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Continental to make Heathrow debut
Continental Airlines is to start US flights from Heathrow for the first time next March under new US-European open skies rules.
The world’s fifth largest airline is to launch non-stop flights to its Newark and Houston hubs on March 30, subject to government and slot approval.
Continental aims to offer twice-daily flights to both destinations and will continue to offer non-stop services from Gatwick to both Newark twice daily, Houston daily and a seasonal daily service to Cleveland.
Continental has acquired the necessary slots at Heathrow necessary to operate the new schedule and joins Delta as the second new US carrier to enter the London hub from next year.
The airline will operate from Terminal 4, which will be the future base for all SkyTeam group carriers operating at the airport.
Continental’s Heathrow flights will be operated using 283-seat Boeing 777-200s, carrying 48 passengers in BusinessFirst cabin and 235 in economy, and 174-seat Boeing 767-200ERs, with 25 BusinessFirst seats and 149 economy seats.
Gatwick flights will be operated using 235-seat Boeing 767-400ERs, with 35 BusinessFirst seats and 200 economy seats, and 175-seat Boeing 757-200s, carrying 16 passengers in BusinessFirst and 159 in economy.
The airline had been prevented from operating from Heathrow by the restrictive US-UK bilateral air services agreement. Continental has served Gatwick since 1985.
Continental chairman and CEO Larry Kellner said “At last we will be able to give our customers something they have long requested – the opportunity to fly to both London’s main airports with their preferred airline.
“At the same time, we will be able to show transatlantic travellers already using Heathrow what they have been missing. We look forward to the chance to compete at Europe’s most important business airport.”
Heathrow will be the eighth UK airport to be served. The airline already operates transatlantic services from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London/Gatwick and Manchester, as well as Dublin and Shannon.
Continental and Virgin Atlantic codeshare on several Virgin Atlantic-operated flights from Heathrow and Gatwick, as well as selected Continental-operated flights from Gatwick.
by Phil Davies
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