CONTINENTAL AIRLINES MAKES AVIATION HISTORY WITH FIRST NEW YORK-HONG KONG NONSTOP

Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) tomorrow will launch the first-ever nonstop air service between New York and Hong Kong, creating a direct link between two of the world's most vibrant cities and cutting the current travel time by more than two hours.

Beginning March 1, Continental will offer a daily flight to Hong Kong in the People's Republic of China with a Boeing 777 departing from Newark International Airport and utilizing a unique new route over the North Pole, Russia and China.

At 7,337 nautical miles, Continental's flight is the longest operated by any U.S. airline and is the longest scheduled non-stop flight ever flown out of New York. Flying time from New York is approximately 15-½ hours, shaving a minimum of two hours off of all other airline flights, which make at least one stop en route.

"Once again, we are able to offer our customers something no other airline can: direct service out of the New York area's best airport to one of the world's greatest cities," said Greg Brenneman, Continental's president and chief executive officer, who will officiate at inaugural ceremonies at 10 a.m. on Thurs., March 1.

Passengers arriving in Hong Kong from New York on the inaugural flight, and those departing Hong Kong for New York on March 3, will be met by Continental Airlines Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gordon Bethune, currently in Hong Kong for pre-inaugural meetings with government and civic officials.

Other airline officials, as well as federal aviation representatives from several countries, including Russia, China and the United States, will be aboard the flight from New York to Hong Kong International Airport. The historic flights have required enormous preparation, including negotiations with and several visits to Russia and China to secure use of their airspace.

Continental has invested heavily in this new route. In December 2000, the airline opened a new Hong Kong sales and reservations office, hired Chinese-speaking flight attendants and launched a full-scale marketing and advertising campaign.

The company also took out full-page newspaper ads to tout its low introductory fares. In addition, Continental added authentic Chinese dishes to its in-flight menus.

The return flight from Hong Kong to Newark International Airport begins Saturday, March 3. That flight has a scheduled time en route of 15 hours and 40 minutes. At the Newark hub, connections are available to and from points throughout the eastern U.S. New York's Hometown Airline Continental's strategic location in New York gives it a huge advantage over its competitors in the market place. As the only major airline operating a hub in the New York area, passengers from Asia can connect quickly and easily to as many as 367 daily flights to 115 destinations worldwide. Its hub, based at Newark International Airport (which is closer to mid-town Manhattan than John F. Kennedy Airport), is the leading New York area airport, handling 33.7 million passengers annually.

In addition to its daily service to New York, Continental also operates three flights a week between Hong Kong and Guam with a B-737-800 aircraft.

Award-Winning Business Class Service Continental's Boeing 777-200 has a two-class configuration that carries 283 passengers, 48 in BusinessFirst and 235 in coach. The airline has won numerous awards for its BusinessFirst cabin, which features extra-wide electronic sleeper seats with 55-inch pitch/140-cm pitch, adjustable winged headrests, large overhead bins, satellite telephones, and laptop computer power ports. Every seat in the B-777, including coach, is equipped with its own personal video screen. Other BusinessFirst amenities include gourmet menus with top rated wines and champagnes and fresh cappuccino or espresso.

Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering more than 2,200 departures daily to 136 domestic and 92 international destinations. Operating hubs in Newark, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, Continental serves more international cities than any other U.S. carrier, including extensive service throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.