Hazard a guess. Which airline really is the business traveller’s best friend, as voted by you,the business traveller? The ones shouting about the latest wine list, fattest amenity kit or in-flight spa therapy? No, it’s simply the airline that takes you where you want to go when you want to, that invests in practical seat technology rather than media gimmickry. It’s the carrier that sweeps up at awards ceremonies year after year without making a song and a dance. That’s right. It’s Continental. Ignoring the flamboyant frolics of some of its transatlantic rivals, over the past two years Houston-based Continental has been steadily labouring away, launching a raft of new routes from New York to Europe, and embarking on a modernisation programme that will give it one of the youngest and most efficient fleets among US carriers. In 2005, it made serious inroads into Europe by announcing daily, non-stop flights to Bristol, Belfast, Stockholm, Hamburg and Berlin, and then threw in a similar service from Newark to Delhi. Last year, the airline launched daily, non-stop Boeing 757 flights between Newark Liberty and Cologne, Barcelona and Copenhagen. The scale of its operations is vast. Together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, Continental Airlines now has more than 3,200 daily departures across the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving some 152 domestic and 138 international destinations. In addition, it has 400 points operated through SkyTeam alliance airlines, and hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam. Including Continental Express, the airline carries around 61 million passengers a year. This year, Continental plans to conquer new worlds. It is currently battling for a route from Newark to Shanghai. If successful, it will enter an arena almost five times larger than the Dallas/Fort Worth/Beijing market, American Airlines’ proposed route, and one that is almost as big as the Washington/Beijing and Detroit/Shanghai markets combined, the two routes proposed by United and Northwest. If it gets the go-ahead, Continental will offer the first non-stop flights to China’s largest city from anywhere in north east America. Whatever the outcome, the airline started 2007 on a high, with strong year-end results. Last year, it notched up 89.5 million revenue passenger miles, a phenomenal 11.6% increase over 2005. Capacity, by comparison, was up only 9.2% at 110.9 million available seat miles, giving an impressive system-wide load factor of 80.7%. All of which makes Continental among the more profitable US airlines. But then it’s no secret that the biggest money-spinners are those carriers which consistently pack out premium cabins. And this is where Continental keeps winning. Its BusinessFirst service is arguably one of the best in the business. The airline won Best Executive/Business Class at he OAG Airline of the Year Awards for four years running; for the third consecutive year, it was the top airline in Fortune magazine’s 2006 list of Most Admired Global Companies. And Continental was ranked number one network carrier in the J.D. Power 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Study, which surveyed more than 9,000 passengers. The reason for its popularity is hardly rocket science. It wins by listening to what business travellers want and by constantly upgrading the product. In March this year, the first of two Boeing 777- 200ER aircraft enters service on the route to Delhi. Its BusinessFirst cabin will feature specially engineered electronic sleeper seats in a 2x2x2 configuration. With 22 inches between armrests, a 170-degree recline and six-and-a-half feet of sleeping space, this will be one of the widest Business Class seats on the market. ll will feature a laptop power outlet, satellite phone and a personal entertainment system with 16 channels of video, 20 audio and 10 video games. The airline also plans to install AVOD systems in both the BusinessFirst and economy cabins on its Boeing 777 fleet. Continental now operates 294 weekly departures across the Atlantic from 28 cities in 15 countries to its gateway hubs in the US, with onward connections to cities across America, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Asia/Pacific. In short, 2007 is looking bright for the world’s fifth-largest airline. And the awards just keep coming. What you get in BusinessFirst Seat: Boeing 757s feature 16 seats in a 2x2 configuration, with a 55in pitch, width of 20in and a 156-degree recline; electronic recline, back lumbar support/footrest and an adjustable winged headrest; AC power ports for laptops; large retractable table Cabin amenities: pre take-off drinks; newspapers and magazines; wardrobe; blankets and pillows; cabin crew-topassenger ratio (1 to 8) is among the highest in Business Class of all major airlines In-flight service: new menus introduced in October feature fivecourse meals, plus a wider selection of lighter options; a typical menu on an international flight includes an appetiser, salad, choice of four entrees, cheese and fruit service and dessert; ‘Executive Meal Option’ allows Business- First passengers to dine at any time during the flight In-flight entertainment: AVOD (audio-video on demand) now available on 41 757s, used predominantly on transatlantic flights from the New York hub of Newark Liberty; ability to start, stop, pause or rewind movies and music; new system offers up to 25 feature film and 25 short subject titles each month, plus 50 audio CD titles On the ground: President’s Club lounges, offered at 27 airports and featuring a widerange of amenities, including complimentary high-speed internet access, local phone calls and use of photocopy machines; the facility at Houston Bush was named the Priority Pass Lounge of the Year in 2006 Frequent flyer programme: OnePass, earning miles that can be redeemed for reward travel or for bidding on unique VIP packages and products at the OnePass Online Auction; special Elite status provides unlimited complimentary upgrades, mileage bonuses and reward privileges; travel benefits include priority check-in, boarding and baggage handling as well as expedited security screening
Website: www.continental.com
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