Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Continental Airlines has its hubs at Houston Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Newark Liberty in greater New York City, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio. Operating over 6,000 flights a day to destinations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and to many locations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Micronesia, Continental employs over 82,000 workers.
Continental, along with Northwest, Delta, Aeromexico, Air France, KLM, and Alitalia, is currently a member of the SkyTeam alliance. In October, 2009, however, Continental will discontinue its travel membership in SkyTeam to join the Star Alliance. Membership in Star Alliance will allow Continental to cooperate more closely with United, with which it has been in merger discussions since 2006. Coordinating with Star Alliance, however, is currently a higher priority for Continental than merging with United.
The airlines offers a frequent flyer program called OnePass, which also operates on flights with Copa Airlines and Aero Republica. Members can also earn OnePass miles via Amtrak due to Continental’s partnership with the rail company. In addition, Continental also offers frequent flyer benefits to the airlines in the Star Alliance.
The airline was founded in 1931 as Varney Speed Lines, its name changed to Continental Airlines in 1937. The airline was originally based in El Paso, Texas and offered service to Colorado, New Mexico, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Many modern flyers do not know that at one time, the only class was first class—and ticket prices were always high. Continental pioneered the lower fare movement, introducing coach class fares in 1962. Continental has been flying to Europe since 1985.
Continental Airlines was also the first American airline to hire an African-American pilot, in 1963, as well as the first U.S. carrier successfully to fly through bankruptcy.
Continental recently conducted another first with the demonstration of the first biofuel-powered flight of a commercial airline in the United States. The flight was powered by a special fuel blend derived from algae and jatropha plants. Continental plans to continue working and experimenting with biofuels. This is part of Continental’s efforts to reduce the airline’s impact on the environment. Continental also offers a program that gives passengers the opportunity to offset their carbon emissions per flight for a fee of two additional dollars per ticket. The money is used to plant trees in reforestation areas. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Continental for their efforts.
Every Continental jet is made by Boeing—737, 757, 767, or 777. Continental plans to add the Boeing Dreamliner 787 to its fleet in the next several years. Boeing has had an exclusive agreement with Continental to build its aircraft since 1990, although the European Commission found that the contract was void when Boeing acquired rival McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Continental continues, however, to get all its jets from Boeing.
Like every other carrier, Continental struggles with its finances. The company reported losing millions of dollars in 2008 due to retirement funding and soaring fuel costs.
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