Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Continental Connection

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Frequent-flyer program
  
OnePass

Alliances
  
SkyTeam, Star Alliance

Fleet size
  
83

Continental Connection httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Ceased operations
  
March 3, 2012 (merged with United Express)

Headquarters
  
Houston, Texas, United States

Hubs
  
Newark Liberty International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

Colgan air crash flight 3407 continental connection bombardier dash 8 q400 2009 ntsb atc audio


Continental Connection was a brand name under which several commuter airline carriers and their holding companies operated services marketed exclusively by Continental Airlines. As such, all Continental Connection banner carrier services were operated primarily with turboprop aircraft in contrast to Continental Express, whose flights were operated by Continental's regional jet partners, ExpressJet Airlines and Chautauqua Airlines.

Contents

According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), earlier Continental Express flights, such as those operated by Royale Airlines followed by Britt Airways from the Continental hub at Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH), were operated with such turboprop aircraft as the ATR-42, Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia and Grumman Gulfstream I during the 1980s.

All flights operated by Continental Connection carriers were given full OnePass frequent flyer credit, as if they were mainline Continental flights.

The "Continental Connection" name was discontinued and the operation was renamed United Express following the merger of Continental Airlines with United Airlines.

Continental connection flight 3407 live update


Operators

CommutAir operated a sizeable hub at Albany, New York during the 2000s even though Continental Airlines did not have any mainline presence at the city.

GP Express Airlines of Grand Island, Nebraska also operated as a Continental Connection carrier at Denver and Kansas City from 1994 through 1996. Continental Airlines had discontinued its hub operation at Denver by this time. GP Express operated Beechcraft 1900C and Beechcraft 99 aircraft.

In addition, other commuter and regional air carriers operated turboprop aircraft as Continental Express including Air New Orleans with Beechcraft C99 and British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31 propjets primarily with connecting service into the New Orleans (MSY) airport and also to destinations in Florida. Another Continental Express carrier was Royale Airlines operating Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante and Grumman Gulfstream I turboprops with feeder service at Continental's Houston (IAH) hub. Royale also operated Douglas DC-9-10 jet aircraft as a Continental Express carrier. The Royale service in Houston was then replaced by Britt Airways operating as Continental Express and flying ATR-42 and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops.

Incidents and accidents

  • On February 12, 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 operating on behalf of Continental Connection crashed into a house on Long Road in Clarence Center, New York while on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport; 50 people, including one on the ground, were killed according to New York State Police.
  • On September 7, 2011, Colgan Air Flight 3222, with 23 passengers en route from Houston, TX to Lake Charles, LA landed at Southland Field, which was not their scheduled destination. The crew was subsequently relieved of duty.
  • References

    Continental Connection Wikipedia