Continental Airlines is interested in offering a flight between Osaka and the New York area, Gordon Bethune, chairman and CEO of the carrier, said Thursday.
The world's sixth-largest airline began a Tokyo-Houston route last month after launching service between Tokyo and New York in November. The entry of Continental into the Japanese market was made possible by a civil aviation agreement reached between Tokyo and Washington last year.
Concerning the pending Wings alliance linking Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines and KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, Bethune said the members are holding talks to iron out various details. The formal announcement of the alliance has yet to be made. "We are in discussions with Northwest on how Northwest, Continental and JAS (Japan Air System Co.) can work together ... how KLM and Northwest can work with Air France and Continental because Air France is our partner," Bethune said.
"Alliances are like marriages. When you marry someone who already has children, you have to learn to live together," said Bethune, who is known for lifting Continental Airlines out of a management rut and turning the company into one of the world's top airlines.