IFE on domestic Continental

[Keygrip]

Looks like I'll be flying Continental Airlines next month - a first for me (but Delta price has risen 50% on the same route).

Pathetic question really (I know) but, as I'm travelling alone, what kind of IFE have I got to look forward to? Individual seat back, 150 channel on demand, high speed internet and Virtual Reality goggles - or an in-flight mag. with half the crossword already completed?

CO193 MCO to EWR B757-200 (departs at 06:45 - any food?)

[cjhants]

have flown houston to vegas a couple of times with them, once on a newish 737 and once on an old 757.
can remember there being any IFE, certainly not seat back screens.
so, hope you can get some sleep, or take a good book.

[GwynM]

flew from Newark to Las Vegas and back in MAy. Take a good book and food, unless you like dried up chicken burger (with no veggie alternative) or disgusting banana bread

[Keygrip]

Thanks for the replies.

It's getting worse - it's now a 737.

Guess I'd better charge the batteries in my portable DVD player, eh?

[apaddyinuk]

Well if its one of the new 737's then thats a lot nicer than an old grotty 757!!!

[Keygrip]

The booking ref. says "737-500" for the first three legs (and grotty old 757-200 for the last one).

<<Doesn't ACTUALLY use the phrase "grotty old 757" on their website - that was poetic licence given to me by apaddyinuk. (In case you were wondering.)>>

[Keygrip]

...........but it SHOULD have done!!

Back from the trip. IFE on leg one (Orlando/Newark) was a compilation tape of a couple of 30 minute sit-coms and a very lengthy chunk of "What to do in New York" promos. The monitors were ceiling mounted along the centre aisle. Not good for seats A or F as the overhead bins get in the way.

Headsets were US$5 each (but you can keep them in case you are daft enough to fly Continental again).

Aircraft was 1hr 30 late.

Flight 2 was only 1hr 5 late getting airborne. IFE was the back of the seat in front of me. No monitor - just the back of the seat.

Coming back this morning? Nada on the first flight (but only 45 minutes late due "crew rest" from a late arrival the night before [though the text message to my cell phone from Continental in the morning told me the flight was on time]).

The grotty old 757 did have smudgy monitors drop down from the luggage bins so I could see it from seat F - and they showed a movie, "Sahara" (which they started too late to finish before touchdown).

Then sat for 45 minutes on the ramp at Orlando - couldn't taxi up to the airbridge as there were no marshallers to get them onto the stop bar acurately (there was a thunderstorm in vicinity and they don't work outdoors when there's a storm threat). Engines off, APU to run the air-con.

Thank goodness for the batteries in my portable DVD player (and a collection of "Peter Gabriel" music videos on disk).

Have to say that the Turkey rolls were tasty though.

[Middle Seat]

Why rely on the airline to provide you with the IFE? Depending on the offering, you may be better off with a book than some of the drivel I've seen offered on US domestic flights lately.

A book? Novel Idea! (best to be enjoyed with earplugs).

[itaxi]

domestic flights do not normally serve restaurant patrons !
IFE is mostly for international flights
I have used C on 12 hour trips on Boeing 777 in business class and it was great.
and I am sure many other airlines would be as well.

get a MP3 , a good book and pick any airlines you want and as long as your expectations remain low, you will never be disappointed. :ok:

[Jerricho]

Guess I'd better charge the batteries in my portable DVD player, eh?

Don't you be using that on take off or landing ;) ;)

[B Sousa]

Why anyone flying today would depend on the Airline to provide food and entertainment is beyond me.
If I fly in Cattle Class I always take food and an MP3, computer, whatever as odds are the movie is some family crap without sex, violence and those naughty words... or the seat I have has the "Broken Unit"
As to the food, its probably so unhealthy that you could do better with a McWhopper. Take your own food and water, you will enjoy it more..........OR fly First Class

[Wake Turbulence]

...which a huge fraction of CO's domestic flights of 3 hrs or less duration are.

Bring your own IFE & food.

Remember CO's "customer service" motto:
"Clean, Safe, Reliable Transportation, Every Time You Fly."

No mention of comfort or in-flight service anywhere in there. You've been warned! That said, you could do much worse than to be on CO.