Continental Airlines will fly from Texas to Nigeria next year

Continental Airlines announced today plans to launch new daily nonstop flights between Houston and

Continental Airlines announced today plans to launch new daily nonstop flights between Houston and Lagos, Nigeria, beginning November 10, 2011, subject to government approval. It will be the first daily scheduled service offered between Texas and Africa by any carrier.

Lagos will be Continentalโ€™s first destination in Africa and the 30th city in its trans-Atlantic route network. It is the second new international destination announced in the last month that will be served nonstop from Houston, Continentalโ€™s largest hub. Continental currently serves 63 international destinations nonstop from Houston and recently announced plans to begin nonstop service between Houston and Auckland beginning Nov. 16, 2011, subject to government approval.

With the addition of flights to Africa, Houston will become one of just four cities in the world โ€“ and the only city in the Western Hemisphere โ€“ to have nonstop service to every inhabited continent on the globe.

โ€œWe are excited to continue to expand our international route network from Houston by adding nonstop service to Lagos,โ€ said Jeff Smisek, Continentalโ€™s chairman, president and chief executive officer. โ€œThis flight will link two energy capitals and fill the growing demand for nonstop service between the two cities โ€“ a route which is currently not served by any other airline.โ€

On May 3, Continental announced that it has agreed to merge with United Airlines in a merger of equals to create the worldโ€™s leading airline. The success of the Houston-Lagos route will be enhanced by the additional traffic flows through Houston that are expected to result from the merger.

โ€œHouston stands to gain economically from this new direct connection to Africa, particularly in our energy and tourism industries,โ€ said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. โ€œItโ€™s a win that will help facilitate increased commerce and trade, a direct benefit to the businesses and citizens of both regions.โ€

โ€œIt is vitally important to our local economy that Continental continue to expand and add critical destinations like Lagos, Nigeria, for service from Houstonโ€™s Intercontinental Airport,โ€ said Congressman Gene Green. โ€œThis new route will also prove important for the growth of our energy industry here in Houston.โ€

โ€œWith this new USA-Africa route, Continental is doing more to make the business of international business its business and thatโ€™s a good thing,โ€ said Congressman Al Green.

โ€œThis new service will drive the creation of new business connections between Houston and Nigeria, particularly in the energy sector,โ€ said Congressman Kevin Brady. โ€œGrowth at Houston’s Intercontinental airport helps create jobs here at home and bring in dollars to our communities while offering more options for our business travelers.โ€

โ€œAs international trade continues to be an increasingly integral part of growing our economy, this improved service by Continental will enhance economic development and create jobs not only for the energy industry, but for all Houston and the state of Texas as a whole,โ€ said Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis.

Continental will operate the approximately 6,500-mile flight with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, seating 36 customers in BusinessFirst and 192 customers in economy class. Flying times will be approximately 11 hours eastbound, and 12 hours 30 minutes westbound. The new flight will reduce travel time between the two cities by over four hours by eliminating any connection en route.

The preliminary schedule for the new service is as follows:

Leave Houston Arrive Lagos Leave Lagos Arrive Houston

Winter
3:45 pm 9:40 am (next day) 11:10 am 4:40 pm (same day)

Summer
3:50 pm 9:15 am (next day) 10:45 am 4:40 pm (same day)

The flight will be timed to provide convenient connections at Continentalโ€™s Houston hub to more than 100 other cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Pacific. Continental will begin taking reservations and selling tickets on the new route later this year.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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