CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ASKS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO REQUIRE MORE INFORMATION OF AMERICAN AIRLINES/BRITISH AIRWAYS

Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today filed a motion with the U.S. Department of Transportation requesting that American Airlines and British Airways be required to update and expand their submissions requesting approval for antitrust immunity.

The global aviation marketplace changed dramatically on Sept. 11, and important decisions about the future of the world's largest international market need to be considered using the most relevant data.

Yet no new information has been supplied by applicants American and British Airways that reflects the current state of the industry.

Furthermore, information previously supplied by American and British Airways is incomplete, and their request should not be considered without additional data.

"The record in this proceeding lacks information critical to evaluation of the American/British Airways alliance and it must be supplemented," the Continental motion states.

Yesterday Continental President Larry Kellner testified against the American Airlines/British Airways combination before a Senate subcommittee.

Kellner testified that "the proposed American Airlines/British Airways antitrust immunized alliance is the wrong deal at the wrong time" because it will result in the two airlines having a competitive stranglehold on the most important international routes in the world.