Will Continental Become United Or Vice Versa...Song of the South
Feb 6, 2011, 8:51 am
#31
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And this thread wasted no time going sideways. Was fun while it lasted.
Feb 6, 2011, 1:08 pm
#32
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Are you serious? 
Look, this merger offers CO flyers
E+, international 3 class, p.s. service, CR1s, more SWUs, channel 9, etc etc.
I don't even mention free drinks in F, pillow, a new sets of Asia routes, F awards to Asia, Europe and Aussi (does CO release any BF awards to HKG?).
What do UA flyers get? Maybe few more flights to South America?
I am not impressed with 31" pitch crappy Y seats on CO planes. Nor am I impressed by the difficulty of EUA, or that CO phones hang up on you whenever there is a snow and ask you to wait 45 min.
Even though CO has a globe on the plane, don't think most people in the world consider it a global airline. It basically a glorified regional carrier serving S.E. USA and S. USA and NYC/IAH/CLE well.
UA has its own issues. But among the 2 airlines, CO is the one with low level, all things considered.
Look, this merger offers CO flyers
E+, international 3 class, p.s. service, CR1s, more SWUs, channel 9, etc etc.
I don't even mention free drinks in F, pillow, a new sets of Asia routes, F awards to Asia, Europe and Aussi (does CO release any BF awards to HKG?).
What do UA flyers get? Maybe few more flights to South America?
I am not impressed with 31" pitch crappy Y seats on CO planes. Nor am I impressed by the difficulty of EUA, or that CO phones hang up on you whenever there is a snow and ask you to wait 45 min.
Even though CO has a globe on the plane, don't think most people in the world consider it a global airline. It basically a glorified regional carrier serving S.E. USA and S. USA and NYC/IAH/CLE well.
UA has its own issues. But among the 2 airlines, CO is the one with low level, all things considered.
. FWIW - when CO was a Delta partner - you could almost always get better reward flights on the CO website on Delta than on CO. The reward flights were also a lot better than what you could get on the Delta website . Note that I once got a BF Saver Pass ticket on CO to Tokyo - but I think Tokyo is an easier reward than Hong Kong.FWIW - over the years - I found that the problem with international rewards was - in many cases - the capacity control on the flight from JAX to the international gateway. So - on at least several occasions - I booked the reward travel from the international gateway - and paid for the ticket to the gateway.
And I think with the merger - CO flyers will probably get more access to the midwest - and UA flyers more access to the south. If this weren't the case - the merger wouldn't make much sense IMO. Robyn
Feb 6, 2011, 1:35 pm
#33
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In fairness - a lot of these flights are to smaller destinations. Last ones I took like that if I recall correctly were to Berlin and home from Cologne (and I'm pretty sure they were CO reward tickets on Delta flights - or maybe it was CO to Berlin and Delta home from Cologne). In any event - I took a quick look today - and the UA service to Berlin is a Continental code share - on a 757. So I think it's fair to say that - usually - the smaller your destination - the less grand your equipment will be - no matter what airline you fly on. Robyn
Feb 6, 2011, 2:13 pm
#34
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Wow dude. Come on, alienate large quantities of people? World's most important city? I hope you were being a bit sarcastic. I hate it when people have that view. The midwest is the backbone of the country - I know of an example where 5 Chinese businessmen invested .5mm each on a building project in downtown CLE just so they could get residency and move their families to a higher quality of life (their words, sick of the cities). The middle class is what builds a nation, and supports. As for NY, IMO, has an impression of a bunch of wannabes ringing up credit cards and spending what debt they can continue to accrue (well, midwest does it in similar fashion). Sorry, but Asia is where the money has moved and where the real action is. I received a 20% cost of living increase when moving to Singapore, from NY. That's how cheap NY is, comparatively, to real global cities. Capital flows, investment returns, falling dollar, unemployment numbers, etc etc.
I think the problem is that, Americans have, in general, come to be complacent with a substandard product that both CO and UA offer. Compare it to any other global carrier, and it doesn't come close. I enjoy flying them because I know my money is supporting an American product. When flying for business I get put on SQ, EK (africa routes), BA, LH, etc... but each time I feel guilty because it is one more $ not spent on the American economy.
Apologies if I sound rude, but I think a response was warranted.
I think the problem is that, Americans have, in general, come to be complacent with a substandard product that both CO and UA offer. Compare it to any other global carrier, and it doesn't come close. I enjoy flying them because I know my money is supporting an American product. When flying for business I get put on SQ, EK (africa routes), BA, LH, etc... but each time I feel guilty because it is one more $ not spent on the American economy.
Apologies if I sound rude, but I think a response was warranted.
. And although I think that NYC and Chicago are both nice places to visit (and convenient for me to get to as well) - I agree with your POV about Asia. My favorite city in the world (so far) is Tokyo. Talk about service. Japan is the land of great service - for everyone - and it is very middle class or higher. I reckon there is a lot of great service for people with money in poor countries - but I'm trying to compare apples with apples. I think you nailed it when you said that people in the US have become used to substandard service - not only when it comes to airlines - but when it comes to many other things as well.
And our next international trip will almost certainly be to Asia - probably next year if my husband and I both feel up to it - because I agree that's where the action is these days. Probably wouldn't fly CO or UA or Delta. I've got my heart set on that RTW first class ticket on Singapore airlines (relatively inexpensive because it doesn't really go all the way RTW.
And also FWIW - I think a lot of the south is the "Asia" of the United States these days. Seven of the 10 busiest ports in the US are in the south (8 if you think Kentucky is in the south). New York (third) and Long Beach (fifth) are the only two definitely outside the south. Where I live - JAX is the newest port in the US - and the second largest port in the US in terms of handling cars. Of course - almost all US ports are small potatoes when compared to many in Asia. Robyn
Feb 7, 2011, 6:21 am
#35
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Well I didn't know that Newark NJ is the world's most important city .
And although I think that NYC and Chicago are both nice places to visit (and convenient for me to get to as well) - I agree with your POV about Asia. My favorite city in the world (so far) is Tokyo. Talk about service. Japan is the land of great service - for everyone - and it is very middle class or higher. I reckon there is a lot of great service for people with money in poor countries - but I'm trying to compare apples with apples. I think you nailed it when you said that people in the US have become used to substandard service - not only when it comes to airlines - but when it comes to many other things as well.
And our next international trip will almost certainly be to Asia - probably next year if my husband and I both feel up to it - because I agree that's where the action is these days. Probably wouldn't fly CO or UA or Delta. I've got my heart set on that RTW first class ticket on Singapore airlines (relatively inexpensive because it doesn't really go all the way RTW.
And also FWIW - I think a lot of the south is the "Asia" of the United States these days. Seven of the 10 busiest ports in the US are in the south (8 if you think Kentucky is in the south). New York (third) and Long Beach (fifth) are the only two definitely outside the south. Where I live - JAX is the newest port in the US - and the second largest port in the US in terms of handling cars. Of course - almost all US ports are small potatoes when compared to many in Asia. Robyn
. And although I think that NYC and Chicago are both nice places to visit (and convenient for me to get to as well) - I agree with your POV about Asia. My favorite city in the world (so far) is Tokyo. Talk about service. Japan is the land of great service - for everyone - and it is very middle class or higher. I reckon there is a lot of great service for people with money in poor countries - but I'm trying to compare apples with apples. I think you nailed it when you said that people in the US have become used to substandard service - not only when it comes to airlines - but when it comes to many other things as well.
And our next international trip will almost certainly be to Asia - probably next year if my husband and I both feel up to it - because I agree that's where the action is these days. Probably wouldn't fly CO or UA or Delta. I've got my heart set on that RTW first class ticket on Singapore airlines (relatively inexpensive because it doesn't really go all the way RTW.
And also FWIW - I think a lot of the south is the "Asia" of the United States these days. Seven of the 10 busiest ports in the US are in the south (8 if you think Kentucky is in the south). New York (third) and Long Beach (fifth) are the only two definitely outside the south. Where I live - JAX is the newest port in the US - and the second largest port in the US in terms of handling cars. Of course - almost all US ports are small potatoes when compared to many in Asia. Robyn
Good points (especially on the service - it's amazing in countries that don't normally tip - the standard of service that is offered)! I absolutely love Tokyo, a very fun city, and I enjoy the food over most SE Asian dishes. Ports are an interesting concept when comparing to Asia, makes sense to me.
I've only flown business on SQ, so I'm jealous you'll get to first! Have fun on the trip - if you make a stop by Singapore, drop me a PM and I can recommend some nice places to stay and places to eat! Even a good hawker stall in CBD.
Feb 7, 2011, 7:07 am
#36
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Continental is not becoming United, and United is not becoming Continental...a new airline, named UNITED, is being built from the both of them.
The petty back-and-forth over which airline was/is better is silly because 1) neither will exist in its current form in a matter of months as products and processes become standardized across the carriers and 2) both pre-merger CO and pre-merger UA operated with significant market strengths AND glaring system weaknesses that neither could overcome as standalone midsize airlines. Smart minds are focused on what's coming next, and are providing feedback to that end.
That is all.
The petty back-and-forth over which airline was/is better is silly because 1) neither will exist in its current form in a matter of months as products and processes become standardized across the carriers and 2) both pre-merger CO and pre-merger UA operated with significant market strengths AND glaring system weaknesses that neither could overcome as standalone midsize airlines. Smart minds are focused on what's coming next, and are providing feedback to that end.
That is all.
Feb 7, 2011, 12:15 pm
#37
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Continental is not becoming United, and United is not becoming Continental...a new airline, named UNITED, is being built from the both of them.
The petty back-and-forth over which airline was/is better is silly because 1) neither will exist in its current form in a matter of months as products and processes become standardized across the carriers and 2) both pre-merger CO and pre-merger UA operated with significant market strengths AND glaring system weaknesses that neither could overcome as standalone midsize airlines. Smart minds are focused on what's coming next, and are providing feedback to that end.
That is all.
The petty back-and-forth over which airline was/is better is silly because 1) neither will exist in its current form in a matter of months as products and processes become standardized across the carriers and 2) both pre-merger CO and pre-merger UA operated with significant market strengths AND glaring system weaknesses that neither could overcome as standalone midsize airlines. Smart minds are focused on what's coming next, and are providing feedback to that end.
That is all.
Feb 7, 2011, 3:46 pm
#38
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I hate to intrude on private grief, but, as an earlier poster said, the problem is that you have become used to pretty sub-standard service both on the ground (truly dreadful at many hubs I'm afraid) and in the air in the US. The experience in Europe (and even more so in Asia) is far better (although sadly heading the same way with reduced catering and in flight charging)
UA, CO (who, without doubt, are superior to UA in most areas) and the other legacy carriers do not come close to comparing with the best European or Asian carriers for service quality and consistency
I make a notable exception though for Virgin America (and I'm no fan of Virgin Atlantic) who have really tried to be innovative and offer a refeshing change from the big boys....clearly not that useful unless you live in SFO though!!
UA, CO (who, without doubt, are superior to UA in most areas) and the other legacy carriers do not come close to comparing with the best European or Asian carriers for service quality and consistency
I make a notable exception though for Virgin America (and I'm no fan of Virgin Atlantic) who have really tried to be innovative and offer a refeshing change from the big boys....clearly not that useful unless you live in SFO though!!
Feb 7, 2011, 4:01 pm
#39
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CO outshines many of its Asian and European rivals in the BusinessFirst cabin. What CO and other USA legacies have been lacking is the marketing myth machine of the Euro and Asian legacies.
Feb 7, 2011, 4:04 pm
#40
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If marketing myth is an asset, that's certainly an asset CO brings to the table.
Feb 7, 2011, 5:52 pm
#42
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Feb 8, 2011, 3:21 pm
#43
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Feb 9, 2011, 5:15 am
#45
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CO has more flights then any other US airline to the UK, Ireland, India, and Japan. Last time I checked UA doesn't even serve India!
