Blankets on the transcon. Please
 

I can't think of any major carrier that does not have blankets in coach on the transcon. I had to sit at the back last week, and was freezing the whole way (sat next to the door, row 7 on the 757-200) I believe.

It is CO's longest domestic flight non Business First flight . Not everyone departs from IAH !

EWR - LAX/SAN/SFO/SEA/PDX - therse flights are more than 5 hours.

Pillows in F would be nice too - I mean really.

The no blanket policy is tolerable for a flight LGA-IAH, which is only 4 hours. But the transcon really pushes the limit.

there are blankets. you have to ask. they are sealed up individually and then packed into a large plastic bag and stowed in the first FC overhead bin. not one for everyone like the transcons of the past.

I see CO going the "sleep sack" route alla US and B6 very soon.

No pillows in F on transcons is ridiculous. Not every passenger is disgusted by them... I never buried my face in an airline pillow.

While we're at it, the CO domestic blanket is paltry as well. Amazingly... I wish they'd take a cue from United in this department!

I carry my own pillow with washable cover in it's own bag. I also carry my own soft blankie. What's a little more crap in my bag?

Oh why not sell them then? like B6. I WAS FREEZING !.
I would have paid for a blanket.

It made the fact that I didn't get upgraded that much more annoying.

Also- yes CO's paltry blue blanket is annoying. Thin. It's embarrasing.
An exception should be made for the transcons. It's a long flight.

I should note that trAAsh has free blankets (those red ones) on all their MD-80s, in the front seat pocket, and on very seat on the 767 transcon, ditto for DL as well.

UA of course has blankets and pillows for everyone on their p.s flights. All passengers, including e+ at the back. And mind you, the fare is less sometimes, than ex-EWR.

Ask and your wish may be granted

I suggest that the midnight red-eye flights be added to the list.

BYOB. Bring (or buy) your own blanket! :D

David

Those are only for the F cabin, not for folks in Y like the OP.

Yup.

I am glad the OP started this thread because I've been meaning to ask a question or two on this subject.

I am finishing a travel lull and haven't been on a CO flight since October. Now, I have 8 CO fligts upcoming (type of seat shown in brackets):

EWR-AUA (Y)
EWR-LIM (F)
EWR-SFO (Y)
EWR-MUC (J)
EWR-IAH-GIG (F/J)
EWR-YVR (Y)
EWR-BRU (J)
EWR-PHX (Y)

Are there blankets and pillows on any of these flights? I would imagine the flights I listed that are BF will have them, but what about the international flights in Y and "International First"? I also am concerned about the transcons in Y, including the one to YVR.

Many thanks.

It always amazes me that people who have a tendency to be cold don't bring their own means of bundling up. Even people who don't have that tendency should know that, if you don't control the thermostat and you're in a public place, chances are the temp might not be to your liking and you should bring something just in case.

That being said, the door area is colder than normal (the price you pay for all that leg room) and I too feel it's a little cheap that we don't have pillows or blankeys any more. I know it saves us money but so would removing the carpet, ovens, coffee makers, interior paint, kleenex and a$$ gaskets but really...Whoops, I better not give them any big ideas. BTW, those blanket are for first but sometimes we'll discreetly throw coach a bone.

What? No mention of Piggy Flu yet?
Oh, right. That hysteria was so last year. :rolleyes:

I also agree 100% that CO will be selling pillows/blankets onboard within the next year.

However, in light of the fact that CO is selling its premium mixers in F, does anyone think that there is a possibility that CO will actually make F customers pay for a pillow and blanket, assuming CO goes the 'sleep sack' route?

If CO will only be trimming $35m a year through the elimination of free meals and BOB transition, I have to believe the pillows/blankets cutback saves a pretty meager sum. It's a very cheap move by CO, more so than any recent 'cost savings' measure, IMO.

Heh, knowing CO, anything's possible.

We flew US F last week, and they had pillows in F, as well as blankets, and they do not charge for premium mixers in F. Of course there's no IFE, and no glassware, but we were actually discussing whether US F is comparable to CO F at this point, as both carriers have their pros and cons.

Did you get another one of your legendary op-ups to US F? The same US F that no one buys, which is why they (theoretically) op-up alliance elites?

You can debate all you want about whether US and CO F are comparable (heck, on short pretzel only routes US is actually better from a service standpoint). The fundamental difference is I don't fly (anyone) for the amenities.

I travel to get places. Within a reasonable window of when I was scheduled to arrive there. US fails at that.

If you see me on a red-eye...
 

I'm the one w/ the watchman's knit cap, gloves, eye-shades, long-sleeved shirt, and a fleece pullover. I may look like a dork, but I'm a warm dork. As a vacation maximizer, I arrive probably Monday mornings 10 times/yr from HNL or LAS on a red-eye - I've learned to just bring what I need. They don't take up too much space.

I'm withholding judgment on this one until CO actually announces such a policy for real rather than during a couple weeks worth of a trial program. If they do ultimately decide to charge for the mixers up front it will be decidedly :rolleyes: but that ship hasn't sailed yet.

Exactly. You can always get warmer, but you can't always get cooler. As someone who's always hot, thanks for bringing stuff to keep you warm so we can keep the cabin temp a little lower since I can't bring stuff to keep me cool.

I hope so too, and the mixers are actually pretty good (I blew my elite kit chits on them over the last couple of weeks), but it's a slippery slope. It is decidedly harder to start giving something away that you used to offer for a fee for than to start charging for amenities you used to provide at no cost. Unfortunately CO's momentum as of late is in the latter direction.

Absolutely. Keep the cabins cool... I'll hang on to my jacket, there's no room in the closet anyway!

Two days ago had SFO-EWR red eye.
Still had a blanket in Y, but looks that pillows are gone. During day flights blankets are gone (sometimes still available in F).

Actually, I think I'm going to look for a piece of apparel that I saw on Mystery Diagnosis. The poor kid couldn't sweat so they had to outfit him with a cooling vest that you pop in the 'fridge. So if you see a FA wearing a weird looking vest thingy during summer time, that's me.

[QUOTE=CopperSteve;13637443]I am glad the OP started this thread because I've been meaning to ask a question or two on this subject.

I am finishing a travel lull and haven't been on a CO flight since October. Now, I have 8 CO fligts upcoming (type of seat shown in brackets):

EWR-AUA (Y)

NO

EWR-LIM (F)

YES, but no pillow

EWR-SFO (Y)

NO

EWR-MUC (J)

Yes - the BF type and pillow

EWR-IAH-GIG (F/J)

Ditto as above. No pillow to IAH, you will get the BF blanket and pillow to GIG

EWR-YVR (Y)

NO

EWR-BRU (J)

Yes - BF type

EWR-PHX (Y)

NO

Exactly! Even if I'm flying IAH-MEX in August (or anywhere else warm), I'll still have on long sleeves and a sweater or something in my bag. As the Oil Man said, I might look silly, but I won't be grumpy b/c I'm freezing.

This thought has crossed my mind too.

Agree. I always have a cheapie pashmina wrap in my carryon. It never even comes out of the bag unless I'm using it. It's one of the $5 jobs purchased on the streets on NYC and does the job.

Another thing I've found helps is to wear shoes with rubber soles. My feet aren't nearly as cold as if I'm wearing leather-bottom shoes.

meFirst, my sincerest thanks for your response. I've just ordered a travel pillow and blanket. :)

You know folks - my travel bag is already big enough - I don't have room for a friggin pillow. My ex makes fun of me, he flies trAAsh (where they do give out free pillows) and claims I can't pack like a road warrior, what ever. There is just no room for a blanket and pillow in my travel bag. (if anyone has suggestions, being them on. I hate inflatable pillows)

The point is this - people like to be comfortable. And to quote Tony Robbins " people will generally do things that give them pleasure". Sitting next to he door on an almost 6 hour flight freezing is not fun. What is even more unfun is not having any means to keep warm, other than to "keep your feet away from the vent" as the FA who was sitting in front of me suggested. Are you kidding me?

The free food was horrbile anyway - I am glad that is gone. Bring pillows back in first class, and for folks at the back - have the option to buy a blanket and or pillow.

Also I think selling anything in First Class is de classe, this includes premium mixers. I would be so embarased.

I bet the mixers become free once the trial is over. If they dont it will become a terrible sign of the future and you can bet directv goes the same way quickly but, Continental has always valued its premium class so I just dont see them doing it. As for the blankets ATA used to sell a kit with a blow up pillow for I think $5. It was a very nice kit and if I had room I would take it if not I would just buy another kit. In First especially on transcon flights at the very minimum they should give each passenger a pillow and blanket.

^

Is it really that much more expensive? There are only so many domestic F seats. In addition, I personally think that the 737-900 F seats are awful, recline is so minimal.

I do love the Direct TV. I also with GOGO could be available on the transcons, like the competition.

The thing about this reply is that I am starting to agree with Channa :o
Does the management of CO have an 800 number to Phx??

We now get, in Y, no pillows or blankets, pay for your IFE, and soon pay for your food in seats that can only be described as unspacious (sic). I can understand that if you are losing money then you need to do things to stem that. However, as US has shown, you truely can turn your product into a parody of a travel experience. I really do not wish that to happen at CO.

Not only that, but you will make it tougher to actually make money since you will end up with arguably one the weakest Y products, and thus attract the lowest-yield clientele.

No, this was an award ticket, and there was a waitlist for elite upgrades on both flights, so no *G op-ups at all on these.

I originally had a 3-segment route US-US-CO, but changed to a 2-segment US-US route out of convenience when space opened (and with the knowledge/experience that the CO space out of SFO would likely never open to make it an all-CO itin anyway).


Though the numbers say otherwise.

US beat CO in on-time performance in the last four reported quarters, as well as the cumulative last 12 months, according to the DOT.

The only month in the latest report where CO beat US was in Jan. 2010, but when you roll that into the 3 months ending Jan. 2010, US ends up beating out CO for the 3-month period, not to mention the whole year.

This is really true and funny to me...I'm usually hot, while my wife is always freezing so she's learned to bring a sweater with her while flying.

Nothing sucks worse than a hot airplane...especially when the guy next to you has already had a long day.

Just to play devil's advocate, how did CO change to be the same/worse than US? I mean, the only things that changed this year was the elimination of free meals this fall and Extra Legroom...other than that, economy is the same as it was last year. The meal we got was next to nothing.

So... how does this make CO equal or worse to/than US?

No more pillows or blankets in Y (same as US), no pillow in F (worse than US), no more free IFE in Y (same as US), pay for specialty cocktails in F (worse than US). All these happened in the past 12 months, IIRC.

Obviously CO has the DTV (free in F, pay in Y), and glassware and such. But there's not much difference anymore between the two carriers.

Interesting...strangely enough, for some reason, I always kind of saw CO and US as two similar airlines, while UA/DL were similar... AA being kind of the "standout." It seems to me like CO is really going downhill lately. Is DL the only legacy now still giving free snacks (Biscoffs and pretzels) in Y?

CO says they'll still give out pretzels.

But from a value perspective, DL probably offers the most for Y travellers -- snack item with choice, free LiveTV, comp beer/wine on TATL, etc.

Don't forget the WiFi on DL.

Also, there is B6. While they don't provide overseas service, they have plentiful snacks, free LiveTV, free first checked bag (which DL doesn't have for non-elites or those not flying F), and at least 32" seat pitch on their E-190, with a minimum of 34" on their A-320, with 38" in the EML's seats.

Usually CO planes are way too hot for me..im almost sweating half the time..I never needed a blanket..and whats with ERJ planes?..they are almost always hot..@:-)

As a recent, new-to-CO flier who used to fly mainly DL, I am very surprised that CO does not provide pillows in F. I like the pillows on DL because they at least helped provide back and neck support.

Please count my vote as also being in favor of keeping cabins cool.