News Release
Continental Airlines Switches to Boeing 777 Aircraft for Flights From Newark to Manchester, England
HOUSTON, Texas, September 8, 1999 -- Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL and CAL.A) tomorrow will introduce new Boeing 777 aircraft on a sixth transatlantic route -- its daily flight from New York/Newark to Manchester, England. Until now the route has been served by a DC-10.
Continental has taken delivery of 12 new 777s and has deployed them on flights to Tokyo as well as on transatlantic routes from Houston to London, and from Newark/New York to London, Paris, Frankfurt and Tel Aviv. The 777 will replace DC-10s on flights from New York/Newark to Rome on Nov. 1 and to Milan on Nov. 16.
The new 777s are joining Continental’s fleet among 58 new Boeing aircraft deliveries this year, including 737s and 757s. As it retires an equal number of older aircraft, Continental’s average fleet age will drop to just 7.6 years by the end of 1999 - the lowest among major U.S. airlines.
The Boeing 777 is known as the "Queen of the Skies." It sets a new standard for transatlantic travel as the most spacious and quietest big jet in the world. The aircraft carries 283 passengers - 48 in BusinessFirst and 235 in coach. The award winning BusinessFirst cabin features extra wide electronic sleeper seats with laptop computer outlets, telephones and personal entertainment systems. Entertainment systems are also provided at each coach seat.
Continental 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 FrequentFlyer magazine and J.D. Power awards for four consecutive years. Continental has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin (Conde 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).