Continental Airlines yesterday said it plans to start daily 787 flights between Houston Intercontinental and Lagos on Nov. 10, 2011, launching what would be its first-ever service to Africa. The flights, which also would be the first daily scheduled service between Texas and Africa by any carrier, are subject to government approval. CO currently serves 63 international destinations from IAH and recently announced plans to begin service between IAH and Auckland on Nov. 16, 2011. Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Smisek said the IAHLOS flights "will link two energy capitals and fill the growing demand for nonstop service between the two cities, a route which is currently not served by any other airline." The approximately 6,500-mi. flight will be operated with a 787-8 seating 36 passengers in first/business class and 192 in economy, CO said, noting that flying time will be about 11 hr. eastbound and 12 hr. 30 min. westbound.

United Airlines will launch its first-ever service to the continent of Africa on Sunday, June 20, with the 10:10 p.m. (2210) departure of United flight UA 990 between Washington (Dulles) and Accra, the capital of Ghana. United UA 990 will operated with a Boeing 767-300 aircraft and will arrive at Kotoka International Airport in Accra the next day at 12:40 p.m. (1240). U.S.-bound service

In an unusual diversion, a Delta Air Lines flight headed from Atlanta to Hartford, Conn., earlier this week landed instead at New York's LaGuardia Airport because it had burned too much fuel, the airline said. Passengers on Flight 1690 were offered bus rides to Hartford. Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott said the flight was diverted to LaGuardia "as a result of excessive fuel burn." "It's very rare that something like that occurs," Elliott said, adding that it was a mechanical issue. Passenger Mike Mikolay said he would "much rather be on the ground if we have a fuel issue than be in the air if we don't have enough. ... There was something that wasn't right that the pilots had concern over this while in the air.

British Airways is opening an exclusive business-jet service in North America to give premium customers onward access to destinations within the USA and other parts of the continent. The airline is establishing the service, designated Private- Connect, in partnership with Cessna division CitationAir. BA says the service will operate on an instantaneous pay-per-trip basis, taking advantage of a fleet of business aircraft. Director of strategy Robert Boyle says the scheme illustrates the carrier's "dedication to flying our customers in style", adding that they will be able to avoid up-front jet hire charges and other long-term commitments. Passengers will be able to book a private jet and travel straight away. As well as airports in the mainland USA, the range of destinations will include points in the Caribbean, southern Canada and Mexico.

Business travel is back with a flourish, top airlines said at an investor conference, and that's uplifting news for carriers' bottom lines. North Texas airlines said their most profitable customers are coming back, though not nearly to pre-recession levels. Business fliers typically don't plan ahead, booking flights at the last minute, and airlines charge them more for the flexibility. Southwest Airlines Co. expects to post increased revenue per seat mile of better than 20 percent for June as business travelers get back on board, said Laura Wright, the Dallasbased company's chief financial officer. That said, "business travel is nowhere near close to fully recovered," she added. Southwest's planes set load factor records – a measure of how full they were with paying passengers – for April and May compared with last spring's recession-and-swine-flu-dampened demand, and Wright said bookings for the second half of June are strong. Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc. said that it expects its second-quarter year-over-year unit revenue – what it earns for each seat mile flown – to increase about 17 percent over last year. That was higher than some analysts forecast.

AirTran Airways says the Harry Potter 1, its latest themed aircraft, made its first official flight from San Antonio to Orlando, Florida. The event coincided with a planned opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction at Universal Studios theme park. "The Boeing 717 features an exciting illustration depicting a wizard's hand extending a wand, stretching from the back of the plane to the front. The tip of the wand, which appears as though it's illuminated, directs the eye toward The Wizarding World of Harry Potter logo across the side of the fuselage," AirTran said on its Web site. The plane's first flight transported winners from NBC's "Today" show contest -- "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort" -- to Orlando International Airport. Students from San Antonio were among the first to ride on the aircraft.

American Airlines, through its Miles For Kids In Need program, along with Airline Ambassadors International and...