Smaller First Classes
 

I have been flying a lot of EWR-BOS lately and noticed that all of the FC is now 6 seats, no more 10's. I thought it was fine for short flights but I noticed that on my flight to DFW from EWR on Sunday and return on Tuesday it is the same, 6 seats. There is one available. How does anyone get upgrades anymore?

This is the 735, and there are lots of discussion on this. CO spun the FC reduction as not a big deal, since the 735 primarily serves shorter routes.

But you're right. Not only do we see it on EWR-DFW (1,382 miles), we also see it on:

EWR-IAH = 1,414 miles
IAH-DCA = 1,208
IAH-SNA = 1,346
IAH-SFO = 1,635 miles (4 hours!!)

Many of these are also heavy business routes which sell the F seats. And while nobody really cares about F on DFW-IAH, BOS-EWR, or DCA-EWR, I wonder if they're shooting themselves in the foot with some of these longer routes.

I was on a 735 two days ago and chuckled when the recording used to prepare the cabin for landing included "...return your foot rests and video monitors to their original position..."

not that its much, but in the next few months this aircraft will go from 6 to 8 seats.

i actually like the quaintness of small FC cabins, but the 735 just feels really akward to me. do not like it.

Lest we forget IAH-BDL = 1,507 :mad:

I was actually thinking.....what if CO pulled the closet and dropped the EF seats in and see how that does BEFORE deciding to take out the last row of F? Then they could put out a press release "Continental adds 20% more capacity on its 737-500's".

What are they going to do, remove the clothing closet?

Moving it or making it smaller. The 735 is going from 10 to 6 to 8 in F.

AA's MD80's are removing the coat closet & adding more F seats. The bulkhead has a hook for hangars/ coats.

It works, not the most visually appealing but, its more F seats!

Channa:

Don't forget the EWR-ATL route. I really don't understand how that qualifies as a "leisure route" since I see the same business travellers on the flight every time I fly it!

I think HP did/does this -- haven't flown them since their CO-alliance went kaput.

But they're also squeezing them in. I think pitch on the port side is down to 36-37".

IAH-YYC - 1747 miles.

There was a post on a.net that CO was also changing the galley to make space with the trade off being that it would become cold (as in no hot meals). IIRC, the 727s for sometime operated as such - I'm just not old enough to remember that far back ;)

Damage to CO Reputation
 

Elite upgrade annoyance aside, I think the reduced first class cabin is harming the equity of premium service that CO has/had.

When I'm sitting in F in these 737's, you hear endless comments from passengers as they board in disbelief of the tiny cabin. "CO must be having problems", "ohh this must be part of their cutbacks because they're going broke", "the cabin is gone, so I guess meals are going next", "no need to save miles for a 1st class ticket on this carrier", "now I see why they give away elite upgrades, there's not much to this cabin", "I would never ever pay for a first class ticket anywhere this airline flies if the cabins are this tiny" are the types of remarks you hear from passengers heading to the back.

Whether what they're saying is true or not, the fact that they leave the CO flight with an impression that's more negative when they first board must have a long-term bad impact for CO.

To tell the truth, I personally feel that EVEN on the short routes, ie: EWR-BOS, when they are charging $570 for a RT THEY SHOULD HAVE LARGER 1st Class. That is an exorbitant price for a 1/2 hr flight that NORMALLY turns into an hour or more on the tarmac at BOS. Last week it was a 4.5 hr flight. Good thing I had a 1st class seat.

the 753 re-fit which was billed as being immutably permanent was changed back to something more sensible. Hopefully they will get the point here as well.

Perhaps when they take out the galley, they will add back the third row, for 12 seats :)

Interesting. As far as I know, none of the 735s have video monitors or recordings used for the safety demo, the FAs basically do it.

They didn't market this F reduction as "leisure route" specific. If anything, the 735 has a high CASM so it would be a business market airplane. They spun this one as "short routes."

When they cut the 753's F seats, they spun that as "leisure routes." Then we started seeing that bird on EWR-LAX and such. I don't know how much more of a business route you can get than EWR-LAX.

At least they're fixing the 753 issue. Hopefully they'll do the same with the 735. I was always of the mindset they should have added F to the plane to go from 104 down to 100, then cut a FA for guaranteed savings.

they do not, but for some reason (it seems to have something to do with the re-fit of FC, becuase i have heard it on those AC), the plane now has that recording that the more modern planes have, when the seat belt sign goes on and when its time to land.

not sure why??

500's have always had the pre-recorded announcement machine (PRAM). It's the beige box with buttons on the wall to your left when go enter. It isn't set up for the demo (it changes too often), however, it will do most of the other announcements. It's the FA's option whether to use it or not. Most don't for some reason. Technologically intimidated I guess.

Too true and well summed-up.

Have you seen what the some other 70% of the people on these flights are? Definately not "business" travelers... 'sides the World of Coca Cola draws sooo many people there from around ther world... (of course it's leisure).

Although since Continental runs these flights to (ex EWR and IAH) ATL, BOS, CHI, and WAS hourly (almost) and in shuttle type manner, it does make some sense they are using the 735s. It allows them to offer thr frequency AND fill the planes.

They are eventually moving to 8 seats in FC though from the 6...


-Vincent

The other problem w/the NEW, ENHANCED SMALLER first class is that the two FULL overhead bins over row 2 have doors that DON'T OPEN ALL OF THE WAY, so you have to go further into coach to place your bags if they have a little more thickness to them. Why can't they all open the same?

Because F is at the pointy end of the aircraft.

Actually, I believe it is a result of a poorly designed cabin divider that restricts ability of the door to swing up to full range.

Exactly!

-Vincent

Flew into ATL first time ever last week and I know what you mean!

No offense to anyone, but sometines i feel like those ATL flights are like an Airline episode waiting to happen.

-Vincent

I've not investigated this completely, but I've found the bins at the front, on the curve of the aircraft, to always be a little shorter than ones farther back. Was I missing something? I've not been on a 6 seat F 737-500.

No offense on my end either. It's the result of stupidfares.

This is only on the 6 seat F 735. The overhead bin is restricted by the new fangled bulkhead and does not allow space for most rollaboards.

So I take it this means they got the spacing right with the 8 seat 735 and the cabin seperator is placed correct?

-Vincent

I really do not think so as I believe the additional seats are going in front of the current ones. Let's hope I am wrong!

ICK I think you are right...

-Vincent

Actually, the reason the bins don't open all the way is because the ceiling is lower at the front of the cabin. There is a ceiling compartment (I believe for a life raft, that's not equipped) that makes it lower. It's pretty obvious to see if you look for it. Another thing that causes this is the curtain track that the bin hits when it opens. But hey, it's never stopped people from pushing so hard on their oversized bags that it makes the fiberglass crackle.