Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today
took delivery of its first Boeing 757-300 aircraft from The Boeing Company as
part of the airline`s ongoing fleet modernization program.  The aircraft is
the first of 15 Boeing 757-300 aircraft to be delivered through 2005.
 
The aircraft, with 24 seats in first class and 186 seats in economy, will
fly primarily domestic routes.  The 757-300, a stretched version of the
757-200, carries 27 more economy customers than the 757-200 and increases the
available cargo volume by nearly 40 percent.
 
As it moves toward just three fleet types—777, 767/757 and the 737—
the airline increases its efficiency with reduced fuel consumption,
flexibility in scheduling and spare parts inventory commonality.  The
financing for this aircraft, along with other aircraft delivered to
Continental since Sept. 11, was raised earlier in 2001.
 
“The new Boeing 757-300 allows Continental to meet increased capacity
demands on certain routes, while maintaining a common and efficient fleet,”
said Gordon Bethune, Continental chairman and CEO.
 
757-300 will be powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 engines, which have
demonstrated a high degree of reliability.  This order will take Continental`s
757 fleet to 56 aircraft, including the 41 757-200s that Continental has
acquired beginning in 1994.  Continental operates a total fleet of 351 jets.
 
More information on the Boeing 757-300 is available at
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/757-300/product.html .
 
Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering
more than 1,900 departures daily to 122 domestic and 89 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.  For
more information, visit continental.com.
 
Continental was named the 2001 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World,
as well as the 1996 Airline of the Year, making it the only carrier to receive
this honor twice in five years.  Continental is in the top quarter of Fortune
magazine`s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America,” and is ranked the
nation`s No. 1 airline in customer satisfaction for long and short-haul
flights by Frequent Flyer Magazine and J.D. Power and Associates.  Continental
has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin (Conde Nast
Traveler, OAG, Entrepreneur and SmartMoney magazines), OnePass frequent flyer
program (InsideFlyer`s Freddie Awards) and overall operations and management
(Fortune magazine).

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