101501.CONTINENTAL EXPRESS ANNOUNCES OPENING OF MAINTENANCE FACILITY

PRESS RELEASE: CONTINENTAL EXPRESS ANNOUNCES OPENING OF MAINTENANCE FACILITY AT SHREVEPORT REGIONAL AIRPORT

Continental Express, a regional air carrier to Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL), has selected Shreveport Regional Airport for the location of its new maintenance base.

Beginning Nov. 1, 2001, Continental Express will take over the lease on the 148,000-square-foot maintenance hangar, which will be the carrier's largest maintenance facility. The 13-year-old hangar will be used primarily to perform heavy maintenance, or C-checks, on the regional carrier's fleet of Embraer regional jets. Continental Express currently performs C-checks on its ExpressJets in Houston and Knoxville. The addition of the Shreveport hangar will provide space for up to six C-check lines for Continental Express.

"Continental Express has enjoyed a great partnership with the Shreveport community over the past decade," said Continental Express Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jerry Losness. "We are proud to have this opportunity to strengthen our commitment to Shreveport and are confident that this facility will benefit both the company and the city of Shreveport. We greatly appreciate the work of Mayor Hightower and the Shreveport Airport Authority whose support was instrumental in helping us gain access to this premiere facility."

In addition to the hangar, Continental Express will lease the adjacent aircraft apron, the employee parking lot and the shop complex. The carrier will begin staffing the facility when it takes over the lease in November. The first C-check line is scheduled to begin there next July, and the facility is expected to employ approximately 150 people by the end of 2002. Previously used by Boeing for military aircraft modifications, the Shreveport hangar is fully equipped with offices, shops, paint rooms, supply and inventory rooms. Boeing's lease on the hangar ended in the third quarter of 2001.

"This hangar in Shreveport meets all of the criteria we were looking for in a maintenance facility," said Continental Express Vice President of Maintenance and Technical Support John Prestifilippo. "In addition to it being conveniently located to our hubs in Houston, Cleveland and Newark, the size and layout of the facility meets our current maintenance requirements while allowing for future growth."

The arrival of the Continental Express facility in Shreveport means much to the city. Some of these benefits are new jobs, a new anchor tenant for the airport's industrial park and increased opportunities for students who are learning to be aircraft mechanics at Southern University's Aerospace Technology Program at Downtown Airport.

The Continental Express facility will bring several hundred positions to Shreveport, the majority of which will be airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanics. A&Ps are in short supply around the country and companies are paying good salaries to get qualified hires. Shreveport is an excellent location to find such employees, both because of Southern's school at Downtown Airport and Barksdale Air Force Base.

"This is something we've been working on for months," said Mayor Keith Hightower. "Continental Express will fill the void left by Boeing, and then some. In addition to being a strong local business partner, they'll be a good employer paying competitive salaries. We're continuing to work to bring good jobs to Shreveport and Continental Express is a big step in the right direction."

Having Continental Express' maintenance operation in Shreveport will provide a secure, long-term customer in Shreve Park, the airport's industrial park, said Dr. C.O. Simpkins, chairman of the Shreveport Airport Authority.

"Continental Express' decision to locate in Shreveport sends a signal that our community is highly interested in working with businesses to locate and expand here," said Dr. Simpkins. "As the airline grows its maintenance operation, the Shreveport Airport Authority will work by the airline's side to help in that growth. We are pleased to welcome Continental Express' maintenance operation to Shreveport."

Finally, the facility will provide opportunities for local students. Southern University's aerospace program is positioned well to supply aircraft mechanics to the new Continental Express facility. The company will need a steady stream of trained mechanics, which Southern will work to supply.

"Having the school in Shreveport was a valuable tool in our marketing efforts. Now the school will have a great opportunity to showcase its talent," said Mayor Hightower.

Continental Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental Airlines, is a regional air carrier employing morethan 5,000 people. Continental Express offers nearly 900 daily departures to 104 cities from its Houston, New York/Newark and Cleveland hubs with Embraer and ATR aircraft. Continental Express provides service between the U.S., Canada and Mexico and offers advance seat assignments and OnePass frequent flyer miles, which can be redeemed anywhere in the world Continental and its alliance carriers fly. Continental Express is operated by ExpressJet Airlines, Inc.