Continental Airlines Announces Changes to Coach Service on International Flights

HOUSTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL - News) today announced that the airline will spend approximately $4 million annually to improve coach class meal service on trans-Atlantic flights beginning July 1. Continental will upgrade the hot entree offered as part of the main meal, improve the second meal served prior to arrival, and have a variety of snacks available to customers throughout the flight. On longer-haul routes such as Amsterdam to Houston, the airline will also enhance the salad at the main meal and add a new, mid-flight snack service.

Concurrent with upgrades to its meal service, Continental will standardize its onboard liquor policy throughout its system worldwide. Beginning July 1, and consistent with its domestic main cabin service, the airline will implement a $4 charge per alcoholic beverage served in coach class on international flights. All revenue from the liquor charges will be reinvested to help offset significantly increased costs of the enhanced meal service.

"This reallocation of our investment in our inflight product benefits every customer, rather than the few who enjoy complimentary liquor," said Eric Kleiman, director of product marketing.

In addition, Continental will expand its inflight entertainment program with more video games and HBO original programming. The airline is nearly doubling the number of video games for customers in coach class offered through its onboard interactive Personal Entertainment System, increasing the number of game selections from six to 10. The entertainment systems are available at every seat on the Boeing 777 and 767 aircraft flown in international markets. In August, the airline will also add HBO programming to its personal inflight video entertainment in the BusinessFirst cabin, allowing customers to choose popular programming such as The
Sopranos and Sex and The City.

(self-laudatory ending cut)

{edited to fix formatting}

[This message has been edited by EnhancedByCO (edited 05-20-2002).]

[This message has been edited by EnhancedByCO (edited 05-20-2002).]

Hmmm.... those Continental currency are getting some value back again?

I suppose now Continental will stop givng those out.

With every airline out there giving out free alcoholic drinks on trans-atlantic flights, CO seems to be taking a big risk. The "enhancements" to food will be less noticed and appreciated than the outrage to liquor charges. Over time, those foodd service "enhancements" will disappear.

Why doesn't CO just switch to all-business class aircraft for international travel...

I can't WAIT to see that new salad!

enhancement?!?!?!?!?!? They are going to charge for drinks. Good lord - they will be the only carrier across the Atlantic to do that.

No, no, it's not a new salad, but an enhanced salad!

The good news is that they're only "enhancing" the salad on the longer-haul routes, the rest of the meal service is only being "upgraded" and "improved"

To put the $4 million bucks annually into prespective, based on the transatlantic available seat miles from the April traffic figures reported by CO, this works out to 0.0317� per mile, or less then a buck for a 3,000 mile trip.

Reinvest my $4 booze charge? no thanks, I'll bring my own.

(edited to correct decimal point)

[This message has been edited by Old Gold (edited 05-20-2002).]

Just one more reason to do the HoKeY upgrade to BF: The Soprano's and no charge for vino rosso!!!

Well, I may be the minority here, but I applaud this move.

I'd much rather have upgraded meal service than free booze. Who knows, perhaps with less booze in their systems, the would-be loud mouths on red-eyes would be silent!

People will do what they do on the dry airlines---BYOB.

I would prefer better food over free booze as well (but I'll have to stop giving away my CO currency). However, I wouldn't be shocked if they actually lose business over this. Will customers perceive that the food is really better? They'll certainly perceive that the alcohol is more expensive!

I'm also in the minority in that I'd gladly trade better food for free booze.

My suspicion is that you will end up with neither.

I believe that one is not allowed to consume alcohol that has not been served by a member of the crew. I know that flight attendants often turn a blind eye. Recently though I had a small bottle of sparkling wine confiscated by a flight attendant on Virgin (which was a CO codeshare). Thankfully, I had already served most of it in a cup, and she did not try to take away the cup...

Well, given that CO FAs tend only to make an appearance during the meal services, I have a feeling we don't really need to worry about having our alcohol confiscated...

My guess is that the other airlines will follow suit and they will all charge for drinks on international flights.

I couldn't agree more.