I would add YVR to the list as that is also transcon. It definitey sucks as this was the one thing that differentiated CO from it's competitors. Additionally, while they are trying to make SFO/LAX look like a better service, they aren't adding any F seats which still makes the product hard to get for most, even the ones paying.

Why CO continues to take away the few things that differentiate it are beyond me. LAX/SFO are the markets where they are behind the eight ball with all the heavy competition. The secondary markets is where they are the leader.

The most disturbing is SNA, as the high-rev load on that is substantial given the local clientele.

I forgot about the seasonal service.

If they switch to all 739ERs they'll all have 20 F seats, which is the most that CO can offer with the current fleet makeup (not enough 753s or wide-bodies to operate the routes). The real question is whether CO would be better off competing with all 752s and fewer but better seats or with the 20F in domestic config. They clearly aren't competing with UA/AA on seats in the LAX/SFO market, so they can put more seats and keep the food choices and the sundaes there. And in the other markets there are very few competitors, so does it really matter that they are cutting the food service a bit?

SEA has 4x daily on CO to NYC. DL has 3x, B6 has 1.5x (redeye only 3 nights/week) and AA/AS combine for 3x daily.

PDX has 2x daily on CO while B6 and DL each have one.

SNA has 3x on CO (except Saturdays) and they are the only non-stop game in town.

SAN has 3x on CO, as does B6. DL and AA each have only one.

CO basically has no competition on the routes so there is no need to keep up the service levels.

So to SEA PDX and SAN someone give me good reasons why I shouldn't consider Delta nonstop scheduling aside -- with the better in flight entertainment and probably better meal / beverage options.

Sad to see Continental killing what sets it apart. :td:

But then people must be paying. For my Thanksgiving flights home it appears cheaper to buy a ticket in first on Delta than fly coach on Continental.

:D

I got a chuckle out that.

Forgive my ignorance, but I only ever fly SFO-EWR (domestically anyway) on CO, and despite racking up enough EQMs this year to be Platinum twice over, I don't know what the difference in service is between a transcon and a non-transcon. Does it impact coach passengers or only first? Is it all about the ice cream?

As far as I can tell it's four meal choices for transcon vs. two for others. I suspect the crab and shrimp app and separate salad course are unique to the transcon as well. I also suspect the same crappy F wines (which the FA's usually refer to as "some red and some white") are served on all flights.

As to why CO would do this, it seems clear that it is because there is no need to offer more than two choices because the competition doesn't offer anything more. Further comoditization of the CO product, I suppose. Also, given that CO has the worst coach product in the U.S., this just means there is even less of a reason for coach flyers to suffer through CO's coach product in hopes of scoring an occasional upgrade.

Even CO's typical non-transcon F catering is significantly better than what DL offers, IMHO. But of course big :td: to CO if this is true. I will send them copies of all my DL tickets for those times I choose DL over CO because of schedule convenience.

Do you really find that DL has better schedules to these destinations? The only destination where they come close to competing is SEA, and the times of the flights are pretty much the same (except the 12:30pm departure on DL). Beyond that CO has more frequencies on all the routes.

Another negative change. :td: When was the last time CO actually made a positive change (a truly positive change, not an enhancement)?

pda.continental.com

I agree... improvements in IT functionality are nice, but they don't make up for an overall decline in quality, IMO.

CO has made some tangible improvements to its inflight product in the way of AVOD, LiveTV, new BF, etc., but the quality of the product has definitely gone down (fees, fees, fees, benefit cuts, service reductions, etc.)

Hope this ill-advised move gets shot down with oil slumping. What are they going to blame it on now? CO's yield saw significant improvement in the last quarter, and market rate for fuel is 49% of what it was just 3 months ago.

Why the continuing cuts? This trend toward mediocrity is very, very alarming...

Get used to it, as mediocrity seems to be all the future entry into Star is bringing us.

I wouldn't hold out any hope for reduced reward redemption rates to "align" with UA, either.

Some have been made (AVOD in BF) but the others are all pending. While I have no expectation that CO will not follow through on the LiveTV or the new BF seat, giving them credit for it now seems a bit premature.

And what does this mean?
 

So does this mean that transcon service (modified BF meals) is being replaced with standard FC meal service? I'm not sure I understand what all the fuss is about. Is it the sundae?

Yes.

Only two meal choices instead of four. No separate appetizer course. No sundae.