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| Continental Airlines Applauds DOT for Its Tentative Approval of the Airline's Shanghai Route Application |
HOUSTON, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today praised the Department of Transportation's (DOT) tentative decision to award Continental authority to operate daily nonstop service between New York/Newark and Shanghai and through flight service between Cleveland and Shanghai beginning March 2009. "This is a win for Continental's customers, co-workers, and each of these communities," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and chief executive officer. "I want to give a special thanks to my co-workers and to the many parties whose unrelenting support made this service a reality." Continental's new route connecting New York/Newark and Shanghai will provide nonstop flights to the largest U.S.-China market that today lacks daily service. The new route will also provide vast single connecting opportunities from the airline's New York/New Jersey hub at Newark Liberty, in addition to through flight service between northern Ohio and Shanghai. Continental commended the Department of Transportation for liberalizing the U.S.-China bilateral agreement and for providing the opportunities for new China service that the airline has been awarded today. Continental also thanks all of the parties whose wide-ranging and significant support was critical to the airline's efforts to secure this route award, including Continental's employees, customers, and the airline's travel, congressional, state and local government, and business partners. Continental specifically thanked the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Newark Regional Business Partnership and the state of Ohio for their strong support of Continental's application. Additionally, Continental thanks its hometown city of Houston, which supported the airline's route proposal and continues to be an important partner to the airline. Continental also recognizes the support it received from other civic parties including:
New Jersey Governor Corzine
Ohio Governor Strickland
Texas Governor Perry
New York City Mayor Bloomberg
Newark Mayor Booker
Cleveland Mayor Jackson
Elizabeth Mayor Bollwage
New York City Comptroller Thompson
Ohio Lieutenant Governor Fisher
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst
44 Congressional Members Including:
New Jersey Senators Lautenberg and Menendez
Ohio Senators Voinovich and Brown
Texas Senators Hutchison and Cornyn
New York Senators Schumer and Clinton
13 Congressional Members from New Jersey, 9 Ohio Members, 13 Texas
Members and Congresswoman Bordallo of Guam
New Jersey Legislative Leadership
Ohio Legislative Leadership
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Craddick
Cleveland City Council
The Greater Houston Partnership
Partnership for New York City
Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce
New Jersey Business & Industry Association
New Jersey Alliance for Action
Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey
Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Greater Cleveland Partnership
Continental anticipates announcing the details of its Cleveland -- New York/Newark -- Shanghai service after the initial ruling is made final. Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 144 domestic and 138 international destinations. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 45,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the fourth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline on its 2007 list of World's Most Admired Companies. Continental was also named the No. 1 airline on the publication's 2007 America's Most Admired airline industry list. Additionally, Continental again won major awards at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Best Airline Based in North America" for the fourth year in a row, and "Best Executive/Business Class" for the fifth consecutive year. For more company information, visit continental.com.
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