Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) announced that with the implementation of interline eTicket with Air Europa, it has completed interline eTicket capability with all of its alliance partners, including all current and planned members of SkyTeam and planned SkyTeam associates, as well as all other codeshare and frequent flyer partners.
HOUSTON – Continental expects to eliminate issuing and accepting paper tickets by the end of 2007 in accordance with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) mandate for 100 percent eTicket implementation worldwide by the end of the year. Continental is the IATA global industry leader in interline eTicket implementation, currently having interline eTicket capabilities with 77 carriers.
Interline eTickets permit customers to fly and check baggage on Continental and other carriers on a single paperless eTicket itinerary. Continental expects all of its travelers to soon be using convenient eTickets, which reduce loss, theft and paperwork hassles for customers and the airline. Currently, 98 percent of Continental’s customers system-wide travel on eTickets. eTickets are valid at all of the over 280 airports served by Continental around the world.
„The implementation of eTicket capabilities with all of our alliance partners is a significant milestone in our effort to achieve 100 percent eTicketing,“ said Mark Erwin, senior vice president, Asia/Pacific and Corporate Development. „We will continue to work with our remaining interline partners and require them to adopt interline eTicket technology as soon as possible, to comply with the IATA mandate, as we lead the industry in this critical initiative.“
Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 144 domestic and 138 international destinations. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 44,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.
In 2006, Continental Airlines won its sixth J.D. Power and Associates award since 1996. The carrier received the highest rank in customer satisfaction among network carriers in North America in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Survey(SM). For the fourth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline on its 2007 list of Most Admired Global Companies. Continental was also named the No. 1 airline on the publication’s 2007 America’s Most Admired airline industry list. Additionally, Continental again won major awards at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards including „Best Airline Based in North America“ for the third year in a row, and „Best Executive/Business Class“ for the fourth consecutive year. For more company information, visit continental.com .
