I always fly with my own IFE (laptop, iPod, etc), but I don't really understand why continental can't provide anything better than it does. Many (most?) domestic airlines provide seat-back screens with either live TV or movies or whatever. And even if you accept that CO can't provide anything better than those drop-down screens, there's no reason why they shouldn't play a movie that might be interesting to someone over the age of 5. I seem to remember that a year or so ago they used to occasionally play decent movies. Now though it's all "A Bee's Life," or whatever.

Bringing your own IFE is a great idea except, of course, that most grown ups can't quite wedge themselves with an open laptop into the generous space CO provides in its coach cabin...also since most CO a/c flying domestically don't have in-seat power, any passenger flying EWR-ABQ would have to bring enough additional batteries to power a mid-size town...

Of course, soon enough we can all cut out our whingeing since all CO domestic flights will feature jetBlue-provided LiveTV for the modest sum of $6 a pop...or you could just fly jetBlue and get it for free (and up to 7 more inches of leg room, too).

Enchanted did win a Grammy or two. Most releases these days are crap, CO still has to play them.

and up to 7 more inches of leg room, too).

Yup, as long as you are willing to pay extra for it :o . Sorry TWA Fan, I just needed to gig you a little on this ;)

You are right!

Now, let's see. I can either fly on CO on an H fare EWR-LAX for about $800 rt with 0% possibility of an upgrade if I am gold or silver and about 1-2% possibility of upgrade if I am platinum. And then, once DirectTV becomes available, pay an additional $6 each way for IFE. All in 31" seat pitch.

Or I can buy a $289 rt on jetBlue, and sit in already much more spacious 34" seat pitch with free DirectTV or spend an extra $20 each way for 38" seat pitch.

$812 for 31" seat pitch and IFE on CO, or $329 for 38" seat pitch and the same IFE on B6.

That's a pretty tough choice...;)

I believe that you are grossly misrepresting the fare differences. Even the sale fares on B6 these days are $299 r/t, and there's no need to buy an H fare on CO unless it is last minute, at which point the B6 fares are not going to be the sale fares.

The rest of your argument is sound, and I agree that more pitch for less money is arbitrarially better. If the cost difference was $10 I might fly CO since I value the miles more (and I seem to fit in the seats OK enough), but there is certainly somewhere along the scale that it stops making sense. There is also the issue of flight schedules and which is more convenient that plays into it.

Of course, you can buy a CO fare for the same or less as the least expensive ticket on B6.

My point, was that all OP frequent flyers play the upgrade game and that's why they would go out of their way to buy a more expensive coach fare in the hope of the upgrade...which often doesn't come through anyway.

In other words, you can spend big money on an H fare on CO and very likely end up in coach in 31" seat pitch anyway, or pay $10-20 more on B6 and get one of the 38" seats guaranteed.

And the same IFE at no additional charge.

Most of us know this now and don't bother to play the game that way. I believe that the number of people buying H and not Y for the hope of the upgrade, particularly on advance purchase fares, is very, very, very small.

I agree that B6 offers a more comfortable flight, but the prices are not as skewed as you presented them to be.

I would fly Jetblue if they flew from EWR to places other than Florida, you know, like a real airline.

Getting from Jersey City to JFK has takenme as much as 3 hours, where it takes me 20 minutes to get to EWR.

If you think it is hard from Jersy City, try Cleveland!

Very possible. On the other hand it is true that for an equivalent cost of ticket, B6 provides a far better value.

And it is interesting that for 6 bucks you will be able get IFE on CO but for 10-20 bucks you will get a seat pitch on B6 that is the same as CO's domestic FC.

For those of you who have no choice but CO because of geography, I understand why you fly CO.

But it's not necessarily better, it's simply because you have little or no choice at your home airport.

For those who have a choice, I simply can't see why anyone would think flying CO coach is anywhere close as good a value as B6 (and a number of other airlines).

But "value" will always be in the eye of the beholder and this will not always play out with a B6 v CO analogy, especially at the higher spectrum of fares.

For example B6 and CO have the following fares one-way fares for NYC-->SEA in May:Disregarding network scope and FF redemption options (which I think is fair here), if you're going after the cheapest flight and best in-flight experience, than B6's your option. However, if you're committed to buying a refundable/flexible fare than CO offering becomes competitive based solely on in-flight experience as Y will someone into F for only $113+ more than B6. If you hold elite status with CO, than the pull becomes all the more powerful.

But you're forgetting that for $149 + $20 you can get a guaranteed seat with 38" seat pitch.

I realize this is not exactly CO FC (still 3 abreast and no fancy-schmancy meal service), but for $169 OW you just got yourself a guaranteed seat with the same seat pitch as CO domestic FC.

That is a kind of value that no CO coach ticket even comes close to.