Continental Airlines to Celebrate 75th Anniversary; Takes Delivery of Commemorative Aircraft
June 24 2009 - 11:26AM
PR Newswire (US)
HOUSTON, June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines
(NYSE: CAL) today announced that it is taking delivery this week of
another new Boeing 737-900ER, which is painted with a retro livery
to commemorate the airline's 75th anniversary on July 15, 2009.
(See photo: continental.com/company/history ) The new aircraft's
retro livery, which was originally used on aircraft beginning in
1947 and is called The Blue Skyway, was selected by Continental
employees. Continental will fly the new aircraft to its three hubs
for anniversary celebration events for employees and retirees. The
aircraft will make an appearance at Houston Bush Intercontinental
on Thursday, June 25, and at New York/Newark Liberty and Cleveland
Hopkins on Friday, June 26. "I am proud to celebrate this exciting
occasion with the Continental team, including both our current
43,000 co-workers, as well as the many retired co-workers who paved
Continental's history and made the airline what it is today," said
Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and chief executive officer.
"Not many 75-year-olds believe their future will be longer and more
vibrant than their history, but that's exactly what we're looking
forward to at Continental." The Early Years Continental traces its
history to Varney Speed Lines, started in 1934 by Walter T. Varney
primarily to carry U.S. mail. On July 15, 1934, the airline
launched its first flight, carrying 100 letters and no passengers
between Pueblo, Colo. and El Paso, Texas. At the time, Franklin
Roosevelt was president, the average U.S. annual income was about
$1,600, a new car cost $625 and a gallon of gas cost 10 cents.
Walter Varney focused on the new airline's fleet, called
Continental "America's Fastest" due to its speedier aircraft. A
focus on a strong fleet is one thing that hasn't changed over the
last 75 years: Continental today flies the newest, most
fuel-efficient jet fleet of all the major U.S. network carriers.
Varney earlier started a different airline, which became United
Airlines. Later this year, the two carriers founded by Walter
Varney plan to make an historic reunion by joining together as
alliance partners in Star Alliance. Longtime Leader: Bob Six Varney
Speed Lines became Continental Airlines in 1937 under the
leadership of the legendary Robert F. Six, who captained the
airline into the "jet age" and expanded its reach for more than 40
years. Bob Six laid the groundwork for Continental's reputation for
top-notch service and a customer focus. In 1944, passenger revenue
exceeded revenue from carrying mail for the first time in the
airline's history. Under Six's leadership, Continental in the late
1940s became one of the first carriers to experiment with coach
fares, and established first-class "Gold Carpet Service" in the
late 1950s. "One thing that's never changed goes back to Robert Six
- we still want to give customers the best experience from the time
they board the plane until they get to their destination," says
Houston-based Administrator of Manuals and Publications Jo Strauss,
who has been with the company since 1968. Bob Six also secured a
Continental stronghold in the pacific by creating Air Micronesia,
which remains a wholly-owned Continental subsidiary today. Times of
Tumult In the late 1970s, following the Airline Deregulation Act,
through the early 1990s, Continental went through some of its
darkest days, struggling through years of financial losses, a
gaggle of challenging mergers and acquisitions, and two
bankruptcies, as well as labor relations that strained to the
breaking point. Even through these grim times, several bright spots
emerged: in 1987, Continental established its OnePass frequent
flyer program, and in 1992, the airline launched its premium
product, BusinessFirst, which provides first-class service at
business-class fares. In addition, Continental's current domestic
hubs were formed during this period. In the late 70s and early 80s,
following deregulation, Continental's presence in Houston, which
began with the airline's first flight into the city in 1951,
strengthened into a true hub. In February 1987, Continental's
merger with People Express provided the foundation for the carrier
to grow and develop a leading presence in the strategic New York
market, transforming Newark Liberty into one of the world's premier
international global gateways. Continental remains the largest
carrier in the New York area today. In July 1987, Continental's
Cleveland hub opened, tripling the airline's presence in the city.
From Worst to First Then, in 1994, Gordon Bethune became CEO and
led the company through one of the most dramatic turnarounds in
business history, taking it from "worst to first." Much as Six set
the tone on customer satisfaction, Bethune brought to the forefront
a culture of employees working together. Bethune and Continental's
senior management team also instituted the Go Forward Plan to make
sure the whole team had their eyes on the same target. The same
working-together culture and Go Forward Plan continue to underlie
Continental's success even today. Continental Today Current
Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner, who has been with the company since
1995, took the helm when Gordon Bethune departed in late 2004.
Larry credits Continental's co-workers for the airline's success in
recent years. As chairman and CEO, Larry stays focused on open,
honest and direct communication with co-workers across the system,
taking input from all directions as the company faces today's
opportunities and challenges. Additionally, Larry has piloted
Continental through years of international growth while continuing
to focus on the fundamentals that his predecessors laid down before
him: employee relations, customer satisfaction, and building a
strong fleet. "I never thought in my wildest imagination that
someday I'd be able to fly all over the world," said DFW-based
Customer Service Agent and Ramp Equipment Coordinator Joe Caudle,
who in 1951 joined Trans-Texas Airways (later renamed Texas
International), which originally served routes in Texas and merged
with Continental in the early 1980s. Continental "has gotten better
- for passengers, employees, and the airline in general. We
probably have the best executive staff in the industry. I credit
them for where we stand now - the most admired airline in the
world." During Larry's time with Continental, the carrier has
received more awards for customer satisfaction than any other
airline, including being named FORTUNE magazine's most admired
global airline for six consecutive years on the magazine's annual
airline industry list. Despite these honors, the carrier has no
intention of resting on its laurels. Symbolic of Continental's
focus on the future, the new retro-painted Boeing 737-900ER will be
delivered equipped with an advanced technology GPS Landing System
(GLS) that will take advantage of a new NextGen satellite-based
landing system being installed later this year at Newark Liberty.
Continental is partnering with the Port Authority of New York and
New Jersey, the FAA, Rockwell Collins and Gables to make this
technology a reality. This is just one of many NextGen technologies
and capabilities that Continental has pioneered over the years as
the airline works to make operations safer and more reliable, fuel
efficient, and environmentally friendly. Other firsts being
initiated in Continental's 75th anniversary year are the
introduction of DIRECTV(R) service, installation of flat-bed seats
in BusinessFirst, and service to Shanghai. "I have been here for
over 28 years," said EWR-based 757 Captain Tom Stephens. "I have
worked with the best people that I could have wished for. There
have been some serious ups and downs. There have been times when
the future looked bleak and times when the future looked bright.
Through it all we have survived and, for the most part, done it
with good humor and the determination to get through the rough
spots with confidence that there would be better days. We should
look around us now with satisfaction at the Continental we each, in
our own way, helped to create." For historical photos and more
information on Continental's 75-year history, please go to:
continental.com/company/history. About Us Continental Airlines is
the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with
Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,750
daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving
133 domestic and 132 international destinations. More than 750
additional points are served via current alliance partners. With
more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York,
Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional
partners, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Continental
consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its
operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive
year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World's Most
Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World's Most Admired Companies.
For more company information, go to continental.com. DATASOURCE:
Continental Airlines CONTACT: Corporate Communications of
Continental Airlines, +1-713-324-5080, Web Site:
http://www.continental.com/ http://www.continental.com/company/news
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