Release #01.78
August 7, 2001

HOUSTON---Continental Airlines and its approximately 120 flight instructors, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, have reached a tentative contract settlement.

Capt. Eric Mahnerd, who chaired the Flight Instructors’ bargaining committee, said, "This is an excellent initial agreement, codifying our employment conditions, protecting our retirement program and providing improvements in our work schedule." Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

This tentative agreement is the first labor contract for the Continental flight instructors, who voted to join the pilots’ union only last October.

Capt. Jay Ellzey, Director of Flight Standards and Training for Continental, said, "I’m very pleased that, working together, the parties were able to reach a fair agreement by the target date we originally set."

The union’s Master Executive Council will be briefed on the terms of the agreement during the Aug.-13-17 meeting. Following that, the highlights of the agreement will be sent to the flight instructors. Once the final language is completed and approved by the MEC, the flight instructors will vote on the agreement.

Patricia Sims, National Mediation Board Senior Mediator, facilitated the bargaining, utilizing interest-based negotiating techniques.

The agreement is the first achieved since ALPA became the collective bargaining representative of Continental’s more than 7,000 pilots and flight instructors last June.

Celebrating its 70^th anniversary, ALPA is the world’s oldest and largest pilots union, representing 66,000 members at 47 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA Website at http://cf.alpa.org.

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ALPA CONTACT: Jim Moody (281) 987-3636