Press release

13.10.2004: Continental Airlines announces daily non-stop service between Hamburg and New York

Hamburg’s only scheduled non-stop service to the U.S.

Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL), the world’s sixth largest airline and OAG Airline of the Year 2004, today announced it will launch daily non-stop flights between Hamburg and New York/Newark effective June 10, 2005 (westbound), subject to government approval.
The news comes two days after the airline announced it would launch daily service between Berlin and New York/Newark effective July 2, 2005 (westbound). Continental already offers daily service from Frankfurt to New York/Newark.
The new service, the only daily non-stop trans-Atlantic service from the German city, will link Hamburg with New York, the world’s financial capital and the number one U.S. business and tourism destination. It will provide easier and faster travel options for travellers between Hamburg and the U.S., who currently have to travel via intermediate points. It will also provide a new gateway for North American visitors, creating additional inbound business and tourism opportunities.
Jim Summerford, Continental’s Vice President – Europe & Middle East, said: “Hamburg represents an exciting opportunity for us. As in several other European markets, Continental will provide a uniquely attractive product to local travelers and to North American visitors – award-winning service on the only trans-Atlantic non-stop, serving New York’s best gateway and only major-airline hub, with quick and easy onward connections to cities throughout the Americas.”

Ole von Beust, Governing Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, commented, “I am very pleased about this crucial infrastructural step. The non-stop flight from Hamburg to New York represents an outstanding success for Hamburg and for the transatlantic relations that have played such a formative role in this city. This pivotal decision will considerably strengthen ‘Hamburg – the Growing City’ and its position in the center of Northern Europe.”
Gunnar Uldall, Minister of Economy and Labor in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, declared, "As a successful business and tourism location, Hamburg welcomes Continental Airlines with open arms. Both Germans and Americans are set to profit from this new route between New York/ Newark and Hamburg. Indeed, this will only serve to strengthen our already close links to the USA."
Werner Hauschild, Chief Executive Officer of Hamburg Airport, said, "We're absolutely delighted that all our efforts to secure a non-stop flight to New York have been rewarded. Continental Airlines is an excellent partner for Hamburg. With appropriate seating capacity, the Boeing 757 is a good choice and will secure the success of the route."

With 1.8 million inhabitants, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany, is at the same time the country's second largest city. It is situated some 95 kilometers from the North Sea estuary of the Elbe river. Hamburg is the greenest city in Germany and boasts more bridges than Venice, London and Amsterdam put together. With more than 90 consulates, Hamburg is second only to New York as the city with the most consulates in the world. Tourism plays a vital part in Hamburg's economy. In 2003 Hamburg registered around 5.4 million overnight stays, a 6.5% increase year-on-year. More than five million people emigrated via Hamburg to the U.S.A., Canada and Australia between 1850 and 1934. Descendants may carry out genealogical research by accessing the Hamburg Internet database http://www.linktoyourroots.hamburg.de/
Hamburg Airport is used by over 9.5 million passengers every year and fulfils a vital role as the metropolitan airport for northern Germany. In total, over 60 airlines connect Hamburg with 112 domestic and international destinations and aircraft movements reach 150,000 every year. Over 13,000 people are employed by almost 250 companies in and around the airport.

Continental's Hamburg-New York/Newark flights will be operated with a 172-seat Boeing 757 aircraft, carrying 16 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 156 in Economy.
Flight CO75 will depart Hamburg daily at 9:15 a.m., arriving at New York/Newark at 11:55 a.m. the same day. The return flight, CO74, will depart New York/Newark daily at 6:00 p.m., arriving at Hamburg at 7:45 a.m. the next day. Flying times will be approximately 8 hours 40 minutes westbound and 7 hours 45 minutes eastbound.
Over the next few months, Continental will hire staff for its ground operations
at Hamburg. The exact number of positions to be filled has yet to be finalized.
The Hamburg flights have been conveniently timed to connect at New York/Newark with an extensive network of service throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Latin America. Continental is the only major airline to operate a hub in the New York City metropolitan area – Newark Liberty International Airport. Located just 25 kilometers from downtown Manhattan, Liberty International offers the fastest surface transfer journeys to many parts of the city, including the AirTrain service to New York Penn Station in midtown Manhattan. One-way fares between Liberty International and New York Penn Station are $11.55 on NJ Transit and $23 on Amtrak and journey time is less than 30 minutes.
Passengers arriving at Liberty International on Continental flights from Hamburg will be able to use exclusive immigration and customs facilities in Terminal C3, Continental’s Global Gateway, and connect quickly and easily with Continental's 407 daily services from Liberty International to 170 destinations throughout the Americas, including 143 served non-stop, in almost all cases without changing terminals.
The new flights will feature Continental’s renowned BusinessFirst service, which won the Best Executive/Business Class award in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards in both 2004 and 2003, based on voting by frequent flyers worldwide. BusinessFirst was also voted Best Transatlantic Business Class among U.S. airlines in Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s Business Travel Awards 2003 – for the 6th year running.
This premium-class cabin features extra-wide electronic sleeper seats with 55
inch pitch/140-cm pitch, adjustable winged headrests and personal video screens. Other BusinessFirst amenities include gourmet menus and award-winning wines and champagnes. A specially selected and trained corps of more than 200 Concierges provides individualised pre-flight and post-flight services for BusinessFirst customers at 21 key international airports worldwide.
Hamburg will become the 23rd city in Continental’s Europe & Middle East route network.
Continental has been operating in Germany since 1991. The airline operates a daily Boeing 767-400ER non-stop service between Frankfurt and New York/Newark.
Continental's reservations number in Germany is 0180 3212610.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Continental Airlines is the world’s sixth-largest airline with more than 3,000 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. Continental serves 151 domestic and 120 international destinations – more than any other airline in the world – and nearly 200 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With 42,000 employees, the airline has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and carries approximately 51 million passengers per year. In 2004, Continental has earned awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. FORTUNE ranks Continental one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America, an honor it has earned for six consecutive years, and also ranks Continental as the top airline in its Most Admired Global Companies in 2004. The carrier won major awards at the 2004 OAG Airline of the Year Awards including “Airline of the Year,” “Best Airline Based in North America” and “Best Executive/Business Class.” For more company information, visit continental.com.
In Europe and the Middle East, Continental serves 19 cities in 12 countries, operating up to 203 departures weekly to its U.S. gateway hubs at New York/Newark, Houston and Cleveland, with onward connections to cities throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. Continental’s alliance carriers in Europe and the Middle East include its SkyTeam partners Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as well as Air Europa, Emirates, FlyBE (British European), Maersk Air, TAP Air Portugal and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Hamburg Airport is used by over 9.5 million passengers every year and fulfils a vital role as the metropolitan airport for northern Germany. In total, over 60 airlines connect Hamburg with 112 domestic and international destinations and take-off and landing numbers reach 150,000 every year. Over 13,000 people are employed by almost 250 companies in and around the airport.
2003 proved to be another successful year for Hamburg Airport. The overall number of passengers (departures and arrivals) increased by 6.5%. Year-end passenger growth for 2003 at Hamburg Airport was thus twice the German average (only 3.9%), making Hamburg third in the table of Germany's best performing airports. At a cost of 350 million euros, the Airport's expansion project, commenced in 2001, is the largest investment program in Hamburg Airport's 93 year history. The new, larger terminal will be opening its doors to business and tourism travellers in May 2005. This means that Hamburg Airport's capacity is set to increase to more than 15 million passengers. With its short walking distances, excellent service provision and an outstanding modern architectural design, Hamburg Airport is more than just an airport.

13 October 2004
For further information about Continental Airlines, please contact Anita Meier at Anita Meier Public Relations GmbH, phone +49 69 974 672 87.

For further information about Hamburg Airport, please contact Stefanie Koall, head of press and public relations, phone +49 40 5075 3610.

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