Continental joins Star Alliance, offers prizes to Twitter users to spread news

October 27, 4:51 PMAirline Industry ExaminerScott Laird

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Continental is Star Alliance's 25th member. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, file)

Continental Airlines has joined Star Alliance effective today, celebrating the event with other Star Alliance member carriers in New York City. Continental, recently a member of SkyTeam along with US partners Delta and Northwest, took the opportunity to leave the alliance after a loophole in the Delta/Northwest merger allowed it to do so earlier this year. Continental is now the fourth North American member for Star, joining United, US Airways, and Air Canada. The carrier brings much needed access to Latin America for Star Alliance, where capacity has been lacking after the departures of Mexicana and VARIG Brazil. Continental's Micronesia unit also brings a unique hub in Guam, as well as service throughout the South Pacific, also a weak spot for Star.

To promote their new membership in Star Alliance, Continental has appealed to Twitter users. Now through November third, Twitter users who include the hash tag #StarTreatment in their tweets will be entered into a drawing for prizes, including business class tickets and Continental Vacations gift cards. Tweeters can use the hash tag up to five times the same day.

Star Alliance was founded by Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai Airways, and United Airlines in 1997. Continental is the group's 25th member.

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