Continental Airlines to launch Daily Non Stop Services between New York and Barcelona

Continental Airlines is to launch daily nonstop services between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Barcelona, Spain beginning May 18, 2006, subject to government approval.

“We look forward to adding Barcelona to our trans-Atlantic route network and offering travelers something none of our competitors can match—award winning, year-round service to Barcelona, with quick and easy same-airline, same-terminal connections from cities throughout the Americas,” said Jim Summerford, Continental’s vice president, Europe, Middle East and India.

Barcelona will become the 26th city in Continental’s trans-Atlantic route network. The airline has served Madrid since 1992 and currently operates a daily Boeing 777 nonstop service between Madrid and New York/Newark.

Flight CO120 will depart Newark Liberty International Airport daily at 8:20 p.m., arriving in Barcelona at 10:20 a.m. the next day. Flight CO121 will depart Barcelona daily at 12 p.m. arriving in New York/Newark at 2:45 p.m. the same day. Flying times will be approximately eight hours traveling east and eight hours and 45 minutes traveling west.

Continental’s New York/Newark to Barcelona flights will be operated with a 172-seat Boeing 757-200 aircraft carrying 16 passengers in BusinessFirst cabin and 156 in economy class.

Continental and Air Europa of Spain code-share on Air Europa-operated flights between Madrid and Barcelona, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca and on Continental-operated flights between Madrid and New York/Newark and between New York/Newark and 25 U.S. cities. A marketing agreement provides for frequent flyer program reciprocity between the two airlines.

Barcelona, with a population of 5.1 million, is one of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in Europe and one of Spain’s largest industrial centers. Major industries include manufacturing, particularly textiles and motor vehicles, consumer electronics, chemical and pharmaceutical research, design, publishing and advertising. Barcelona is also famed for its unique cultural identity, from the architecture of Gaudi to the historic Gothic district with its Roman and Medieval remains. More than 3.8 million tourists visited the city in 2003. Barcelona hosted more than 1,150 conventions and corporate meetings in 2004, bringing in 360,000 visitors.

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