No More Free Lunch on Continental

[AtticaFlinch]

It sounds like Continental could do well if it has BOB options with the Kim Son brand.

Perhaps they could just put Maruchan Ramen Noodles on board and still provide it free. That stuff is way cheaper than a wilted lettuce sandwich.

[VicMan]

Perhaps they could just put Maruchan Ramen Noodles on board and still provide it free. That stuff is way cheaper than a wilted lettuce sandwich.

Continental might provide ramen as an option, but still ask people to pay for it. Air Canada has ramen as one of its snack options. http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/onboard/dining/na/onboard/snacks.html - Air Canada charges $3 CDN for each ramen pack.

The airline should offer ramen on shorter buy on board flights as well as longer ones.

Edited March 19, 2010 by VicMan

[houstonmacbro]

Perhaps they could just put Maruchan Ramen Noodles on board and still provide it free. That stuff is way cheaper than a wilted lettuce sandwich.

And salty. I know a lot of processed food HAS salt in it, but those noodles have salt and TASTE salty.

[VicMan]

And salty. I know a lot of processed food HAS salt in it, but those noodles have salt and TASTE salty.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/science/news/article_1539215.php/Tomato-juice-irresistibly-good-at-32-000-feet-experts-confirm says:

"The researchers at Fraunhofer IBP came to the startling conclusion that reduced cabin air pressure enhanced human taste receptors for salt, sugar and tomato flavours, which are scarcely noticeable on the ground." - Perhaps this means that the ramen for airplane consumption could be made with less salt?

[Fringe]

http://www.monstersa...experts-confirm says:

"The researchers at Fraunhofer IBP came to the startling conclusion that reduced cabin air pressure enhanced human taste receptors for salt, sugar and tomato flavours, which are scarcely noticeable on the ground." - Perhaps this means that the ramen for airplane consumption could be made with less salt?

Maybe they need to serve Bloody Mary's in lieu of food. 

[AtticaFlinch]

Maybe they need to serve Bloody Mary's in lieu of food.

If that was free in coach, I'd never fly another airline.

[frheard]

While it is true airline food must be prepared differently, it also has to be seasoned and cooked to satisfy the most people, thus not too spicy, not too much garlic, salt, etc. Also, not to split hairs, but microwave ovens are not used on CO aircraft. In fact the food is precooked, then heated in hot air convection ovens. Also, to many peoples surprise, aircraft are not equipped with refrigerators.

[VicMan]

Both Continental and Southwest have free bloody mary mixes - I'm not sure how much it would cost to add alcohol to the mixes.

Maybe they need to serve Bloody Mary's in lieu of food. 

[Fringe]

it also has to be seasoned and cooked to satisfy the most people, thus not too spicy, not too much garlic, salt, etc.

Kind of like eating at Applebees. 

[skwatra]

Both Continental and Southwest have free bloody mary mixes - I'm not sure how much it would cost to add alcohol to the mixes.

$5 on each airline, SW has Finlandia and Cont has Skyy. I think they both use Mr. and Mrs. T Bloody Mary mix.

[VicMan]

$5 on each airline, SW has Finlandia and Cont has Skyy. I think they both use Mr. and Mrs. T Bloody Mary mix.

Thank you for clarifying! So Continental already has bloody marys, but they aren't free.

Speaking of tomatoes, a Cafe Express tomato soup, salad, and bread meal might be a good fit for the buy on board program. Also the airline should make sure that any burgers always come with ketchup on the side.

Edited March 19, 2010 by VicMan

[kylejack]

I usually get a bloody mary on both airlines. Next time I think I might try just tomato juice and vodka.

[ernie5823]

Something that nobody has mentioned - eliminating meal service "probably" eliminates the need for at least one, maybe more, depending on aircraft size, flight attendants. I don't have any idea what average wage is for a flight attendant, but I'd bet the "burdened labor cost" is approaching $100,000 per year. I'm sure the union(s) would interfere with a reduction in force, but, eventually this might prevent Continental going the way of Eastern and so many other airlines.

[skwatra]

Remember flight attendants are there "for your safety". there are FAA regulations requiring a certain number of attendants per seat in the plane, I believe 1 for every 50. United did not remove any flight attendant jobs or capacity when they got rid of meals. SW has as many flight attendants on a 737 as Continental does.

[Hanuman]

Remember flight attendants are there "for your safety". there are FAA regulations requiring a certain number of attendants per seat in the plane, I believe 1 for every 50. United did not remove any flight attendant jobs or capacity when they got rid of meals. SW has as many flight attendants on a 737 as Continental does.

Flight attendants ( Female ) are also there to look pretty, and provide alcoholic beverages. I personally carry an I.V. bag, marked as, "D5W", but filled with Weller's for short flights, and several of them for over seas flights. You can get them through airport security in your carry - on bags. I use the I.V. tube to run from the overhead compartment to my seat for convenience, and to spike the other passengers drinks around me. If you share, then they don't rat you out to the flight attendants. I don't eat any meals on planes.

P.S. - I am a member of the Mile High, and the Mile Long clubs.

[JLWM8609]

SW has as many flight attendants on a 737 as Continental does.

That's true, except on Continental's 800 and 900 series 737s which have more seats than Southwest's 300, 500 and 700 series 737s (160-173 vs 122-137). If you have over 149 seats, you need that fourth attendant.

[sonic0boom]

$5 on each airline, SW has Finlandia and Cont has Skyy. I think they both use Mr. and Mrs. T Bloody Mary mix.

Actually, it's $6 on Continental or $4 if you use the Continental credit card (as of last week, anyway).

[sarahiki]

In the news today, Spirit air will charge for carry-on bags. The end is nigh...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/04/06/spirit.carryon.fees/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

[Hartmann]

In the news today, Spirit air will charge for carry-on bags. The end is nigh...

http://www.cnn.com/2...ref=igoogle_cnn

I doubt the legacies will follow this. Remember when US started charging for sodas? There was nearly a revolt and they backed off and kept them free.

[20thStDad]

If they would do a survey I think they would find that the vast majority of folks would prefer they just keep everything included in the fare and raise the fare a bit. No one likes being nickel and dimed to death.

[sarahiki]

Agree. It might allow some travelers to pack light, make a sandwich, and save a few bucks, but most of us want to know the bottom line when we're planning our trip.

Not to mention that the baggage policy discriminates wildly against people who aren't able-bodied adults. In theory, it is to recoup the money that it costs to transport heavy bags. However, I pay full adult fare for my 30-pound 3-year-old, who is unable to carry his own carry on, so I then pay extra to check it. I then pay to check my bag, which I can't carry, since I am managing the three-year-old. So my skinny self and mini-child get to pay to subsidize some big ole fat man and his big ole fat carry-on bag.

I pointed this out to Continental in a strongly worded letter. They sent me a free flight voucher which, when cashed, would relinquish any claim I had to a future lawsuit. Yes, I used it.

"We're offering you a settlement of free coffee for life and..." "I'll take it!!" (Kramer, on Seinfeld)

[gto250us]

Get over it already.

Flying these days is no different than taking the bus. The "food" that was served was in so small portions and of such poor quality that it was nothing more than a diversion during the flight.

Just get me to where I want to go as fast and as cheap as possible.

[ricco67]

Get over it already.

Flying these days is no different than taking the bus. The "food" that was served was in so small portions and of such poor quality that it was nothing more than a diversion during the flight.

Just get me to where I want to go as fast and as cheap as possible.

Walmart of the sky.

Probably one of the reasons why I hate flying.

[VicMan]

Thanks to the presence of Orbitz, Travelocity, and other comparison websites, the behavior of many customers is to pick the lowest fare no matter what. Accordingly that's the direction that the market went.

Continental could still give perks to people who are in the OnePass program, rewarding customer loyalty and making the people who always comparison shop among different airlines pay for certain extras.

If they would do a survey I think they would find that the vast majority of folks would prefer they just keep everything included in the fare and raise the fare a bit. No one likes being nickel and dimed to death.

Even though there have been new charges across the board, I still like to fly because I anticipate very lovely destinations in front of me. If I was taking a redeye every week, flying would get old. But because I only fly occasionally, to me flying is still special.

Walmart of the sky.

Probably one of the reasons why I hate flying.

Edited April 7, 2010 by VicMan

[Hartmann]

Get over it already.

Flying these days is no different than taking the bus. The "food" that was served was in so small portions and of such poor quality that it was nothing more than a diversion during the flight.

Just get me to where I want to go as fast and as cheap as possible.

If you fly RyanAir, it's about to get worse: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=86948.blog

They're going to try and charge people to use the toilet facilities on the plane.

For people who fly a lot, having loyalty to an airline does pay off. Free bags, usually better seating choices (United's E+), etc.

[sarahiki]

They should charge by weight. Put you and your bags on that big scale at the counter, charge a fee accordingly. Then you can either check your bags or carry them on. First 150 lbs (person included) is free; charge for the rest, whatever. Then stop nickel and diming us on everything else.

[sonic0boom]

If you fly RyanAir, it's about to get worse: http://www.usatoday....g&ak=86948.blog

They're going to try and charge people to use the toilet facilities on the plane.

For people who fly a lot, having loyalty to an airline does pay off. Free bags, usually better seating choices (United's E+), etc.

I flew RyanAir in Europe about 5 years ago, and it cost under US$50 total for me to fly from Germany to Ireland and then from Ireland to Prage via London (3 tickets altogether). So, as long as i had change to pay for the bathroom, I wouldn't care It's when I'm flying two dollar flights that i don't paying for everything (even if paying for use of the bathroom is pretty ludicrous) ... it's when I get hit up for everything on my $400 flight to EWR that i get pissed.

[20thStDad]

They should charge by weight. Put you and your bags on that big scale at the counter, charge a fee accordingly. Then you can either check your bags or carry them on. First 150 lbs (person included) is free; charge for the rest, whatever. Then stop nickel and diming us on everything else.

This would be great, but I can hear the discrimination cries already. You can't get more logical, the cost to move someone (in fuel terms) is directly proportional to their weight. So perhaps they apply this logic only to the fuel cost portion of a fare and leave all else equal. Especially since on more than one occasion I've had to suffer through a flight next to some gigantic person who takes up half of my seat. They should be required to buy 2 seats, and I should get my damn money back. I know there is a policy that you have to buy 2 seats if you are large, but they don't enforce it.

[sarahiki]

One save might be that it's not about body girth. So, you're not discriminated against because you're fat, exactly. You could be a really big dude who's not fat, but still pay more, because it costs more to transport you.

They are already turning humans into freight with these policies. This would simply be more direct: we are freight, therefore we pay by the pound to be transported.

When do you suppose they are going to take the seats away, to really pack people in?

[sarahiki]

(duplicate post, for some reason)

Edited April 7, 2010 by sarahiki

[Hartmann]

I flew RyanAir in Europe about 5 years ago, and it cost under US$50 total for me to fly from Germany to Ireland and then from Ireland to Prage via London (3 tickets altogether). So, as long as i had change to pay for the bathroom, I wouldn't care It's when I'm flying two dollar flights that i don't paying for everything (even if paying for use of the bathroom is pretty ludicrous) ... it's when I get hit up for everything on my $400 flight to EWR that i get pissed.

My legs barely fit in the RyanAir seats. Whoever is sitting in front of me is getting two knees in the back. They're definitely a bus in the sky but they're cheap.

I'm flying Air Berlin for some intra-European stuff in July, they're supposedly a decent low cost carrier as well. I'm so used to Lufthansa's no nonsense attitude that I'm sure Air Berlin will be a relief (hopefully).

Edited April 7, 2010 by Hartmann

[BryanS]

They are already turning humans into freight with these policies. This would simply be more direct: we are freight, therefore we pay by the pound to be transported.

Finally, a common sense policy. Pay by the pound! ... You and your luggage get on the scale, and then out comes the price. Slide your Visa or MasterCard and done.

You want to bring 4 bags? Go for it! 1 bag? No problem!

If the bean counters are running amok now... I say just go all out and do it. Charge by total poundage.

[Hanuman]

Finally, a common sense policy. Pay by the pound! ... You and your luggage get on the scale, and then out comes the price. Slide your Visa or MasterCard and done.

You want to bring 4 bags? Go for it! 1 bag? No problem!

If the bean counters are running amok now... I say just go all out and do it. Charge by total poundage.

I'll drink to that Bryan! ... Free Bloody Mary's for the passengers!!! I only weigh 195 lbs. & the only carry-on is my laptop & case. Makes a nice flight. Last time I went to Vegas for a week on business, I sent my baggage UPS to the hotel a day in advance. I like to travel light, and in style... Swoooshh!!

[innerloop]

I've got a compliment for Continental food... I flew back from San Jose on Monday in coach and lunch was a hot chicken burrito. Very nice surprise. It tasted good and the picante sauce was actually spicy. Well done.

[Hartmann]

The buy-on-board announcement has been made: http://phx.corporate...5060&highlight=

With the menu:

The upside is that there will be hot options, similar to what Alaska Airlines offers.

Edited September 27, 2010 by Hartmann

[sidegate]

It's been a long time since I banked on getting anything approaching a decent meal on a domestic flight. If I'm traveling for personal reasons, I bring a lunch. Business, I eat at the airport on my per diem. Airlines and food is a joke that hasn't been funny for a long time. International flights are a bit better but of course you pay through the nose for those.