Walk of Life

Last year, nearly 4,000 Continental employees across the United States laced up their walking shoes to participate in the national cause to help babies. The T-shirts designed especially for Continental employees to wear during the 2007 WalkAmerica bear the message, “Today, walking is better than flying.” Team captains have already signed up to coordinate Continental group walks in 70 cities.

“Our employees put a great deal of energy into helping the March of Dimes,” says Continental Airlines Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources and Labor Relations Mike Bonds. “We have an overwhelming personal commitment of time, talent, and resources to help save babies by working together.”

In addition to participating in the walk, Continental employees devote hundreds of combined hours in volunteer service, organizing special fundraisers to boost their giving to the March of Dimes. In Cleveland, employees raised almost $18,000 in 2006 through fundraisers and even held a hot-wing eating contest. Tampa employees raised more than $24,000 through numerous events including chili cook-offs and a weekly farmers’ market.

Continental Airlines is the official airline of the March of Dimes National Ambassador program and a national sponsor of WalkAmerica. Continental is proud to partner with the March of Dimes to help raise money to support the organization’s mission of improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Saving Babies

Premature birth is the No. 1 cause of newborn deaths in the United States. The goal of the March of Dimes is to reach the day when all babies are born healthy and full term. The money raised by the March of Dimes helps in a variety of ways:

$100 could help 10 families with babies in neonatal intensive care learn how to care for their babies when they go home.
$760 could provide prenatal care classes for 15 pregnant women.
$3,800 could fund a program to help 180 pregnant women quit smoking.
$150,000 could provide a research grant to prevent gene malfunctions responsible for birth defects.
$482,700 could provide a multi-year grant to trace gene variations in mothers and babies that trigger premature birth.

Where to Walk

WalkAmerica began in 1970 and since then has raised more than $1.7 billion to help babies. The annual event is held in more than 1,000 communities in the United States.

25 places to walk with WalkAmerica in 2007:
DATE	LOCATION
April 21	Dallas, Maui, Tacoma
April 22	San Juan (Puerto Rico)
April 28	Atlanta, Denver, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Portland, Tampa, St. Louis, Salt Lake City
April 29	Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, New York (Manhattan), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.
To locate a WalkAmerica near you, go to walkamerica.org.

Sharing the Profit

Continental Airlines Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner distributed profit-sharing checks to employees at Newark Liberty on Valentine’s Day. The $111 million distribution was both the largest profit-sharing distribution in Continental’s history and the highest of any U.S. carrier for 2006.

“We are here today to celebrate our return to profitability, but more importantly, we are here to thank you for everything you did in 2006 to help ensure each other’s futures and Continental’s CEO Larry Kellner success,” Kellner told his co-workers. Cannons shot confetti into the air as co-workers waved banners with the phrase “Working Together = Sharing Together.”

Around the world, employees gathered and held their own celebrations in Asia, Europe, Mexico, and South America, as well as in every city Continental serves in the United States and Canada.

“We’ve been through a lot together, and we promised that if we worked together we would win together,” Continental President Jeff Smisek told his co-workers at the Houston rally (inset). “This is the best money we have ever spent.”

Where to Go in Tokyo

Continental has relocated to Terminal 1 at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. This change makes it easier for Continental customers to connect to other airlines serving points throughout Asia. In particular, fellow SkyTeam airline Northwest is located in Terminal 1, so passengers making a Continental-Northwest connection at Narita will no longer need to switch between terminals there. Presidents Club members and BusinessFirst travelers departing Tokyo will be directed to a nice SkyTeam lounge in Terminal 1. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Continental service to Tokyo. — Lockwood Tallman

Now Hiring

Wanted: 700 new Continental Airlines flight attendants. In 2006, Business Traveler magazine wrote that Continental has “the best flight attendants in the U.S.” To be considered to join this prestigious group of professionals, visit continental.com and click on “About Continental,” and then “Career Opportunities.”

All Hail “Captain Book”

Continental Airlines Captain Ross Christensen flies what are often called the “island hopper” routes between Hawaii, Guam, and numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean. It was during his journeys that he discovered a need among the children in the impoverished areas he flew to. Christensen would buy toys during his layovers in Hawaii, and when the aircraft arrived in the Pacific islands, he would walk around the airport handing out the toys to all children in sight.

“It’s like giving them a million bucks when you see their faces. They get so much enjoyment out of it,” Christensen says of his experience. “Over time, I got to know some of the families, and they have really good hearts. We like to do something nice for these people.”

When Christensen mentioned to his parents back in Duluth, Minn., that many children on the islands have nothing, he got the idea to collect and distribute literally a ton of books to the children on the islands of Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap.

“So many people living on the Mi-cronesian islands read only at the first grade level,” Christensen says. “They just do not have a great deal of books in their homes, so to be able to send them is really satisfying.”

The books were placed on Continental aircraft and shipped to the islands so that missionaries could distribute them to hundreds of children in the outlying villages. — Roxanne Butler