Today I have posted the Preliminary November Shift Bid online.

It will posted in the office next week.

It can be accessed via the main menu on the top left of this page.

Our 2010 vacation bid is quickly approaching and everyone should begin planning on which weeks they are interested in taking. Today I have posted a list showing the base vacation weeks for each employee in our work group.

            We will be conducting a shift bid which will be effective 11/01/09. Below is the proposed time-line leading up to our bid.

Please make sure that all of your training material and must-read items have been taken care of prior to the bid.

        09/23/09         -              Preliminary bid posted

        10/12/09         -              Final bid posted

10/22/09         -              Bid date

11/01/09         -              Effective date of bid                    

HOUSTON, July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) announced today that Jeff Smisek , 54, Continental's president and chief operating officer and a member of the board of directors, will become chairman and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2010. Smisek will succeed Larry Kellner , 50, who has decided to return to private equity at year-end after 14 years with Continental, the last five of them as chairman and CEO.

"It has been a great honor to lead the professional men and women of Continental and be part of the premier airline in the industry," Kellner said. "I have worked closely with Jeff throughout my tenure, and he is a strong and effective leader. I am confident Jeff will maintain Continental's unique culture and successfully lead the Continental team through these challenging times.

WASHINGTON, July 10 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today approved the application for Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) to join the existing antitrust immunized alliance including United Airlines and eight other Star Alliance member carriers.

"We are pleased to receive final approval from the Department of Transportation," said Larry Kellner , Continental's chairman and CEO. "Continental is working to provide a seamless transition for its customers from the SkyTeam alliance to Star Alliance this fall. The DOT decision greatly benefits our customers, employees and shareholders. It ensures global competition with other antitrust immunized alliances while encouraging the retention and growth of open skies between the U.S. and other nations."

HOUSTON, July 6, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced that its simulator engineer employees ratified a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The new agreement provides a 2.5 percent increase in base pay rates each year over the next four years, a company matching contribution to the 401(k) savings plan and the addition of two floating holidays. "We are pleased that our simulator engineers voted to approve this new agreement which provides pay increases over the next four years," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and chief executive officer. "We are operating in a very tough economic environment and are glad that we are able to work together to reach this agreement."

Continental's simulator engineer employees are represented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 541. The previous collective bargaining agreement was amendable on Dec. 31, 2008.

SOURCE Continental Airlines