Good point, on several random dates in May, I'm seeing 4+ seats available in the F bucket on just about every flight CLE-LAX, which would be of comparable length to a DTW/MSP-LAX run.

A colleague of mine who often travels out to LA (Silver, rarely gets the EUA on EWR transcons) has found a good solution: He takes the 2:35 733 to CLE (325), and connects to the 757 (BF) to LAX leaving at 5:30 or so. He has cleared on 3 out of 4 trips on both flights, not including 2 trips where he used 10k for upgrades.

Northwest does not operate any true transcons, especially when you consider the excellent FC service on the CO flights. When you can get a flight with the BF seats, the experience is very similar to a real BusinessFirst flight, minus a few minor details. As far as I know, there are no domestic NW flights where the level of service is nearly equal to that of WBC, as CO's transcons are to BF.

As such, I still maintain my position that the inflight product of Continental is superior to that of Northwest.

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Dave

Well... I call them trans-cons, since its a flight 4+ hours, which would be DTW-West Coast, MEM-West Coast.

heh. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Then my DEN-NYC flights fall in the same category. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

You're mixing a few apples, oranges, and maybe a couple of pears. Entropy could probably get F seats connecting through IAH or CLE (don't know the exact dates, but IAH,CLE->SFO are showing F seats when EWR->SFO isn't). In this instance CO's F availability seems equivalent to your experience on NW.

It's the true transcons that are the problem, and NW doesn't offer those. I earned my CO status mostly on A fares EWR->SEA,PDX,SFO, and can tell you that FC on those routes is in a completely different class than anything NW runs in the lower 48, particularly on the BF A/C.

There *is* a little availability SOME days via IAH. But then we're back to the domestic F, and most of those flights are usually even fresh baked cookieless.

I'd consider CLE-west coast to be Xcon as well, but they don't.
CO considers(at least based on the nice little menus that they give out on those flights) EWR-SEA/PDX/SFO/OAK/SNA/LAX/SJC/SAN
to be their "transcons".. Actually, I wonder if they had EWR-ANC if that would be considered transcon, I should certainly hope so.

Entropy is flying BOS-EWR-LAX-CLE-BOS at the end of may, booked about a month ago. No problem getting F space. Both of the long flights in that trip are 752BF.

outbound, I would like the EWR-SFO on a BF configured plane. on the way back, I was actually thinking about doing something a little different, they have a 762 that goes to IAH. now, normally I would not consider the connection, BUT, as I fly domestic... I have never flown on a CO big tube, so I wanted to try it.

I heard the EWR-ANC flight is very good, service-wise, in FC, quite comparable to EWR/IAH-HNL, minus the BF seats and higher-quality menu stock. The flight runs with a pretty crappy 757 Domestic, but I heard from a CO agent that the 737-700 has the range to do that flight and may do so, perhaps year-round, in the near future. Count your blessings...

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Dave

By the way, CO defines transcons as "coast-to-coast flights" and last time I checked, CLE wasn't near any oceans!. The only real transcons are ex-EWR.

Also, just booked a May EWR-TUS trip with my first ride in an ERJ in some time, hopefully an XR for this long haul. I've heard nothing but (comparatively) rave reviews for this new Jungle Jet, so I figured I had to see what the fuss was all about. No meal service scheduled, so maybe I'll sneak a burrito or two on, what do you think?

Just in case it's unbearable, I blew 10k to secure myself a BF seat on 50 back to EWR (762). I figure, I nail the EUA on EWR-IAH (764), and more than likely on the 735 over to TUS, then it won't feel quite so bad dealing with 2 or so hours on an XR (with any luck).


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Dave