News Release
Continental Express Begins Daily Non-Stop Service Between Houston and Torreon, Mexico
HOUSTON, November 19, 1999 -- Continental Express, the regional subsidiary of Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A), on Monday will begin daily non-stop service between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Torreon, Mexico.
Continental Express will operate the new 50-passenger regional jet, Embraer ERJ -145, on the daily Torreon flight, which will depart Houston at 1:15 p.m., arriving in Torreon at 3:10 p.m. The return flight will depart Torreon at 3:45 p.m. and arrive in Houston at 5:35 p.m.
With the addition of Torreon, Continental now operates 250 weekly departures to Mexico. Continental currently serves 16 Mexican destinations, more than any other U.S. carrier, and is the only U.S. airline to offer non-stop service between the U.S. and all three northern Mexico cities of Chihuahua, Saltillo and Torreon.
"Continental’s new service will provide easy and quick access between the U.S. and Mexico for travel related to Torreon’s agricultural, cattle, mining, garment and furniture industries," said Christy Rodgers, Managing Director of Latin America and Caribbean Sales.
Bilingual airport personnel are on hand at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport to assist Spanish-speaking Continental customers. Travelers also can consult Continental’s bilingual flight information and directional signs.
Continental has offered service to Mexico for more than 30 years. 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 128 domestic and 79 international destinations. Operating major hubs in Houston, New York 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 in the top "100 Companies Providing the Most Opportunities for Hispanics" in HISPANIC Magazine, and has won numerous other awards for its OnePass frequent flyer program (InsideFlyer’s Freddie Awards) and overall operations and management (Air Transport World’s 1997 Airline of the Year).