Daily flight is the 11th Canadian destination to be served by Continental HOUSTON, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced new non-stop service from its Houston hub to Edmonton International Airport beginning November 1, 2009, subject to government approval. The daily flight is the 11th Canadian destination to be served by Continental and the fourth Canadian destination from the airline's Houston hub. "We are pleased to add Edmonton to our portfolio of Canadian destinations," said Jim Compton, Continental's executive vice president of marketing. "The flight allows connections to Continental's vast network across the Southern United States, Mexico and Latin America." The service will be operated using a Boeing 737-500 aircraft with 114 seats. The flights from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will depart at 6:00 p.m. and arrive at Edmonton International Airport (YEG) at 9:25 p.m. Return flights will depart Edmonton at 6:40 a.m. and arrive in Houston at 11:56 a.m. "We're pleased to see Continental's confidence in Edmonton's economic strength and resiliency. Connecting Houston's oil and gas sector with our region's Nisku Industrial Park, the second largest oil and gas park in North America, second only to Houston's, is of enormous importance to Edmonton. Bringing non-stop Houston air service to Edmonton business and leisure travelers now conveniently connects our two oil and leisure travel markets." Edmonton, Alberta's capital, is the gateway to majestic mountains, pristine lakes, historic rivers and northern industries of oil, gas, lumber and mining. Strategically located between the world's second-largest oil reserves and the world's largest energy market, Edmonton plays a vital role in the development of the Athabasca oil sands. Greater Edmonton supports the energy industry as a center for upgrading and refining petrochemicals, pipelines, manufacturing, transportation, and logistics. Edmonton is at the crossroads of international trade routes linking Asia Pacific with eastern North America and Mexico with Alaska. 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 63 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: Continental Airlines Corporate Communications, +1-713-324-5080, Web Site: http://www.continental.com/

Copyright