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Continental Airlines Selects Chautauqua to Operate 44 Regional Jets

HOUSTON, July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced that it has selected Chautauqua Airlines to provide and operate 44 regional jets as a Continental Express carrier beginning in 2007, under a new capacity purchase agreement.

Chautauqua, a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: RJET), will operate 50-seat regional jets on Continental's behalf, under the Continental Express brand. Continental will continue to schedule and market all of its Continental Express regional jet service.

"In selecting Chautauqua, we've identified a regional operator that can uphold our high standards for reliable, quality service, while delivering that service at competitive rates," said Continental Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner.

"We know the Continental team and are delighted to be a part of their network," said Bryan Bedford, chairman, president and CEO of Republic Airways Holdings, parent company of Chautauqua Airlines. "We look forward to providing excellent service to Continental and its customers."

In April 2006, Continental announced that Chautauqua would operate any of the aircraft that ExpressJet Airlines elected to return to Continental under the Continental-ExpressJet capacity purchase agreement. ExpressJet's decision to retain all 69 aircraft provided Continental with the opportunity to examine options for replacing the regional capacity provided by those aircraft. Chautauqua will supply the 44 aircraft that it will operate under the new capacity purchase agreement. Continental currently has no plans to replace 25 of the 69 50-seat regional jets retained by ExpressJet.

Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,200 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 154 domestic and 138 international destinations. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 61 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 Associated award since 1996. The carrier ranked the highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers in North America in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Survey(SM). For the third consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline on its 2006 list of Most Admired Global Companies. Continental was also named the No. 1 airline on the publication's 2006 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 .

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Written by Guest on 2006-07-22 20:08:24

chautauqua wasnt the lowest bidder!!!!!!!! and they still got the flying.

GROWTH !
Written by Guest on 2006-07-22 00:28:54

NO WONDER, CO IS GROWING !

Written by Guest on 2006-07-21 20:15:03

Expressjet has more daily departures than mainline Continental. That JD Power award in large part came as a result of the dependable and high quality service provided by Expressjet.
Continental has gone a new direction, and thrown quality out the window...

Written by Guest on 2006-07-21 19:41:02

Congrats to Chautauqua, I'd much rather see them flying it then Mesa or Pinnacle.

Written by Guest on 2006-07-21 14:26:38

At least they fought the good fight. It seems that eventually the lower bidder always wins these days.

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