Continental Airlines to launch daily nonstop flights between New York and Bristol, England

Continental Airlines is to launch daily nonstop flights between New York and Bristol, England, beginning May 19, 2005.

The new service will link Bristol with the airline’s New York-area hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and provide a new gateway to the region for North American visitors, creating additional tourism opportunities in the United Kingdom.

“We are delighted to bring our award-winning service to Bristol and proud to pioneer transatlantic service to Southwest England,” said Jim Summerford, Continental's vice president – International. “The Bristol flights will create easy, convenient travel options for our customers in this vibrant region, as well as for visitors from the U.S. and beyond. They will also consolidate Continental’s status as the leading airline on routes between the United States and the United Kingdom.”

Continental's New York-Bristol flights will be operated with a 172-seat Boeing 757 aircraft, carrying 16 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 156 in Economy.

Flight 76 will depart Liberty International Airport daily at 7:30 p.m., arriving in Bristol at 7:30 a.m. the next day. The return service, flight 77 from Bristol, will depart at 9 a.m. and arrive at Liberty International at noon the same day. Flying times will be approximately seven hours eastbound and eight hours westbound.

“Continental Airlines’ decision to operate a nonstop service to New York from Bristol International Airport is fantastic news for both the airport and the South West region,” said Andrew Skipp, managing director of Bristol International Airport. “The commencement of this transatlantic service will give a huge boost to the regional economy and will elevate Bristol and the South West of England onto the world stage.

“This is a momentous occasion, and will promote Bristol International Airport into the premier league of regional airports in the U.K.,” Skipp said. “Bristol International is the only airport in the region to offer this economically important route and I am hugely proud of the role that Bristol International Airport continues to play as an ‘ambassador’ for the South West. I am confident that the demand from businesses, alongside inbound and outbound tourists, will make this service a resounding success.”

Bristol is the largest city in the South West, which in turn has the second strongest economy in England outside London in terms of per-capita GDP. The city is home to the national headquarters of more than 160 companies and is one of the UK's major centers for financial services, which employ some 40,000 people. Bristol is also a center for high-tech businesses and aerospace industries, and is one of Europe's leading locations for micro-electronics and silicon design, with more than 400 such companies.

Bristol welcomes more than nine million visitors every year and is the 7th most popular destination in the U.K. for overseas visitors. The airport is located within 15 miles of the world heritage city of Bath, and just a few hours away from the beautiful holiday regions of Devon and Cornwall.

Bristol International Airport is one of the fastest growing regional airports in the U.K. Its catchment area covers 10 counties in the South West of England and South Wales, with seven million people living within a two-hour drive time of the airport. Bristol International Airport serves more than 90 direct destinations and is expected to carry 4.5 million passengers in 2005 – double the number of passengers when the new $50 million (£27m) terminal opened in March 2000.