Continental Airlines Applauds Confirmation of Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation
January 22 2009 - 9:11PM
PR Newswire (US)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines
(NYSE: CAL) applauded today's confirmation of former Congressman
Ray LaHood to be the new U.S. Secretary of Transportation and a
member of President Barack Obama's Cabinet. At his confirmation
hearing, Secretary LaHood showed that he was prepared to lead the
Department in tackling a myriad of issues, including those faced by
the air transportation sector. "We look forward to working with
Secretary LaHood and the Department of Transportation to help them
reach their goals," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and
CEO. Continental appreciates the leadership demonstrated today by
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, ranking member of the Senate Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, as she focused Secretary
LaHood's attention to the issue of airport slot auctions, which
were proposed in the prior administration as a misguided solution
for the issue of air traffic congestion. In fact, they would likely
increase passenger costs and decrease passenger service,
particularly to small communities. In responding to Sen.
Hutchison's question, Secretary LaHood acknowledged that the prior
administration's misguided proposal for auctions in the New
York/New Jersey airports would not reduce congestion, a viewpoint
shared by Sen. Hutchison and many in the Congress and in the
aviation community. Continental applauded Secretary LaHood's view
that transportation programs need "to link decision-making to
performance at all levels. This will require a new commitment to
measuring performance in real time." Continental also strongly
agrees with Secretary LaHood's focus on meeting the needs of the
customer: "In aviation, it means a commitment to the end user of
our aviation system: the passenger," Secretary LaHood testified.
"An aviation system that focuses on the safety, convenience and
confidence of the traveling public will be a successful system."
DATASOURCE: Continental Airlines CONTACT: Corporate Communications
of Continental Airlines, +1-713-324-5080, Web Site:
http://www.continental.com/
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