Star Alliance partners Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) and Brussels Airlines today announced plans to start codesharing on Continental’s trans-Atlantic flights between New York and Brussels, as well as on selected flights operated by each carrier on both sides of the Atlantic.

Effective August 9, 2010, Continental will place its “CO*” code on selected Brussels Airlines-operated flights between Brussels and nine cities in Europe (Bologna, Italy; Bristol, London/Heathrow and Newcastle, United Kingdom; Hanover, Germany; and Lyons, Marseilles, Paris/Charles de Gaulle and Toulouse, France) and between Brussels and 12 cities in Africa (Accra, Ghana; Banjul, Gambia; Bujumbura, Burundi; Cotonou, Benin; Dakar, Senegal; Douala and Yaounde, Cameroon; Entebbe, Uganda; Kigali, Rwanda; Monrovia, Liberia; Nairobi, Kenya; and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso).

At the same time, Brussels Airlines will place its “SN*” code on Continental’s daily flights between Brussels and its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport, as well as on selected flights to five U.S. destinations operated by Continental beyond New York/Newark (Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Houston and Orlando).

“This agreement will offer Continental customers quicker and easier access to a dozen cities in Africa, as well as additional cities in Europe,” said Jim Compton, Continental’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We know that our customers will appreciate the increased travel options this partnership provides, as well as the high standards of service offered by Brussels Airlines.”

“Thanks to this new partnership with Continental Airlines we can now offer our passengers a great travel solution to New York via the very convenient Newark airport and to several other important U.S. destinations currently lacking in our network offer,” said Brussels Airlines’ Executive Vice President Network and Strategy, Erik Follet. “This is another example of the many new advantages our recent Star Alliance membership offers our clients.”

Because both Continental and Brussels Airlines are members of Star Alliance, members of Continental’s frequent flyer program, OnePass, and Brussels Airlines’ frequent flyer program, Miles & More, are able to earn and redeem mileage anywhere on either airline’s global route network. Continental BusinessFirst passengers, OnePass Star Alliance Gold members and Presidents Club members travelling on a same-day Star Alliance member flight are able to access Brussels Airlines Lounges at the flight’s departure city, while Brussels Airlines Business Class passengers and Miles & More Star Alliance Gold members are able to access Continental’s Presidents Club lounges worldwide prior to departure on a same-day Star Alliance member flight.

Continental has been serving Brussels since 1999. The airline’s flights to New York/Newark are operated with 235-seat Boeing 767-400ER aircraft, carrying 35 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 200 in economy. Flight CO61 departs Brussels daily at 9:45 a.m., arriving at New York/Newark at 12:00 p.m. the same day. The return flight, CO60, departs New York/Newark daily at 6:15 p.m., arriving in Brussels at 7:45 a.m. the following
day (all times local).