News Release
Continental Express Announces Order as Launch Customer for the New Embraer ERJ-145XR
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 25, 2000 -- Continental Express, the regional airline subsidiary of Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A), today announced orders for the new 50-passenger ERJ-145XR, the extended-range version of the ERJ-145 regional jet. This firm order of 75 aircraft with 100 options is the launch order of the new plane, just unveiled today at the Farnborough Airshow in Farnborough, England.
This brings the airline’s order with Embraer to 275 firm aircraft (150 ERJ-145s, 50 ERJ-135s and 75 ERJ-145XR). Continental Express exercised its remaining 64 options and converted 11 previously-committed ERJ-145 orders for this purchase of 75 ERJ-145XR. The airline has options for an additional 100 ERJ-145, ERJ-145XR or ERJ-135 aircraft exercisable over the next six years.
"With its extended range and capabilities, this new aircraft will allow Continental Express to serve communities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico that previously were beyond our current aircraft's performance," said Jim Ream, president of Continental Express. "The new ERJ-145XR will offer the same cabin amenities as the existing ERJ aircraft, which provide our customers the best product in the regional airline industry."
Continental Express expects to take delivery of the first of the 75 ERJ-145XR in 2002.
This new regional jet embodies many of the successful features of the ERJ-145, including the numerous amenities such as ultraleather seats, a full-size lavatory and a galley. In addition, the long-range version offers a 35 percent range improvement over the existing ERJ-145. Due to its commonality with the ERJ-145 and ERJ-135, the ERJ-145XR provides common maintenance, training procedures and single pilot type rating. The extended-range Embraer is powered by two new Rolls-Royce AE3007A1E turbofans, which offer reduced fuel consumption and enhanced thrust.
To date, Continental Express has received 68 of the 50-seat ERJ-145s and 12 of the 37-seat ERJ-135s. Continental Express serves more than eight million customers annually. As a regional air carrier to Continental Airlines, Express offers service to more than 100 cities from its hubs in Cleveland, Houston and Newark. Continental Express offers advance seat assignments and OnePass frequent flyer miles, which can be redeemed anywhere in the world Continental and its partner airlines fly.