oap,

As a Manchester photographer, I can say CO normally operate to schedule. Delays do sometimes happen, but not often. Even if they do, you still need to be at the airport at the specified time.

Darren

Thanks Dazbo, it wasn't going I was bothered about as we are staying with friends but the return into Manchester - for the train times home.

Does anyone know if Continental have an online sale any time throughout the year? I'm looking to go to NYC (EWR) from Belfast in December; would appreciate knowing whether Continental do a 'summer sale' or similar so I can stop busting a gut checking the website every other day to see if ticket prices have come down

(I thought I'd ask, cos I got a great deal on a Caribbean flight in BA's online January sale, so wanted to check whether other companies do similar during traditional "sales" periods)

Cheers

We flew with continental BFS - EWR in 06 and best price was through Travelocity.

Have you tried some of the online companies? airline network etc. The price on continenatals site remained steady whilst I was comparing and after we booked.

HTH

Can't find out about hand luggage on Continental - is it same as European flights.

This is the relevant page on the Continental Airlines site:
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/Travel/baggage/carry-on.aspx

However, you should also check the restrictions in force at your departure airport.

David

David - I had already looked at web site and found it hard to believe that we are allowed 18 kg of hand luggage per person - did you read it as that or am I just being thick ?

That's how I read it too, oap. But although that seems to be the maximum which they might allow on board as cabin baggage, you would also have to check out the maximum dimensions and any weight restrictions imposed by your airport for security screening purposes.

David

I'm actually in the States at the moment having flown out from the UK with CO last Monday. I've just looked at my e-ticket as will be returning tomorrow and whilst no weight restriction is indicated on hand baggage details just say that hand baggage should be one bag plus one personal item such as a purse (handbag in the UK), briefcase, laptop computer bag, per passenger. I had two items ex LGW and the hand baggage was not weighed. I think providing the hand baggage fits the standard size on their web site and you can manage to stow it unaided you will probably be fine. That said, do you need 18kgs of cabin baggage?

its not unusual as BA only say that you have to be able to lift it unaided into the storage above.
Americans tend to like only travelling with cabin luggage if possible.

Thanks everyone. Traveller- won't need 18kg going - don't know about coming back

jaimec - thanks for the response - yes, I'm (increasingly ) familiar with all the online companies like travelocity, airline-network, ebookers, opodo, etc etc!! I'll keep checking. Am slightly disturbed that the seat availability according to Cont.'s handy diagram has suddenly dropped over the weekend from a consistent (for the past few weeks) 60-ish in Economy, down to about 25 Looks like I might have to bite the bullet and pay top whack rather than play Russian roulette waiting for the prices to drop....

Thanks anyway

Please bear in mind the seating plan only shows seats that have not been pre selected rather than availability, also around 40% of seats are held back for airport check in- so as to be able to offer a certain amount of flexibility for check in agents.

Do not use that as indicative, also has happened in the past, sometimes airlines forget to block off this 40% and then block it off, so it looks like a massive amount of seats have been sold overnight but in reality, the airline has just got its act together.

Thank you

Just in case anyone's interested, I had a 10-day break from checking BFS-EWR Dec.08 flight prices while I was on holiday....

....back to a computer yesterday, had another look and the dates I wanted had come down from £510 to £455 on Continental's website... and to £360 on Ebookers. Nice!

Needless to say, flights were booked quicker than you can say "MasterCard"

Continental axes 3,000 staff and grounds 67 aircraft

Continental Airlines has become the latest US carrier to react to the impact of record fuel prices by slashing jobs and aircraft.

The airline is to lay-off 3,000 staff and cut 67 Boeing 737s from its US domestic fleet.

CEO Larry Kellner and president Jeff Smisek are to forgo their salaries and bonuses for the rest of the year.

In a joint statement to staff, they described the US airline industry as facing its "worst crisis since 9/11" due to record-high fuel prices - 75% more than a year ago.

"These record fuel prices have fundamentally shifted the economics of our business," they said. "At these fuel prices, a large number of our flights are losing money, and Continental needs to react to this changed marketplace."

The actions being taken were "necessary to secure our future," the statement said.

The carrier is to outline service cuts by the end of next week but plans to remove all 737-300s from its fleet by the end of 2009. This will bring the total fleet size down to 344 aircraft by the end of next year.

Domestic capacity is to be trimmed by 16% year-on-year by the end of this year.

Continental joins American Airlines and United in cost cutting regimes in the face of the fuel crisis and economic downturn.


With permission from Travelmole

Flying out from Birmingham to New York on 28 September (flight number CO27 I think). Trying to decided where best to sit and have read that Continental Airlines are updating the inflight entertainment to having seat back screens on their 757's. Can anybody tell me if this is correct? Am a bit concerned about going in a 757 as they seem a bit cramped.
There is an option to change to Manchester to Chicago with BMI on an Airbus. (Read Dazbo's review of his trip to Antigua and saw the pics, great review.) Not sure what to do now. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Caz.

caroline davis,

CO's 752 ETOPS used on trans-atlantic flights are far roomier than charter configured aircraft, eg FCA, TOM, TCX. They have 3" more seat pitch than those. They have approx 175 seats compared to 235 seats of a charter configured aircraft. AVOD seat back IFE is planned to be introduced by the end of 2008. I don't think it's standard across the fleet as yet (I know one of their aircraft has it though, ship 130). I'd go direct rather than route through ORD to save on hassle, but that's just me! I know what you mean about a 752 and long flights, but once you're seated it doesn't make much difference. Going with Bmi through ORD would be nice, but it's a longer journey so you have to weigh up the pros and cons.

Darren

Thank you Darren for your prompt reply. Knowing the seat pitch is slightly bigger than those that take me to Majorca is reassuring and I will probably stick with the Continental flight. Many thanks. Caz