News Release
Continental Express Begins Daily Non-Stop Service to Saltillo, Mexico
HOUSTON, Texas, July 30, 1999 -- Continental Express, the regional airline subsidiary of Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A), will begin direct, non-stop service between its Houston hub and Saltillo, Mexico, on Aug. 1.
Continental Express will operate the new 50-passenger regional jet, Embraer ERJ -145 on the once-daily nonstop flights. The flight departs Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 8:30 p.m., arriving in Saltillo at 10 p.m. The return flight departs Saltillo the following day at 8 a.m., arriving in Houston at 9:35 a.m.
"Saltillo's year-round temperate climate, colonial architecture, and world-famous serapes have long made it a tourist attraction, and the city is increasingly becoming an important center for the U.S.-based automotive industry," said Pete Garcia, staff vice president of Latin America Sales and Marketing. "Mexicans will now be able to fly quickly and comfortably between Saltillo and Houston on Continental, conduct business, visit medical facilities and tourist attractions, or redeem Galleria Miles toward the OnePass frequent flyer program through purchases at The Galleria Houston."
Passengers also can connect at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to over 206 destinations served by Continental worldwide, including 128 cities in the U.S., Canada, Asian, Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Saltillo, capital of the Northern Mexico state of Coahuila, is the 15th destination for Continental in Mexico. Continental began service to Mexico more than 30 years ago and operates more flights into Mexico than any other U.S.-based airline, with over 225 weekly flights.
Continental Express serves more than six million customers annually as a regional carrier to Continental Airlines.
Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering more than 2,200 departures daily to 130 domestic and 85 international destinations. Operating major hubs in Newark, Houston and Cleveland, Continental (http://www.continental.com) has extensive service throughout the Americas, and to Europe and Asia. Continental recently initiated a strategic global alliance with Northwest Airlines. Continental is in the top half of FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work for in America," and has won first or second place Frequent Flyer Magazine and J.D. Power awards for four consecutive years. Continental has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin (Condé Nast Traveler, OAG Official Airline Guides, Entrepreneur and Smart Money magazines), OnePass frequent flyer program (InsideFlyer's Freddie Awards) and overall operations and management (Air Transport World's 1997 Airline of the Year).