Continental Airlines expands service to Mexico

Continental Airlines is to expand its services to Mexico City with the inauguration of two new routes effective May 2, 2004.

Continental's regional carrier, Continental Express, will commence twice-daily nonstop service between San Antonio and Mexico City, and once-daily service between McAllen and Mexico City, pending government approval. The routes will be served with the extended-range version of Embraer's 50-passenger ERJ-145 aircraft.

"These Texas communities have strong business and cultural ties with Mexico City," said a Continental spokesperson. "The routes will succeed based on the convenience of the nonstop service as well as our ability to provide the right size aircraft for the flights."

Continental and Continental Express offer more than 340 flights per week to 23 Mexican destinations. The airline recently announced major expansion of its Mexico service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, with the addition of four new Mexican destinations between April and June 2004 - Monclova (April 4), Puebla (May 2), Oaxaca (June 10), and Toluca (June 10) - bringing the number of Mexican destinations served by the airline to 27.