Continental Airlines and British European announce codeshare agreement

Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) and U.K. airline Jersey European d/b/a British European (flybe.) announced today that they have agreed to form a cooperative marketing relationship to include codesharing on select flights, reciprocal frequent flyer program participation and reciprocal airport lounge access.

Subject to government approval, Continental and flybe plan to start codesharing this fall on flybe-operated flights between London/Gatwick and Belfast City, Jersey and Guernsey, and between Birmingham and Belfast City, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Shannon; and on Continental-operated flights between New York/Newark and Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester. These flights will display the designator codes of both Continental (CO) and flybe (BE) and will be marketed by both carriers. 

Effective Oct. 1, 2002, members of Continental's frequent flyer program, OnePass, will be able to earn and redeem miles anywhere on flybe's network. With the start of codesharing, members of flybe's frequent flyer program, Passport to Freedom, will be able to redeem rewards for travel on select Continental flights.

Continental and flybe have also agreed to provide their customers with access to each other's airport lounges. Effective with the start of codesharing, Continental's BusinessFirst customers and Presidents Club members will have access to flybe's Business Lounges at London/Gatwick, Belfast City, Jersey and Guernsey, while flybe's Business Class customers will have access to Continental's Presidents Club lounges at London/Gatwick and Newark Liberty International Airport.