HOUSTON, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Airlines today submitted its application to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to be the first-ever U.S. carrier to provide daily, overnight service between Houston, Texas and Bogota, Colombia, to arrive in each city in the early morning and depart each city late at night. Continental's proposed Houston-Bogota flights will be ideally timed for business travelers and shippers allowing for a full day's work in either city, as well as providing additional flight options for leisure travelers.
Continental seeks the frequency award as part of a DOT proceeding to allocate up to four daily flights to U.S. carriers between December 2007 and October 2008.
The proposed service will provide connecting flight opportunities to more than 110 cities throughout the U.S. network served through Continental's centrally-located Houston hub. In addition, Continental's proposed flight will provide new interline connecting opportunities to points throughout Colombia on Continental's alliance partner, AeroRepublica, including Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Medellin and San Andres. Members of Continental's frequent flyer program, OnePass, will be able to earn and redeem miles for their travel on AeroRepublica.
In its application, Continental asks DOT to allocate one of the four contested daily flights to the airline to supplement its current Houston -- Bogota and Houston -- Cali service and to provide travelers and shippers in the fourth largest city in the U.S. additional travel options to the Colombian capital city and points throughout Colombia. Continental also cites the concentration of Colombia service at gateways in the U.S. southeastern region and the need for additional flight opportunities between the U.S. central and western regions.
Continental has asked DOT for authority to institute the new service as part of its summer 2008 schedule and plans to operate the nonstop flight daily with Boeing 737 aircraft on the following tentative summer schedule:
Flight Number: Departs: Arrives: CO 834 Houston: 11:55 p.m. Bogota: 5:09 a.m. CO 835 Bogota: 12:15 a.m. Houston: 5:10 a.m.
Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 144 domestic and 138 international destinations. More than 580 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 45,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For more company information, visit continental.com.
