Continental - a one time experience (Continental Airlines)

Member Name: JBP

Product:	Continental Airlines
Date:	10/01/09 (520 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none compared to competitors

Disadvantages: most things including safety

During the 2008 calendar year I have visited 20 countries, circumnavigated the world three times, and flown on 9 airlines, 6 full service, and 3 of the budget variety. Recently I flew from London to Florida via Houston, Texas, to join a cruise over Christmas, on Continental Airlines. First (and last) time on Continental. Continental does not seem to know if it is a full service or a budget airline. It served (not sold) meals, yet it charged $5 for a glass of wine (and the hostie didn't have change). Service generally was ordinary at best. On our return transatlantic flight, the entertainment system broke down an hour or so into a 10 hour flight on an apparently very new aircraft - the crew were unable to reboot the system successfully, and acknowledging apology was made.

Also Continental appears to be introducing a baggage charge for domestic services within the US - the public's response to this seems to be to take excessive amounts of carry on baggage. The limit is stated to be 10Kg, BUT they appear not be policing this. I saw large numbers of passengers taking two and three large bags aboard clearing exceeding the allowance. This has two effects: later boarding passengers (forward row numbers) are left unable to find room in the overhead lockers for their carry-on bags even if within the limit, and more importantly, this compromises the estimate of weight distribution in the aircraft load characteristics (I have worked in this game in the past). Accurate recording of aircraft weight distribution is critical for aircraft stability both for take off and in-flight trim. I was alarmed by Continental's apparent unsafe practices.

Continental fails to match up with its competitors on service or safety, and I will not be using them again.

Summary: Ordinary at best