A Community of Co-workers

One definition of community is a group that shares a common interest. At Continental that community is a 43,000-strong team of dedicated co-workers providing the best customer experience to anyone traveling on a Continental flight. But the Continental community goes beyond working together, and the past 75 years have brought together many smaller communities of Continental employees across the company, with varied job descriptions and experience levels.

In 1991, beginning with a climbing expedition to the Himalayas, 18 Continental mountaineers set out on a great unknown adventure. The Continental Adventure Series Club continues the adventure theme to this day. Other expeditions have included running the Pacuare River in Costa Rica, visiting the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, and climbing Mount Hood, Mount Washington, and Mount Rainier in the United States.

Another group of Continental co-workers heads for the top of the mountain just to go back down — downhill, that is. The Ski Club brings together Continental employees and spouses to participate in ski weeks with the North American Airlines Ski Federation (NAASF) and the International Airlines Ski Federation (IASF). The club has participated at NAASF events in Crested Butte and Steamboat Springs, Colo., and Snowbird, Utah.

While those groups aim for the heights, another Continental club dives to the depths. The Continental Dive Club gives co-workers a place to find dive buddies and share favorite dive sites as well as a common interest in exploring under the sea. The Dive Club has taken trips to Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatán, Honduras.

Using pedal power, the Continental Cycling Team promotes health, well-being, and camaraderie among employees, families, and friends. The cycling team participates in the CO Cycling Classic, the MS150 Houston-to-Austin ride, and the Tour de Pink in Texas, the New York Century Bike Tour and the AIDS Ride for Life in New York, Ride the Rockies in Colorado, and Cycle Oregon.

For co-workers who prefer connecting directly with the road, the Continental CALRunners have a motto of "Let's have fun." Formed in 1981, the group's only requirement for membership is a belief that running is a good idea. The team has run the roads overseas in Sydney, London, and Hamburg, and also in San Francisco, Atlanta, Honolulu, and Fort Worth, Texas. The team's biggest event yet will be the World Airline Road Race, which takes place in Hangzhou, China, later this year.

Over Continental's 75 years the community has remained strong. Even after co-workers retire, there is still a sense of belonging. The Association of Retired Employees of Continental Airlines boasts a membership of about 1,000, with chapters across the United States. The group, formed in 1978, holds an annual meeting plus chapter events throughout the year. Retired pilots and flight attendants — Golden Eagles and Golden Penguins — also have their own community, with events throughout the year.

Bringing together people with a common interest is part of what makes Continental Airlines a community. Seventy-five years of bringing co-workers together has made Continental employees a family.

– Lora O'Riordan