic Airline for Premium Class in Zagat's 2008 Airline Survey. In addition, Continental was named the Best Value for the Money (International) among all airlines. Of the U.S. network airlines, Continental led in most categories, including Best Frequent Flier Programs and Best Airline Websites.
December 2008
Continental will launch daily nonstop service between its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport and Frankfurt effective Nov. 1, 2009 (eastbound), subject to government approval. The service will be operated by Boeing 767-200 aircraft. Frankfurt joins London, Paris and Amsterdam as the fourth European city served by Continental from Houston. The airline currently operates daily flights to Frankfurt from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
December 2008
Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) outranked all other U.S. carriers to be chosen as the Best Airline for North American Travel in Business Traveler magazine's 2008 Best in Business Travel Survey. Continental also placed highest among U.S. airlines for Best Flight Attendants in North America.
January 2009
Continental was the first commercial carrier to successfully demonstrate the use of sustainable biofuel to power an aircraft in North America. During the demonstration flight, Continental's test pilots successfully conducted a number of flight maneuvers, and the biofuel met all performance requirements as compared to traditional jet fuel. The biofuel blend included components derived from algae and jatropha plants, both sustainable, second-generation sources that do not impact food crops or water resources or contribute to deforestation.
January 2009
Continental contributed $50 million in cash to its defined benefit pension plans, exceeding its minimum funding requirement for the current period.
March 2009
Continental was again rated the top airline on FORTUNE magazine's annual airline industry list of World's Most Admired Companies. This was the sixth consecutive year that Continental topped the list.
March 2009
Continental began installing DIRECTV, which will provide up to 80 channels of live, satellite-based television programming, movies and TV shows on its domestic aircraft. More than 200 of Continental's next generation Boeing 737s and 757-300 aircraft will be equipped with the system by the end of 2010.
March 2009
Continental added Chef Bryan Caswell, owner of REEF and Little Bigs restaurants in Houston, to its Congress of Chefs. Caswell joins the 14-member congress, including top chefs Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's Restaurant; Michael Cordua of Americas, Churrascos, Artista and Amazon Grill in Houston; James Canora of the original Del Monico's in New York City; and Paul Minnillo of The Baricelli Inn in Cleveland.
March 2009
Continental became the first U.S. carrier to inaugurate scheduled service between New York and Shanghai, China, with daily nonstop flights from the airline's hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. The new service links the world's financial center and top business and tourism destination with China's center for finance and trade.
Updated quarterly. Current as of March 31, 2009.
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