News Release
Continental Airlines Announces Enhancements to Inflight Entertainment
HOUSTON, July 31, 2001 -- Continental Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: CAL) tomorrow will introduce improved inflight entertainment, including free video and audio programs for customers who provide their own audio headset. Continental is eliminating the $4 headset rental. A new headset is available that can be purchased and used for free video and audio entertainment on subsequent Continental-operated flights in the United States (including Alaska), Canada, select destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and the mid-Pacific. Customers on other international routes will continue to receive headsets at no cost.
"Our inflight video and audio programs are provided free of charge, so we encourage you to bring your own headset. If you don’t have one that is compatible, you can buy one from us for just $2.00 that you can use again and again," said Continental Director of Product Marketing Eric Kleiman.
In addition to free inflight entertainment, Continental will begin to/from video programming on all of its 777 and 767 routes - meaning customers on all these routes will now see different video programs on their flight home than they saw on their outbound flight. In September, the airline will increase the number of audio channels, from 13 to 20, on all 777 and 767 routes.
Continental is always seeking to improve video programming, and beginning tomorrow on all routes flown by the airline’s DC-10s, 757Bs, 767s and 777s, customers will find a new viewing option - the Continental Presents TNT Originals Channel. In May, the Continental Family Channel, featuring Disney movies and short subjects, made its debut. Now there are video choices for nearly everyone.
Customers will soon notice other positive changes the airline is making, like new pillows and blankets on all flights.
Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering more than 2,500 departures daily to 136 domestic and 92 international destinations. Operating hubs in Newark, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, Continental (continental.com) serves more international cities than any other U.S. carrier, including extensive service throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Air Transport World named Continental the 2001 Airline of the Year, making it the only carrier to receive this honor twice in five years; the first time was in 1996. Continental is in the top quarter of Fortune magazine’s "100 Best Companies to Work for in America," and is ranked the nation’s No. 1 airline in customer satisfaction for long and short-haul flights by Frequent Flyer Magazine and J.D. Power and Associates. Continental has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin (Condé Nast Traveler, OAG, Entrepreneur and SmartMoney magazines), OnePass frequent flyer program (InsideFlyer’s Freddie Awards) and overall operations and management (Fortune magazine).