Continental will use Boeing 777-200 jets on its new route from Newark to India. CONTINENTAL AIRLINES

March 7, 2007, 11:39PM
Continental to fly to India commercial center starting in fall

By BILL HENSEL JR.
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Continental will begin flying to Mumbai this fall from Newark, which has been a goal of the local Indian community that's also pushing for service from Houston.

Continental has operated nonstop service between its New York-area hub and Delhi since 2005, its first foray into India.

"Mumbai is the largest trans-Atlantic market not currently served by Continental," noted Jim Compton, executive vice president for marketing at the Houston-based carrier. "And it offers significant opportunities for growth in the future."

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston hailed the new service to India because it said it will help open up additional business opportunities here and provide more convenient travel options from Houston.

Atul Varadhachary, president of the biotech company Agennix, said most of his business is in Mumbai.

"We've definitely encouraged Continental on this because Mumbai is the commercial capital of India," said Varadhachary, who is president-elect of the Indo-American chamber. "I know there is lot of interest in travel by companies, both in the U.S. and India."

Continental has long been expanding internationally but has picked up the pace during the past few years as domestic competition has intensified.

S.M. Gavai, India's consul general to Houston, credited Continental's initial service to India — which the carrier has said has been a success — for a pickup in demand for visas here. In 2006, 30 percent more visas have been issued by the Indian consulate than the previous year, with business visas increasing as much as 60 percent, the consul general said.

"I am sure the flight will do very well, as traffic from the U.S. and the other way around has been increasing very rapidly," Gavai said.

The airline's schedule is designed to accommodate business travelers. With the existing service, a traveler can leave Delhi late at night and be in New York early in the morning and still make it to Houston for a business meeting, Jagdip Ahluwalia, executive director of the chamber, said.

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the business and entertainment capital of India and its most populous city, with an estimated 13 million people. Including the greater metropolitan area, the population is 25 million.

The new service, which is set to begin Oct. 30, is subject to government approval.

A variety of companies in the energy, medical and technology industries are expected to take advantage of the new service.

Among those is BMC Software, which has a facility outside Mumbai in Pune, spokesman Mark Stouse said.

"Our facility in Pune is extremely important to BMC and is a growing presence," Stouse said. "It is sizable. It is not a small shop."

No nonstop air service is available from Houston to India, although Continental has indicated it will consider it when it has the aircraft able to make the long trip. Continental has a number of jets on order, including the Boeing 787, or Dreamliner.

"Our goal as a chamber is to help to encourage the airline that it does make business sense to fly to Mumbai," Ahluwalia said. "It is also our desire, when they have the aircraft, to help them understand how it makes sense to fly from Houston to India."

Continental will have competition to Mumbai from Delta Air Lines, which is the only other U.S. carrier that has service to that city. It offers flights from John F. Kennedy International in New York.

Continental will fly Boeing 777-200 aircraft with BusinessFirst and economy cabins to Mumbai. Flying times between Newark and Mumbai will be 14 hours and 50 minutes eastbound, and 16 hours and 15 minutes westbound, the carrier said.

Continental said its India flights feature a Bollywood movie channel on the inflight entertainment system, with movies in Hindi with English subtitles when available from the studio.

The Mumbai flights also will feature Continental's new Audio/Video on Demand. The first 777 with the new system is scheduled to enter service this month.

bill.hensel@chron.com