Carrier to add Paris flights, more domestic routes

Continental Airlines is spreading its wings in Cleveland: The airline will grow its capacity at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport by 40 percent over a two-year period. Continental will initially operate 50 new flights, principally on regional jets, and add 20 new nonstop destinations by this summer. By early 2009, the carrier plans to add more than a dozen additional flights from Cleveland, primarily on mainline aircraft, including daily, seasonal Cleveland–Paris (CDG) flights starting on May 22, 2008, which will use B-757 aircraft with two-cabin service. Continental also flies from Cleveland to London (LGW). Future plans at Cleveland Hopkins call for an expanded security checkpoint area, a new meet-and-greet waiting area and additional ticket counters. A concession redevelopment program is under way to provide more retail and food and beverage options at prices comparable to non-airport locations. In other news, Continental will also begin flying nonstop from Newark and Houston to London (LHR) for the first time, starting in March 2008. And Continental introduced new first-class menus on flights throughout the U.S. and Canada and to select Latin American and Caribbean destinations, emphasizing “healthy comfort food” served on fine china.