CO: The last day

Well a little piece of aviation history will pass today with the end of Continental Airlines as it currently stands, and the merger of United and Continental takes effect tomorrow. 

The mega-merger will take on Delta in the US Market and all comers to elsewhere.

Of course, the individual operating certificates will stand, and things will operate "as usual" for now until, but the United tulip will fade away, as well the Continental titles off the plane, to be replaced with something that is ugly.

There has been a 737-900ER painted up already, and rumours persist of a 757-200 also being painted up in this livery too.  There's also a "RetroJet" painted up too in the first "Jet" colours that Continental.

More a bit later on as the story. 

ET: Another day, another alliance membership - Ethiopan Airlines to join Star Alliance

Well things don't stand still in the aviation industry. With SkyTeam concentrating work in Africa, OneWorld in Europe, Star Alliance is working with African/Middle Eastern Carriers with the announcement that Ethiopian Airlines will be joining Star.

Timetabled for full membership in the next 12 months, Ethiopian will be mentored by Lufthansa as they migrate systems towards being compliant.

This makes Star Alliance bigger with 29 airlines, 5 new countries to serve added and 29 new destinations


There are the usual quotes saying how good it is, but this should open up some intresting travel options to people making redemptions

And it's not as if Ethiopian are staying still with the a lot of new aircraft on order - in particular Boeing 777-200LR's, Boeing 787's and Airbus A350-900's to reequip it's longhaul fleet.

It's current fleet is a mix of

• Regional - Fokker 50's and Dash 8-400's
• Short Haul - Boeing 737-700's and 800's
• Long Haul - Boeing 757's and Boeing 767ER's for long haul work.

Another growth for Star Alliance - but there is still the long langishing membership of Air India to sort out still...