[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 24, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CONGRATULATIONS CONTINENTAL MICRONESIA ON 35TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 24, 2003

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate Continental 
Micronesia on its 35th anniversary and to wish a happy birthday to CEO 
Mark Erwin and employees of Continental Micronesia.
  I also want to take this time to commend the services rendered by 
Continental Micronesia to the island of Guam. Guam is the regional hub 
for Continental Micronesia, and we are proud of the network that 
strengthens ties between Guam and our Pacific neighbors. Tourism is the 
leading private sector industry on Guam, and Continental has provided 
consistent, reliable service to Guam and to destinations across the 
entire Pacific Rim including: Cairns, Australia; Denpasar, Indonesia; 
Hong Kong; Honolulu, Hawaii; Koror, Palau; Kosrae, Micronesia; 
Kwajalein, Marshall Islands; Majuro, Marshall Islands; Nagoya, Japan, 
Niigata, Japan, Osaka/Kenai, Japan; Pohnpei, Micronesia; Saipan, 
Commonweath of the Northern Mariana Islands; Sapporo, Japan; Sendai, 
Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; Chuuk, Micronesia; and Yap, Micronesia.
  Continental Airlines moved its headquarters to Los Angeles, 
California in July, 1963, as it provided important transportation 
services to members of the armed forces between the United States and 
Asia during the Vietnam War. In response to its increased importance in 
the Pacific during the Vietnam War, Continental formed Air Micronesia 
in 1968. Air Micronesia, now known as Continental Micronesia, has 
become one of the principal passenger airlines for the islands of the 
Pacific, providing services between the islands and nations along the 
Pacific Rim and the mainland.
  Under trailblazing CEO Robert F. Six, Continental Airlines mixed 
creativity with ingenuity in establishing many of its flight routes in 
the Pacific. During the 1960's, Continental Micronesia would staff 
flights with mechanics and carry spare materials on board in order that 
passenger airliners could land on and embark from coral island landing 
strips. The company was also innovative in that it opened hotels and 
restaurants at its island destinations in order to stimulate tourism.
  In 1976, Air Micronesia began providing services between Saipan and 
Japan. This additional service would prove to be vital to the future 
economic growth of Guam, for the vast majority of the over one million 
tourists that visit Guam each year are Japanese. In fact, Continental 
Micronesia's Guam-Tokyo, Japan route became the airline industry's 
single most profitable route in the world. We on Guam are grateful for 
this mutually beneficial relationship, and we look forward to working 
together with Continental to perpetuate further growth of the visitor 
industry on Guam.
  I want to express my deepest gratitude to Continental Micronesia and 
its employees for their years of hard work and dedication to the people 
of Guam, as they celebrate their 35th birthday. Without their 
commitment, the visitor industry on Guam could not thrive.

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