KLM AND CONTINENTAL EXTEND COMMERCIAL
AGREEMENT
AMSTELVEEN, JUNE 11, 2003
KLM Royal Dutch
Airlines and Continental Airlines have further extended the commercial agreement
they initiated in December 2001 and expanded in June 2002. Both airlines have
tuned this new long-term agreement with their joint partner, Northwest Airlines.
The renewed
agreement sees KLM and Continental codesharing on flights beyond their hubs in
Houston, New York/Newark and Amsterdam, to a wide range of destinations in the
United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In addition, passengers will
continue to benefit from the linking of KLM and Continental’s loyalty programs
and reciprocal access to lounge facilities.
KLM and Continental’s existing codesharing
network can now be extended with new codeshare destinations on KLM flights into
Europe, the Middle East and Africa and on Continental flights into the U.S.,
Mexico, Central and South America. Subject to government approval KLM will code
share to an additional 22 destinations throughout Latin America. Other
additional destinations in the US are also contemplated by both airlines.
Examples of additional code share destinations for KLM include: Acapulco,
Cancun, Ixtapa and Saint Maarten.
Continental is
Northwest Airlines’ key marketing alliance partner in the United States and
has now reaffirmed its long-term partnership with KLM. The three carriers intend
to jointly improve and extend connections for their passengers at their
respective hubs and gateways, further strengthening the position of KLM’s home
base Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.