I'll be traveling SIN-YYZ in a couple of weeks and taking CO for the first time. Managed to get a cheap fare in coach (approx US1200 after taxes for a 1-year return), but not without severe restrictions of course. I’ll be changing planes in NRT and IAH. SIN-NRT operated by NW; NRT-IAH and IAH-YYZ operated by CO. I have some questions to regular CO travellers, particularly those familiar with the abovementioned sectors:

i) Will my bags be checked all the way to YYZ, or will I have to retrieve them in IAH for customs clearance before they are checked in again to YYZ?

ii) NRT-IAH is on a 777. CO’s website says that rows 17-23 are retrofitted with PC power. Can anyone confirm this, as well as if the crew will provide universal adapters?

iii) How are the meal services on CO? I tend to notice that main course servings on North American airlines are plain embarrassing compared to Asian airlines.

iv) I've read generally positive reviews of CO, but wish to know if there is anything I should look out for?

Thanks for reading.

When you check-in at SIN, have your baggage checked to YYZ. However, when you arrive at IAH you will have to enter the United States, which does mean going through US Immigrations & Customs.

You will have to claim your luggage, but provided it is tagged to YYZ, you will just drop it back off with Continental after exiting the US Customs Hall as the luggage tag will indicate YYZ as your final destination.

Note: The TSA will screen your luggage at IAH. The TSA discourages the locking of luggage unless you use a TSA Approved lock (which sadly still get cut-off at times).

Once through US Customs you will clear security and enter the terminal for your flight to YYZ.

I have flown CO's 777 trans-Atlantic but I can't confirm #2. With respect to meal service, I'd rate CO as average among US carriers based on my trans-Atlantic travel with them.

For North American travel, Continental is the only major carrier who has not eliminated free meals or snacks. Other carriers have initiated buy on board type programs.

In closing, I'd rate Continental at the top among US legacy carriers. Based on the competition among other US carriers, you've made a good decision. Your NWA flight out of SIN should be good as they are using the A330-200 on this route with AVOD.

SDF_Traveler

CO's 777 has EMPOWER-type power ports. But keep in mind that Rows 16-23 (i.e. Row 16 + all the EMPOWER rows) can only be reserved by Elite FF members.

Here's the coach menu for my last CO6 flight NRT-IAH (Jan, 2005):

Dinner: Sirlion Steak or Steam White Fish (the fish comes with black bean sauce and rice - somewhat Asian style)

Breakfast: Cheese Ravioli or Omelette

The most Japanese part of coach food on this flight is the midnight snack. Cup noodles and sandwich or Japanese rice ball.

Now, if you're flying BusinessFirst, then it's a different story. They have a very nice Japanese menu.

I've done this before while on transit in ORD. Had to collect bags for customs clearance before tossing them onto a belt to route them to my connecting flight. Interesting that this practice is called "entering the US", because one is really only on transit.

The last time I flew through the US, I found upon returning home that the lock on my luggage had been ripped open. They even left a note inside apologising for the inconvenience and saying that this was a security measure. This was just stupid I though. It's a new low in relationships between individuals and oppressive state institutions where air travel is concerned: deliberately damaging one's property, then apologising for it by invoking cheap-... rhetoric on security.

I'm curious what you mean by legacy carriers. By the way, I chose CO because the deal on offer was sweet. NW nearly matched it, but would have cost at least US200-400 more.

I'm looking forward to it. Is AVOD offered in coach?

That's the whole point. There is no such thing as transit in the U.S.

I managed to get seats in the PC rows on all sectors (including NW). If what you're saying is true, then I hadn't realised I was an Elite FF member. I was told the same thing you said and was asked if I was holding on to other FF memberships. I quoted my Flying Blue number and they promptly gave me my requested seats. I'm still confused now: does being a Flying Blue member with over 40,000 miles make me an Elite FF member?

CO actually gives out menus I assume, which probably means they aren't into cost-cutting tactics. The spread you had sounds decent enough, but then again I'm not that fussy. Am looking forward to it.

1. You can get the "elite seats" only if you're an elite on Flying Blue, or other other Skyteam airlines' FF programs. You may be lucky this time. Elite status differ from airline to airline, but most require 25,000 EQM ("elite qualifying miles") in the previous calender year. Maybe you are one, maybe not.

2. CO has menus on their non-stop trans-Pacific flights from the US to NRT, PEK and HKG. Not on trans-Atlantic ones or domestics.

3. "Legacy airlines" in the US mean those that are not the new low-cost low-fare ones. AA, US, DL, NW, CO and USAir are considered "legacy".

4. AVOD on NW's 330 are provided in all seats.

Others have already been answered, so I'll take a stab at these two.

iii) How are the meal services on CO? I tend to notice that main course servings on North American airlines are plain embarrassing compared to Asian airlines.

Probably not as good as Asian carriers, but the CO transPacific food was better than NW's. May not get anything on IAH-YYZ unless you are flying at "mealtime." It's an inside joke with regard to pre flight video.

iv) I've read generally positive reviews of CO, but wish to know if there is anything I should look out for?

Ya, watch out for Barbie's Dream Jet, believe there's only one 737 a day between IAH and YYZ.

Also, regarding the locks on luggage. Homeland Security allows them to break the locks, so if you don't want damage done to yours, don't lock it. One of the reasons why Iberia and other European carriers are bypassing MIA on their Latin American routes.

Inflight entertainment on CO over Atlantic consists of three or so movies and some TV shows, believe they're big on CSI. These run at the same time, and repeat every two and a half hours IIRC (it may be less), so if you start watching a movie and don't like it, well

Oh, and no free adult beverages on CO unless you are up front, even across the Pacific.

EmailKid

The United States does not have "sterile" in-transit areas for international connections. When you change planes at NRT, you will just clear security and go to your next gate; you don't actually have to enter the country of Japan.

In the United States, even though you are "in-transit" for the purpose of your trip to Canada, it's necessary for you to enter the United States by going through US Customs & Immigrations. You are in the country just like any other visitor, you have the rights guaranteed by the US Constitution, and if you had time, you could leave the airport and go see some sights in Chicago or Houston. Nothing is stopping you from walking out of the airport.

Yup, that is the TSA. There are special TSA approved locks you can purchase (try www.brookstone.com) where the TSA has the ability to open your lock without cutting it off.

A legacy carrier is one of the traditional Hub & Spoke full service airlines in the United States. These would be Continental, American, Northwest, United, Delta, and US Airways. We have many upstart "budget" carriers here now such as Southwest, JetBlue, etc., which fly domestic on a point to point basis vs the hub and spoke.

Yes, AVOD (Audio / Video On Demand) is offered in coach on Northwest Airlines. Continental has a nice system too, but not AVOD; it recycles every 2.75 hours. NWA does offer free alcoholic drinks, but Continental does not.

Have a great trip!

SDF_Traveler

P.S. Are you returning the same route? If you are, you will clear US Immigrations and Customs in Toronto. There are many trans-border flights from major Canadian cities like YYZ; US Immigrations and Customs is setup there, so when the flight from Toronto arrives in Houston, it'll arrive like a domestic US flight where you deplane and connect to your next flight. If you have gone from Toronto to Chicago in the past, you've experienced it.

There is indeed power 95% of the time it works properly. They do no provide adaptor, you must being your own EmPower adaptor, which you can buy at the Sharper Image for 39.99 USD or from the Continental Duty Free.

-Vincent

While not entirely relevant, I do believe that NZ has a sterile transit area for AKL-LAX-LHR at LAX T2. This may be unique.

Similar stuff for CX's HKG-ANC-YYZ. Difference is ANC is purely a technical stop. No passenger gets on or off.

A couple of notes about the coach seats on Continental. Apart from the exit rows and a couple of the bulkheads, you will have 31" of seat pitch.

All the other airlines flying over the Pacific will provide you a minimum of 32" of leg room, while Singapore's Executive Economy has 37"

NW has seat pitch mostly at 32" but also some 34" depending on the seat.

That one inch of legroom may not seem like a big deal (and it won't be if you are not tall). But for anyone of a medium height or above, the lack of leg room on the 12 hour flight will be uncomfortable indeed.

Also, please note that the way CO installs its IFE is with a big box on the floor that will take up about a third of your space under the seat in front of you. On CO's 777 I believe these seats are under each window seat.

You mentioned that you are a FlyingBlue member. If you have primarily flown AF then they have 32" on their int'l routes, but if you have primarily flown KL, they also have 31" as does CO, and thus the tight squeeze shouldn't come as a shock.

Finally there is CO's actual seat. While seat types are a matter of individual taste, I find CO's thin seat rock-hard and the way it is designed it does not support my lower back. After a few hours, my legs are numb.

And, as a result of CO aggressive pricing approach, you will find that many flights are completely full. A coach seat may not be comfortable, but it's bearable if there is a little space around you. If your whole row is full, and the entire cabin is full, it just makes this kind of long flight painfully wretched.

Finally, a word about the need to clear customs at the entry point into the U.S. Technially this is not a TSA/Customs issue, it just boils down to the fact that U.S.airlines have not designed their international/domestic connections to service passengers arriving from international destinations.

In many other countries, passport control is a standard part of the boarding process so that the entire terminal area is "sterile." But with the vast majority of passengers in the U.S. flying only domestically this would not be feasible.

It is definitely a TSA/INS/whatever-government-agency issue. At the 'DO this year, Smisek said explicitly that IAH Terminal E is designed for sterile transit. If they're allowed to do sterile transit, they'll immediately add lots of IAH-Europe routes to funnel Latin-American passengers.

US Government policies are hurting US airlines big time. Many European airlines transferred their routes from Miami to Europe-Latin America non-stop. Others fly through Canada. CO and other US-based airlines just cannot compete.