Continental moving to Logan's Terminal A
Continental Airlines is moving to Terminal A at Logan International Airport this fall.
Continental, which now uses five gates in Terminal C, will move to six gates in the $500 million, 2 1/2-year-old Delta Air Lines terminal by Nov. 1, under terms of a deal approved this morning by the board of the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Logan.
Massport executive director Thomas J. Kinton Jr. said he doubts any other airlines will be moving soon into A. "The terminal is going to be pretty well, not maxed out, but close,'' Kinton said. Massport will have only one more gate in A it can sublease to another airline, under terms of a deal worked out during Delta's recent bankruptcy proceedings to restructure its financial obligations for the terminal. It gave Massport control of 6 of the 18 big-jet gates at the terminal, and three of the seven tarmac parking positions for regional jets, in exchange for Delta writing off much of its financial obligation for the terminal.
All of Continental's operations will be in the main part of Terminal A closest to the check-in gates, with Delta using the so-called remote terminal annex. From Boston Continental flies near-shuttle-frequency flights to Newark Liberty International Airport, to hubs in Cleveland and Houston, and small-plane service to several cities in New England and New York.
JetBlue Airways Corp. is already committed to expanding into several of the gates being vacated by Continental in Terminal C. The move also frees up space in C for fast-growing discount carrier AirTran Airways, Kinton said.
Massport is paying Continental $1.8 million to defray its costs for moving from C to A. Continental will pay terminal bondholders $1.5 million annually as part of its rent and pay Massport $4.2 million annually for space it rents in the terminal, Massport spokesman Matthew D. Brelis said.
(By Peter J. Howe, Globe staff)
