Continental Airlines Reviews | Opinions of Continental Airlines shared by travelers

The bad experience began at the check-in counter. As in all airports these days, you have to check in with a machine. Not being a frequent flyer, I printed the boarding pass, checked in my luggage and headed for security. TSA would not let me in because the boarding pass (after standing in line for 10 minutes) was not totally legible. (Bad printer) Back to the nearest terminal to print a replacement boarding pass. Made it through the TSA check and was told they didn't have to smile. Now I am on my way to the gate when I notice that the gate number doesn't match the one on my original boarding pass. Go the the gate that is closest and find that it is the correct one that I am to board from.(First good thing to happen).

Once on the airplane, a 757 with seats on each side of an aisle that allows passengers walking down the aisle to beat you about the head and shoulders with protruding elbows and butts. The seats have a hard spot in them right where lumbar support would normally be. Not comfortable at all on a 5 hour flight. They provide free movies on the trip cross country. However while watching the movie, the pilot and flight attendants take turns screaming things into your headphone at such a loud volume that you have to pull the headphone off to protect your hearing. (I personally don't care what the weather is, what we are flying over, or whether or not the captain has turned on the seat belt sign on. I can hear the bong and see the little seat belt symbol. Personally, I thought we were supposed to keep the thing on the whole flight except when you line up for the loo).

On the plus side, the aircraft was clean and on-time. Customer service is non-existent now days. As a matter of fact, at the airport, I overheard one person behind the counter in Newark tell a customer that he was not there to help him and he was to use the boarding pass terminal himself. The video system is good, the movies were good, food was extra cost, checked in luggage was $50.00, no amenities. I would suggest that if the airline is going to put the seats so close together, they should limit the amount that the seats recline so I don't have to fly for 5 hours with some person's head in my lap. For only $59 more(each), my wife and I could purchase seats with more legroom.

I am really surprised that the airlines are still in business. Oh that's right. There is no real alternative like high speed rail as in Japan and Europe.

No wonder people are frazzled and combative on flights these days. The experience is horrible.