Continental Airlines To Start Moscow Flights With Initiation Of Russian Alliance.

NEWARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 1997--Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAI) today announced it will begin flights from New York/Newark to Moscow effective Aug. 30, 1997.

Daily DC-10 flights will feature Continental's award-winning BusinessFirst service, and will be timed to provide connections at its Newark hub for passengers traveling to and from cities throughout North America. Moscow will be Continental's tenth European destination.

The flight will depart Newark International Airport in the evening, arriving at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport in the early afternoon the next day. Departing Moscow in the late afternoon, the flight will arrive in Newark in the early evening. Westbound flight time on the 4,668-mile route is approximately 10 hours, 30 minutes. Exact schedules and fares will be announced.

Continental has studied the Moscow route for several years. The decision to begin the flights this year was prompted by growth in U.S.- Russia travel and was made possible by a recent accord with Aeroflot Russian International Airlines. Under the agreement, the two airlines will each be responsible for marketing approximately half the seats on the flights. The Russian carrier will put its "SU" code on the Continental flight and will market the service throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States.

"This partnership increases opportunity and reduces financial risk for both carriers," said David Grizzle, Sr. Vice President-Corporate Development. "Russia is a challenging place to establish a presence, and teaming with Aeroflot enhances the potential of Continental's investment. We will have a strong foothold in a market that is bound to grow as the Russian economy and U.S.-Russia ties expand. Conversely, allying with Continental helps Aeroflot to focus world attention on the significant progress it has made in recent years."

The new service is subject to government approval, which is anticipated. The two airlines are evaluating further cooperation that is expected to result in Continental placing its "CO" code on Aeroflot's Airbus A-310 flight between Miami and Moscow.

Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering more than 2,100 jet and Express departures daily to 137 domestic and 58 international destinations. Operating major hubs in Newark, Houston, Guam and Cleveland, Continental is strategically positioned for transcontinental travel, and offers extensive service to Latin America and Europe via its Houston and Newark gateways.

Continental was recently ranked the top airline in customer satisfaction among the nine major U.S. carriers on long-haul (500+ miles) flights, based on an independent survey of frequent flyers conducted by J.D. Power and Associates in conjunction with Frequent Flyer magazine. For seven of the last eight years, InsideFlyer has awarded the OnePass frequent flyer program as having the best elite-level program in the industry.

CONTACT: Continental Corporate Communications, 713/834-5080