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Continental Airlines announced that it has completed installation of DIRECTV(R) on 15 aircraft that operate within the continental United States, giving customers the choice of 77 channels of live television programming – more channels than any other carrier – including live sports, news, weather and children’s shows.
The new service is being installed on Continental’s entire fleet of more than 200 Boeing 737 Next-Generation aircraft, including the 737-700, -800, -900, -900ER and the Boeing 757-300. Continental’s new system includes in-seat power ports that do not require the use of an adapter. The company expects to complete installation by the end of 2010.
"Our customers are enjoying DIRECTV(R)," said Jim Compton, Continental’s executive vice president of marketing. "Even in these tough economic times, we continue to invest in product features that customers value."
The channel lineup includes CBS, NBC, Fox, USA Network, Discovery Channel, A&E, CNN, ESPN, Animal Planet, The History Channel, Food Network and many other popular channels. In addition to live television, the entertainment system provides previously recorded premium movies, sitcoms, dramas, with a moving map to be added later.
Continental’s first-class customers receive access to the system free-of-charge. The fee for economy-class customers is $6 per flight.
Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,750 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 133 domestic and 132 international destinations. More than 750 additional points are served via current alliance partners. With more than 43,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture. For the sixth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 World’s Most Admired Airline on its 2009 list of World’s Most Admired Companies.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
