Continental Airlines will become the first new carrier in a generation to launch flights between Heathrow and the US next March.
It will begin twice-daily services to New York Newark on March 30, with the first departing 8.30am, as the open-skies deal between the European Union and US opens access to transatlantic routes. The carrier will also fly twice a day to Houston.
Continental has jumped in after paying $130m for slots at Heathrow. UK senior director Bob Schumacher would not confirm the price, but said: “It has been tortuous, but we have what we need.”
He suggested other carriers had been frightened by the cost of slots. “I expected to see more entrants,” he said. US rival Delta has also announced its first services from the airport, using the slots of alliance partner Air France.
Continental will maintain its existing US services from Gatwick and six UK regional airports.
Schumacher said: “We will assess fresh opportunities [at Heathrow] as they come up.” But he insisted there were no plans to withdraw from Gatwick.
Related articles
- UK Government to accept US open skies deal
- Open skies agreement unlikely to bring down prices
- ‘US open skies deal will hit New Zealand tourism’