Continental Adds Regional Jet Service To Cleveland Hub

<I>Cleveland</I> - Continental Airlines' decision to use a new commuter jet for service between its airport hub and regional cities is expected to boost Cleveland's status as a midwest transit point and destination.

The purchase of the Embraer EMB-145, which will be flown by commuter subsidiary Continental Express, is part of Continental's $120 million expansion at Cleveland International Airport.

Airline officials hope the new service, called ExpressJet, will give its hub operations an extra edge in a fiercely competitive region as other major airlines in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati rapidly improve their airport facilities.

Continental Express is the first to use the new jet, which "was designed specifically with the business traveler in mind," said spokesman Dave Messing. "The reason we need this terminal expansion is because of this new airplane; it is the key to future growth in Cleveland."

While business travelers have become accustomed to turboprop aircraft on commuter-length flights, said Messing, "this is a jet airplane that can operate efficiently in markets that have usually been served by turboprops."

Continental has ordered 25 of the 50-seat jets, with many of them set to be based in Cleveland. All the planes will be in place by the end of 1998.

The carrier's decision to expand scheduling and add jet service on regional routes is expected to hit a home run in the corporate travel market.

Linda Kerr, who manages travel for KeyBank in Cleveland, said passengers tend to prefer jet service because of the perception that they provide smoother flights, and that added flights should make it easier to find flights at preferred times.

But a bigger problem in Cleveland, Kerr said, is the cost and difficulty of parking, which should be ameliorated as part of the airport's overall improvement.

Continental's Messing said the new service also will move Cleveland up the list of meetings destinations because of the increased convenience of access and the presence of factory-fresh planes.

The new plane and terminal improvements put Cleveland on a par with other major airline hubs in the Midwest and "could tip the balance as far as choosing Cleveland," he said.

The airport expansion project will include a new $80 million concourse for the ExpressJet service, which will add 38 gates to the 18 currently serving Continental and Continental Express customers.

The EMB-145 will be employed from the new concourse, centerpiece of the expansion, Messing said. The airport project is part of a five-year master construction program. Other projects include runway extensions, new runway construction, short-term parking garages, a new visitor information center and informational signage.