Continental Airlines' N76062

Our June edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic"goes back to July 2004, with Continental Airlines' 767-424ER, N76062 (c/n 29457, l/n 869, f/n 062), seen above parked at Gate 24 (now Gate D1).

N76062 was delivered to Continental Airlines in March 2002, and was transferred to the United Airlines fleet when Continental was taken over in 2010, and given the fleet number 0062. It still flies with United, and was most-recently here on March 17th from EWR. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been parked at ROW.

Continental Connection's N11835

The October edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" takes us back to July 2004, and my first digital camera, a Canon A300 PowerShot. This month, we feature Continental Connection's ATR42-320, N11835 (msn 194), when it made a stop at HNL, on its way to join the Cape Air [9K/KAP] (Continental Connection) fleet.

N11835 was originally delivered to Bar Harbor Airlines in June 1990 wearing Continental Express colors. It was then transferred to ExpressJet Airlines in July 2001. Staying the COA network, the aircraft was sold to Turbo ease LLC, then leased to COA's Guam-based subsidiary, Cape Air, in July 2004. It was then leased to Trans Maldivian Airways as 8Q-ATM in April 2007. The ATR42 was then sold in July 2010 to Flight Line Services (Australia) as VH-FLE. This past April, it was acquired by Hevilift (Papua/New Guinea), and registered as P2-KSR.

Aloha ‘Oe Continental Airlines

Today is the final day for Continental Airlines. Tomorrow, November 30th, at 0100HST, the merger between Continental Airlines and United Airlines finalizes under a single operating certificate (SOC) owned by Continental, but using the United name. That means the CO/COA codes, flight numbers, and the "Continental" call-sign are no more, replaced by Unitedʻs coding and call-sign. UAL1 is now from IAH to HNL, which previously was COA1.

United Continental Holdings press release.

United Returns To ITO

United Airlines launches daily service between ITO and LAX today with a Continental Airlines 737-824! UAL1564 is due to arrive at ITO this evening at 1940HST. Celebratory events for tonight's arrival, include a water cannon salute by the Hilo ARFF, and a pule (prayer) by singer and kumu hula Robert Cazimero. COA280 returns to LAX at 2055HST and arrives at 0440PDT.

Continental/United will also have a weekly Saturday flight between SFO and ITO.

Pictured above, is United's N87513 (c/n 31621, l/n 2655) taxiing to the gate, following the water cannon salute. A big mahalo goes out to our ITO team member Sylvas808 for the above photo!

Coverage by Hawaii News Now, with a video clip of N87513's arrival festivities.

Continental's USMC Charters

Continental Airlines has been performing charters for the US Marine Corps from NGF to KOA. They have been using their 737-824s out of HNL for the past couple of days.

Continental's N67158

One of Continental Airlines' 767-224ERs, N67158 (c/n 30437, l/n 839), is en route to HKG for maintenance, and to receive the new United titles. It's flying to HKG (above) as COA3171. N67158 arrived earlier from EWR as COA9971.

The only time we get to see COA 767-224ERs at HNL, are when they are in transit to (or from) maintenance.

Continental Connection's N42836

One of Cape Air's [9K/KAP] (Continental Connection) ATR42-320s is making its way back to the airline's home base in HYA. N42836 (msn 200) made a stop at HNL from GUM via MAJ. It's being ferried by Southern Cross Aviation and flying as SXA830. This ATR42 temporarily replaced its sister ship N14834, which ferried through HNL on March 30th.

Mahalo to blog fan JN for the photo!

Continental's 767-200

Seen above is Continental's N69154 (c/n 30433, l/n 823) on its way to Hong Kong (HKG) to receive maintenance and probably new United titles. This ferry flight is being operated as COA3170. Continental's 767-224ERs are mainly used to serve Europe from the U.S. mainland.

Continental United Star Alliance

Fresh paint! Seen here first! United (Continental) Airlines N76055 (c/n 29450) Star Alliance 767-424ER is seen here after it arrived from HKG (Hong Kong International Airport) for its C-Check. It will continue on to IAH (Houston Intercontinental Airport) as COA3172.

Prior to the C-Check, N76055 wore the standard Continental livery.

United Returns To Hilo

Beginning June 9, 2011, United (Continental) Airlines will launch daily service between LAX and ITO, and weekly Saturday service between SFO and ITO using 737-824s. United will use Continental aircraft and flight codes for the ITO flights.

This will be the first west coast flights to/from ITO since American Trans Air (ATA) collapsed in April 2008.

Continental's press release link.

United Airlines Eco-skies

United (Continental) airlines N76516 (c/n 37096) eco-skies 737-824 is seen here after a short taxi from the Continental hangar. Continental used this aircraft back in 2009 to test biofuel. At the time Continental was the first airline in the U.S. to fly with biofuel. Note that the Blended Winglets are painted green too!

United / Continental Merger Official

Today marks the beginning of the new United / Continental merger, as United Continental Holdings will oversee both UA and CO as separate subsidiaries. Until UCH receives a single operating certificate, then the two carriers will be combined.

So far, one of CO's 737-924ERs have been painted in the new combined livery. Now's the time to get shots of the older grey and current multi-blue UA liveries, as well as the current CO livery.

Once the single operating certificate is obtained, we shall see how it will affect the flights serving Hawai‘i.  The only common destination from HNL and OGG for both UA and CO is LAX.  WIll the "Air Mike" flights continue? And, what will happen to the CO hangar at HNL?

Continental Retrojet

N75436 (c/n 33531), a 737-924ER, arrived as COA3 from LAX. It is seen here in a rather congested gate (Gate 14).

United And Continental Become One

United Airlines and Continental Airlines formally announced this morning that they will merge, and that the United brand will remain, though with Continental corporate image. The deal must first be approved by the US Government.

No word as of yet on how this merger will affect Hawai‘i, though the only UA/CO route overlap is LAX. CO does have their regional maintenance hangar on the south ramp.

The UA/CO official merger website shows the United name with Continental's livery in an artist rendition on a Boeing 787-8.

Better get your photos of the recent & old UA liveries while you can.

Continental's N13720

Continental Airlines ferried their Star Alliance 737-724, N13720 (c/n 28939) to HNL from MIA via IAH and LAX. According to a well-placed source, there are a few -724s that will be replacing some of the -824s assigned to GUM.

Mahalo to team member Aeros for the photo!

Continental 757-33N

Ex-ATA N550TZ, Continental's N73860 (c/n 32584/972) made a tech stop this morning on its way to Cleveland as CO1941 after receiving new paint, interior and winglets in Hong Kong. I believe that this is the fourth (or possibly third) ex-ATA metal that Continental acquired.

COA3171

Another ex-ATA 757-33N is on its way to HKG for maintenance, winglet installation, and re-painting for Continental Airlines. The 753 will make a stop at GUM before reaching HKG.

Continental To Add Service To SNA

Continental Airlines will begin service between SNA (John Wayne Airport, Orange County, CA) and HNL plus service to OGG beginning March 2010. CO will use 737-724s for both HNL and OGG.

Pictured above is CO's N16709 (c/n 28779) departing north-bound on SNA's 5700-feet long Runway 1L, back in 2004.

CO's Press release link.

ATA 757-300?!?!?

Yesterday around 1030am, a once regular visitor returned after spending some time in storage at Victorville. Still in its colors, ship n560TZ is probably on its way to somewhere in asia for maintenance. It flew in as a CO3171 from Victorville to Honolulu and now is currently in Guam.

Other things seen around HNL tonight

While driving around the ramp tonight, there were a couple of interesting aircraft here.

Top picture: Parked on the hardstands was an Omega Tanker 707-368C, N707MQ.

Middle picture: A Northwest 757-351 (N590NW) at Gate 16 painted in Delta colors just before departing as NW622 to LAX. Sorry for the horrible shot with the jet bridge in the way, but Northwest was setup and waiting for another Northwest flight that was taxiing in at the time.

Bottom picture: A Continental 737-824 (N73278) at Gate 12 getting ready to depart as CO12 to LAX. This flight is supposed to be a 737-900ER, but issues with using pre-recorded video on the LiveTV system has made Continental down gauge the flight to a -800 until the issues are sorted out. There is no LiveTV satellite coverage in the Pacific between Hawaii and the West Coast, so pre-recorded videos need to be used to provide the IFE on these flights.