March 22, 2007: The European Union and the United States of America’s nod for an open skies agreement has won laurels from airline major Continental Airlines. The airline believes that this deal would help it operate with flights to London's Heathrow Airport.

According to a report, as soon as the news of the agreement trickled in, Continental filed an amended application at the US Department of Transportation for rights to serve new routes to Europe. It is learnt that as Continental get access to Heathrow, it will retain service to London, which is now being operated from its three American hubs. Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, it currently has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 150 domestic and 136 international destinations, said an industry report

The US airline major plans to put into service its flights to 30 destinations across the Atlantic from its US hubs by 2007-end. According to the report, Continental plans to inaugurate services from its Houston hub to Heathrow by next year, subject to government approval. With its passengers urging for more options to access London, the new agreement may be a good move.

Significantly, the airline had also earlier announced services between the Newark Liberty International Airport and Athens and Mumbai. These, said reports, are likely to begin this year itself. .It will also kick off services to Paris in 2008 from its Cleveland hub.