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Houston Airport System
March 31, 2008
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Both British Airways and Continental Airlines celebrated on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), as the open skies agreement between the United States and the European Union took effect.
British Airways opted for an intimate ribbon-cutting ceremony with the passengers of their first flight. Cake, with the airline’s logo, and punch were served just before the departure.
Continental celebrated with passengers, employees and political figures such as Mayor Bill White, Congressman John Culberson, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and State Senator Rodney Ellis. The lavish ceremony included snacks from Continental’s first-class service, champagne and blue and silver confetti that blasted into the crowd just after cutting the ribbon.
Until now transatlantic air regulations prohibited direct flights between Heathrow and any destination in the state of Texas under the US/UK bilateral air services agreement.
Houston's Mayor Bill White expressed how much this new service will mean to the city and the growth of the Houston Airport System.
"It's a big day in our airport," said Mayor White. "(IAH) has the second largest number of direct flights domestically and the second number of direct flights internationally of any US airport. The number of direct flights originating here has been growing faster than any other airport in the United States in the past several years."
With the restrictions lifted, the two airlines will now each be able to offer two non-stop direct flights from Houston’s own Bush Intercontinental and the United Kingdom’s national hub. Continental will also continue daily service from IAH to London/Gatwick.
“Going to Heathrow has been a 15 year vision of our's and it's very important to us that we're able to go to Heathrow,” said Larry Kellner, Continental’s chairman and CEO. "It's the largest international expansion we've ever done in a single day." |
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Heathrow and Beyond. |
“I am delighted this restriction has been removed, and look forward to seeing many customers from Houston, flying with us and taking advantage of the global network of 90 onward connections we can offer from Heathrow,” says Willie Walsh, British Airways chief executive.
Before the agreement, passengers who traveled from the US to Gatwick Airport traditionally had to board a bus and be transported to Heathrow Airport to make their connecting flights.
Although flights to Gatwick will continue, the two new routes out of Houston will avoid the need for passengers to travel between London’s two airports.
“The Houston Airport System is very pleased to have two great airlines, British Airways and Continental Airlines’ new nonstop service to London Heathrow,” says Houston Airport System director of aviation, Rick Vacar. “Heathrow is Europe’s largest gateway and a piece of gold for Houston, offering a combined total of nearly 4,000 weekly connecting flights to Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe."
British Airways will operate its twice-daily flights to Heathrow using a Boeing 777 aircraft and in a month’s time, will move Texas flights into Heathrow’s brand new Terminal 5. Continental's Heathrow flights will be operated using two aircraft types: the 283-seat Boeing 777-200, carrying 48 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 235 in coach, and the 174-seat Boeing 767-200ER, with 25 BusinessFirst seats and 149 coach seats.
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