Star Alliance Company Plus: Continental Airlines joins Star Alliance Company Plus

Star Alliance Company Plus (SACP) is pleased to welcome Continental Airlines as its 12th member. Continental Airlines offers a comprehensive route network from the UK and Ireland to the USA, announcing just last month that it will increase its frequency of flights between London and New York during 2010.

Continental's addition as an SACP member will be welcome news for existing SACP members. From London Heathrow, the airline operates a three-times-daily direct service to its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, plus a twice-daily service to Houston. The airline will add a fourth daily service from London Heathrow to New York effective 28 March 2010 and a fifth daily service effective 31 October. In addition, Continental operates non-stop services to New York from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester, as well as Dublin and Shannon, serving more cities in the U.K. and Ireland than any other trans-Atlantic airline.

SACP members can choose to depart from Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London-City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle and Shannon, confirming Star Alliance Company Plus as the leading SME loyalty programme in the UK. In addition to its UK network, Continental adds a range of further destinations across the US to the Star Alliance Company Plus network.

An additional bonus for SACP members is that effective 2 June 2010, all aircraft scheduled for Continental flights departing Heathrow will feature all new, flat bed seats in BusinessFirst, the airline's business-class cabin.

About Continental

Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,500 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 133 domestic and 135 international destinations. Continental is a member of Star Alliance, which overall offers 19,700 daily flights to 1,077 airports in 175 countries through its 26 member airlines.

Across the Atlantic, Continental operates up to 301 departures weekly from 29 airports in 16 countries to its U.S. gateway hubs at New York and Houston, with onward connections to more than 200 cities throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. Fortune magazine ranked Continental as the top airline in its World's Most Admired Companies 2009, for the sixth consecutive year. At the OAG Airline Industry Awards 2009, based on voting by frequent flyers around the world, Continental won the Best Executive/Business Class award and the Best Airline Based in North America award, the latter for the sixth year in a row. Continental's alliance carriers in Europe, the Middle East and India include, in addition to Star Alliance carriers, Emirates, Kingfisher Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

About Star Alliance Company Plus

Star Alliance Company Plus has been designed primarily for SMEs and is the industry's first corporate incentive scheme by the world's largest airline alliance. It is an easy to use system, requiring no minimum travel spend to join and there is no cost to join. It is an online self-managed programme, accessible 24 hours a day. It can also be managed by travel agents, who are also welcome to join SACP, on behalf of clients. Every flight with any of the participating airlines earns PlusPoints which can be exchanged for free flights, upgrades, prizes or cash.

Star Alliance Company Plus is available to small and medium enterprises throughout the UK and Ireland. Points can be accumulated when flying with Air Canada, ANA, Austrian, Blue1, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal and United.

About Star Alliance

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, bmi, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Aegean Airlines, Air India and TAM have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers 19,700 daily flights to 1,077 airports in 175 countries.

CONTACT: Sue Bradley, for Star Alliance Tel: +44 (0)208 276 6800

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