727LOVER From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 4544 posts, RR: 24 Posted (7 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 2134 times:
This month marks the 75th anniversary of Continental Airlines.
Continental Airlines began service in 1934 as Varney Speed Lines (named after one of its initial owners, Walter T. Varney, who was also a founder of United Airlines) operating out of El Paso and extending through Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas, NM to Pueblo, CO. The airline commenced operations with the Lockheed Vega, a single engine plane that carried four passengers. The airline later flew other Lockheed planes, including the Lockheed L-9 Orion, the Lockheed Electra Junior, and the Lockheed Lodestar.[5]
Following cancellation of all domestic airmail contracts by the Roosevelt administration in 1934, Robert Six learned of an opportunity to buy into the Southwest Division of Varney Speed Lines, which needed money to handle its newly-won Pueblo-El Paso route. Six was introduced to Louis Mueller (who would serve as Chairman of the Board of Continental until February 28, 1966). Mueller had helped found the Southwest Division of Varney in 1934 with Walter T. Varney. As an upshot of all this, Six bought into the airline with $90,000 and became general manager on July 5, 1936. Varney was awarded a 17-cent-rate airmail contract between Pueblo and El Paso; it carried passengers as a sideline. The carrier was renamed Continental on July 8, 1937. Six relocated the airline's headquarters to Denver Union (later Stapleton) Airport in Denver in October, 1937.[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_airlines
USPIT10L From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2791 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (7 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 2058 times:
CO deserves to succeed, over the long-term. I just ordered a copy of Continental Magazine for this month, as they are doing a special 75th anniversary edition. They do mention the infamous Lorenzo, but have no picture of him. I wonder why. Of course, Bob Six, Gordon Bethune and Larry Kellner are mentioned prominantly, as they should be. Even Tom Plaskett got a mention, for his founding of OnePass. I have read Bob Serling's book on Bob Six and Continental: Maverick. Very good read. Happy 75th Continental! No one else earned it or deserves it more!
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 9542 posts, RR: 7 Reply 4, posted (7 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1992 times:
That was a very nice tribute to one of the survivor legacy airlines. Although they face trouble like all other airlines due to the economy, they still seem to keep themselves a little better than the other 'legacy' airlines.
COGlobeTrotter From United States of America, joined May 2006, 51 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (7 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1843 times:
Spinaltap From New Zealand, joined Mar 2005, 431 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 1728 times:
I flew CO on July 1st IAH-LAX and picked up the special "75th Anniversary Issue" of the Continental magazine which has an interesting history of the airline and lots of old photos. All the best to CO for the future, I am glad that they will soon be in a Star Alliance partner.
"I get what they call a stipend, a stipend is like money but its such as small amount they don't really call it money"
VirginFlyer From Australia, joined Sep 2000, 4318 posts, RR: 54 Reply 11, posted (7 months 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 1685 times:
Quoting USPIT10L (Reply 3): I just ordered a copy of Continental Magazine for this month, as they are doing a special 75th anniversary edition.
Quoting Spinaltap (Reply 10): the special "75th Anniversary Issue" of the Continental magazine which has an interesting history of the airline and lots of old photos.
Just as an addendum to this, there is a slide-show with some pictures from Continental's history, including this absolute gem from the 1960s showing a future fleet of Golden Jets - 707, 747, DC-9, 727, Concorde, 2707.
TxAgKuwait From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1669 posts, RR: 52 Reply 15, posted (7 months 1 week 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1433 times:
Happy Birthday to Continental.
I remember flying a CO Viscount SJT-AUS-HOU when I was 6 or 7....I guess it was in 1963 or so. I got a set of pilot wings (they were metal back then, not plastic) and I was amazed at how quickly the turboprop climbed compared to Trans-Texas' DC-3s.
Speaking of Trans Texas, I hate to rain on your parade but Continental really isn't Continental and it isn't its 75th birthday. The Continental that everyone knows these days is Trans Texas Airways (later Texas International) and they will be celebrating their 62nd birthday this October. Texas Air bought Continental and retained the name...but unless I am badly mistaken the carrier's certificate of record is the certificate of public convenience and necessity issued in 1947 to Trans Texas Airways.
Still, CO is a solid carrier and Bethune and the guys who followed him have a great deal to be proud of in the way they resurrected the airline after Lorenzo had had his way with it.
Letsgetwet From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 587 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1348 times:
Happy Birthday to a great group of dedicated people. I'm very proud to spend the last few years of my working life as a part of you!
Lincoln From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 3859 posts, RR: 15 Reply 17, posted (7 months 1 week 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1301 times:
Happy Birthday to CO and congrats to all of the employees who have kept CO ahead.
Quoting TxAgKuwait (Reply 15): Texas Air bought Continental and retained the name...but unless I am badly mistaken the carrier's certificate of record is the certificate of public convenience and necessity issued in 1947 to Trans Texas Airways.
I didn't get an Ohio driver's license until 2007, but I had a California driver's license since 2000...does that mean I've only been driving for 2 years?
The family tree is interesting and certainly a part of the CO history, but I don't think it's unreasonable to use the CO start date when parts of the "original" CO (and Trans Texas/Texas Internationl) exist in the current orginization regardless of who's certificate they kept and the date on that cert.
CO Is My Airline of Choice || Baggage Claim is an airline's last chance to disappoint a customer || Next flts in profile
Type-Rated From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 2343 posts, RR: 27 Reply 18, posted (7 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 1189 times:
I think the black meatball livery was the best. The red meatball is just too much red. Hmm, didn't the red meatball come into being during the Frank Lorenzo era?
Fly North Central Airlines..The route of the Northliners!
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