Continental formally joins Alliance

Continental Airlines today formally joined Star Alliance. With CO joining Star Alliance it becomes the third US carrier with United Airlines and US Airways already established in STAR.

Continental will bring to the alliance access to its New York EWR hub, the New York market has been a miss on the Star route map with no significant presence previosly in New York, especially at the International Airports of JFK and EWR.

Continental will bring to Star a significant presence to the Latin American and Central American market where also Star has been weak, particularly since Mexicana had withdrawn from the alliance.

Comparing weekly schedules to Latin America, CO offer 70 weekly flights in comparison to United Airlines which is currently Star's largest current operator from the US to LATAM, operating just 21 weekly flights. This still compares less favourably to American Airlines (Oneworld Alliance) which operates 220 flights to Latin America from its US hubs. Low cost carrier Spirit operates a growing Latin American network of 27 flights.

By joining Star Alliance, Continental Airlines will also significantly increase the presence to Central and Latin America. Continental now operates 807 weekly flights from the US to these markets comparing with US Airways 277, United Airlines 52. American Airlines continues to be the largest US carrier into Central America and the Caribbean with 992 weekly frequencies.