Continental Airlines (Houston) announced plans to launch new daily nonstop flights between Houston (Bush Intercontinental) and Lagos, Nigeria, beginning on November 10, 2011, subject to government approval.  It will be the first daily scheduled service offered between Texas and Africa by any carrier.

Lagos will be Continental’s first destination in Africa and the 30th city in its trans-Atlantic route network.  It is the second new international destination announced in the last month that will be served nonstop from Houston, Continental’s largest hub. Continental currently serves 63 international destinations nonstop from Houston and recently announced plans to begin nonstop service between Houston and Auckland beginning November 16, 2011, subject to government approval.

With the addition of flights to Africa, Houston will become one of just four cities in the world – and the only city in the Western Hemisphere – to have nonstop service to every inhabited continent on the globe.

Continental will operate the approximately 6,500-mile flight with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, seating 36 customers in BusinessFirst and 192 customers in economy class.  Flying times will be approximately 11 hours eastbound, and 12 hours 30 minutes westbound.  The new flight will reduce travel time between the two cities by over four hours by eliminating any connection en route.