H. Res. 631 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

July 29, 2009. 

Whereas Continental Airlines was founded 75 years ago by 

Walter T. Varney and his partner Louis Mueller as 

Varney Speed Lines in West Texas primarily as a mail 

service; 

Whereas, on July 15, 1934, Continental’s first flight was 

flown by its precursor Varney Speed Lines on a 530-mile 

route from Pueblo, Colorado to El Paso, Texas with stops 

in Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico; 

Whereas during World War II, Continental Airlines built the 

Denver Modification Center where it modified B–17 Flying Fortresses and B–29 Super Fortresses for the United 

States war effort; 

Whereas during the Vietnam War, Continental transported 

United States troops across the Pacific and as a result 

of this experience, in 1968 Continental formed Air Micronesia—the first step towards global airlines; 

Whereas in 1999, Continental named the first woman in the 

Nation to head a major commercial airline pilot group; 

Whereas, on October 11, 2000, Continental Airlines and 

Northwest Airlines launched the world’s largest interline 

eTicket network; 
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Whereas in 2001, Continental Airlines was again named 

‘‘Airline of the Year’’ by the aviation industry’s monthly 

trade publication, Air Transport World. As recipient of 

the same honor in 1996, Continental became the first airline to receive the coveted ‘‘Airline of the Year’’ distinction twice in five years; 

Whereas following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 

2001, Continental offered special compassion fares to and 

from the New York area to assist family members of the 

9/11 victims, relief organizations and volunteers; 

Whereas, on April 26, 2002, Continental was recognized for 

offering the best Elite Level Program, OnePass, of any 

United States airline, according to Inside Flyer’s 14th 

Annual Freddie Awards Competition; 

Whereas, on September 29, 2003, Continental became the 

first airline to offer three of the most popular business 

applications, two-way e-mail, instant messaging and text 

messaging, on its fleet of 737, 757, and MD 80 aircraft; 

Whereas, on February 7, 2005, Continental was named for 

the eighth consecutive year to HISPANIC Magazine’s 

‘‘Hispanic Corporate 100: One Hundred Companies Providing the Most Opportunities for Hispanics’’; 

Whereas, on April 28, 2005, Continental received honors for 

companywide excellence in Aviation Maintenance Training from the Federal Aviation Administration. Continental earned the FAA Diamond Certificate of Excellence 

for Aviation Maintenance Training, the highest award offered as part of the organization’s Aviation Maintenance 

Technician Award Program; 

Whereas, on June 29, 2006, Continental ranked the highest 

in Customer Satisfaction among Traditional Network 
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Carriers in North America in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Study marking Continental’s sixth customer satisfaction award by J.D. 

Power and Associates since 1996; 

Whereas for the 10th consecutive year, Continental outranked 

all of its United States competitors in international business class and domestic first class service, according to 

the results of a survey of Conde Nast Traveler readers 

published in the magazine’s October 2007 edition; 

Whereas in 2007, Continental Airlines teamed with the 

Transportation Security Administration to be the first 

United States carrier to launch a paperless boarding pass 

pilot program that allows passengers to receive boarding 

passes electronically on their cell phones or PDAs; 

Whereas in April 2008, Continental Airlines received an 

award from the United States Environmental Protection 

Agency’s Design for the Environment Program in recognition of the airline’s use of an environmentally friendly, nonchromium surface pretreatment for its aircraft. 

Continental was the first commercial air carrier to use 

this technology on its aircraft; 

Whereas for the fifth consecutive year, Continental was 

named the ‘‘Best Airline in North America’’ at the 2008 

OAG Airline of the Year Awards; 

Whereas for the sixth consecutive year, Continental was rated 

the top airline on FORTUNE magazine’s annual airline 

industry list of World’s Most Admired Companies in 

March 2009; and 

Whereas Continental Airlines currently services five continents with more than 2750 daily flights and more than 
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260 destinations today, employing more than 43,000 men 

and women: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of operations by 

Continental Airlines; and 

(2) congratulates the employees of Continental Airlines for the numerous awards and accolades they have 

earned for the company over the years. 

Attest: 

Clerk.