Welcome aboard, and thank you for choosing Continental Airlines for your flight today. While the airline industry continues to struggle under the burden of high fuel costs, it is more important than ever that we continue to provide you with the best service and product in the industry.
One of the best natural hedges that airlines have against high fuel prices is a young, fuel-efficient fleet. For more than a decade Continental has focused on retiring older, less efficient aircraft and replacing them with more advanced aircraft. We have reduced our fuel consumption by about 35 percent since 1997, and today we fly one of the youngest and most efficient fleets in the skies.
Earlier this year, we announced that in light of the record cost of jet fuel, we are accelerating the retirement of some of our less fuel-efficient aircraft. We will also improve the efficiency of our fleet by continuing to take delivery of new aircraft. In January of this year, Continental became the first airline in the Western Hemisphere to receive Boeing’s new 737-900ER (Extended Range) aircraft. This state-of-the-art aircraft is the most fuel-efficient plane in our fleet, offering a significant improvement in operational efficiency.
In February, Continental announced additional orders with Boeing for 27 new airplanes: eight 777s and 19 Next-Generation 737 (737NG) aircraft. This increased Continental’s total aircraft order to more than 100 new Boeing aircraft, including 25 of Boeing’s state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner airplanes.
During 2008, we plan to take delivery of a total of 32 Boeing 737-800 and -900ER aircraft, and in 2009 we will add 18 more 737NGs and two 777 aircraft to our fleet. On average, we will take delivery of two to three new aircraft each month over the next several years.
In addition to the purchase of new, fuel-efficient aircraft, Continental has also remained focused on introducing fuel-saving technologies for its existing fleet. Over the past four years, we have installed winglets on more than 250 aircraft. Winglets minimize drag and lower fuel consumption by as much as 5 percent while also reducing emissions and noise. In addition to winglets, we have retrofitted existing aircraft with enhanced engine technology improvements, which can lower fuel burn by up to 3 percent on some aircraft.
While our young fleet, balanced network, and industry-leading product are among our greatest assets, our No. 1 strength at Continental continues to be my co-workers, who are the most professional men and women in the industry. This month, for our employee of the month, I would like to recognize TPA Reservations Support Desk Training Coordinator Carolyn Lyons. You can read more about Carolyn here.
On behalf of Carolyn and the entire Continental team, thank you again for flying Continental today. We look forward to welcoming you aboard again in the near future.
Larry Kellner
Chairman and CEO
Continental Airlines
