We’re Off to Mumbai
In October, Continental Airlines launched new nonstop service between two of the world’s premier business centers: New York and Mumbai, India. The new service links the world’s financial center and top business and tourism destination with India’s commercial and entertainment capital. Continental Airlines President Jeff Smisek cut the ribbon for the inaugural flight from Mumbai to Newark Liberty International Airport on October 1. The many financial institutions and corporations based in Mumbai will be able to take advantage of Continental’s daily nonstop flights, which feature a Boeing 777-200 and offer convenient connections from Continental’s New York hub to more than 230 cities throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
— Roxanne Butler
New Service to London’s Heathrow Airport
Starting this March, Continental Airlines will launch nonstop flights between London/Heathrow and its hubs in New York/Newark and Houston, subject to government approval. From Heathrow, Continental will offer nonstop service to both Newark Liberty International Airport and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The airline will continue to offer nonstop service from London/Gatwick to New York/Newark and Houston, as well as Cleveland. Heathrow will be the 31st destination in Continental’s transatlantic route network.
The new Heathrow services have been made possible by the open skies agreement between the United States and the European Union signed earlier this year, and by Continental’s acquisition of the necessary slots at Heathrow Airport.
Continental’s Heathrow flights will operate from Terminal 4, which will be the future base for all SkyTeam carriers operating at the airport.
Passengers arriving at Newark Liberty and Houston on Continental flights from Heathrow will be able to connect quickly and easily with flights to destinations throughout the Americas. From Newark Liberty, the airline operates more than 400 flights daily to more than 230 destinations, including more than 120 served nonstop. From Houston, its largest hub, Continental operates more than 700 daily services to more than 230 destinations, including more than 170 served nonstop.
Flying Greener Skies
Earlier this year, Continental Airlines became an industry leader by offering customers a way to calculate the carbon footprint of their booked itinerary and purchase carbon offsets on continental.com from the nonprofit company Sustainable Travel International (STI).
“The world’s climate is an important issue for Continental and for our customers, and we want to offer a credible, global, high-quality option for offsetting emissions,” says Continental Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner.
Continental has a thorough, substantive approach to addressing concerns about climate change, and the airline has a longstanding environmental commitment. Continental was STI’s first airline partner to offer a comprehensive, calculator-based carbon offset program. The airline also helps customers protect the environment by supporting high-impact renewable energy and energy efficiency projects around the world.
Proceeds from purchased offsets are invested by STI into high-impact sustainable development projects, including reforestation, renewable energy, and energy conservation. These projects are located all over the world and also benefit local communities. Customers have the option of selecting which kind of program they would like their carbon offsets to benefit.
STI provides carbon-offsetting projects that are independently verified by third-party sources. The projects must verifiably reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to the CDM Gold Standard, consistent with the principles of the Kyoto Protocol, or have Green-e certification from the Center for Resource Solutions. STI recently received the highest ranking in an independent study of carbon-offsetting programs commissioned by the environmental group Clean Air–Cool Planet.
Locks of Love
Getting a haircut is not a big deal, unless your hair is being groomed to be donated to make wigs for cancer patients. Julie Kroll, a Continental Airlines reservations sales agent in Tampa, Fla., spent more than two years growing out her locks, and in October, she pulled her hair into a ponytail that stretched down 12 inches to the middle of her back and asked her hair dresser to cut it all off. Kroll donated her hair to a wonderful cause known as Locks of Love, which provides wigs free of charge to children who are undergoing cancer treatment.
“In a small way, in my busy world, I want to give back to others,” Kroll says. “It feels good giving back what I can. My hair is going to a great cause and it will always grow back.”
Kroll, who has worked for Continental for 16 years, handles incoming calls for the Continental reservations line. Her willingness to put the needs of others first is apparent not only on the job, but also in her extra-curricular activities.
In addition to donating her hair, Kroll donates her time to numerous nonprofit groups, including the Humane Society and the Special Olympics. This fall she also helped raise money in the Race for the Cure by walking in a 5K event in Tampa.
Sanofi-Aventis Wins Regatta
Continental Airlines hosted the 10th Annual Corporate Regatta at North Cove Marina in Manhattan. More than 350 spectators cheered on the 15 corporate participants in the event, which raised $75,000 for charity. This year, sanofi-aventis, an international pharmaceutical firm with U.S. headquarters in Bridgewater, N.J., took the grand prize of $35,000 after its J24 sailboat and team of sailors crossed the finish line on the Hudson River. The company donated its winnings to the Three Doctors Foundation, which works to inspire and create opportunities for inner city communities through education, mentoring, and the health awareness Web site threedoctorsfoundation.org. Over the past decade, the regatta has raised more than $800,000 for various charitable organizations.
Shanghai Bound
Continental Airlines is moving forward with plans to begin new nonstop service between Shanghai, China, and the airline’s New York–area hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in 2009. The U.S. Department of Transportation gave Continental tentative approval to launch the first daily nonstop service between New York/Newark and Shanghai. Continental also intends to provide through-flight service between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Shanghai.
