Continental Airlines

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Continental Airlines was founded over 70 years ago by Walter T. Varney and his partner Louis Mueller as Varney Speed Lines. On July 15, 1934, Continental’s first flight was flown by its precursor Varney Speed Lines on a 530-mile route from Pueblo, Colorado to El Paso, Texas with stops in Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. That same year, Varney ceded control to Mueller.


Continental had the number one domestic on-time performance among the ten largest U.S. airlines for the first time since the Department of Transportation began its Consumer Report in September 1987. In April Continental repeated as on-time Champion.

In November 1998, Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines formally announced their alliance to enhance competition and improve consumer travel options. Key benefits to consumers include code-sharing on domestic and international routes, reciprocity of frequent flyer programs and shared airport lounges. The alliance created a fourth major U.S. airline network competitive with "The Big Three" U.S.-based airlines.

In January 2009, Continental was the first commercial carrier to successfully demonstrate the use of sustainable biofuel to power an aircraft in North America. During the demonstration flight, Continental's test pilots successfully conducted a number of flight maneuvers, and the biofuel met all performance requirements as compared to traditional jet fuel. The biofuel blend included components derived from algae and jatropha plants, both sustainable, second-generation sources that do not impact food crops or water resources or contribute to deforestation.

In March 2009, Continental became the first U.S. carrier to inaugurate scheduled service between New York and Shanghai, China, with daily nonstop flights from the airline's hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. The new service links the world's financial center and top business and tourism destination with China's center for finance and trade.

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Location

Continental Airlines
1600 Smith Street
Houston, TX 77002
United States

Web: 
http://www.continental.com

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