How to Find the Best and Worst Seats that Continental Brings to the Star Alliance
The United-Continental merger brings a raft of new seats into the Star Alliance, which is mostly good news for those of you who fly one of the alliance carriers because it means a new large inventory of lie-flat beds in Business Class.
Continental has been busy completing its first phase of installing the new lie-flat seat, and the task is 84% completed. The new seats are on Continental’s B777-200 and B757-200 fleets, and the schedule calls for putting them on the entire B767-400 fleet by June 2012. That work will commence at the end of the summer or early fall.
Where to Find Continental’s Best International Business Class Seats
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New Seat Profile
On B757-200s: Flat-bed (180-degree recline), 58-inch seat pitch, 23 inches wide (25 with the armrest dropped), and 2×2 configuration.
On B777-200s: Flat-bed (180-degree recline), 60-inch seat pitch, 22 inches wide (27 inches with armrest dropped), 2x2x2 configuration. See chart on the left for routes with these new seats.
But Watch Out For
Newark-Paris: one route, two different seats
Currently flight CO56 uses a B767-400, which has a Business Class seat that only reclines 156 degrees. Book CO54 instead, a B757 with the new flat-bed seat. The Business Class fare is the same, about $3,600 (plus taxes and fees), for a 50-day advance ticket.
Current routes using the B767-400
Installation of the new seat on these aircraft begins around September and will last until June 2012. These planes fly the following routes: Houston to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro; and Newark to Athens, Geneva, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Sao Paulo.
[aside headline="A Good Connection" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]On the Los Angeles-Frankfurt route, Continental requires a change in Hous-ton or Newark. Connect in Newark to get the new B777 Business Class seat.[/aside]
The 767-200 Question Mark
According to Continental, “decisions on the 767-200 are yet to be made.” Until then, the B767-200 fleet will offer Continental’s old international Business Class seat (156-degree recline). It is currently found on flights to Buenos Aires, Milan, and Sao Paulo, and at times in the fall, to Paris and Athens.
As the Merger Progresses
You can use this guide until the merger integration is completed. Until then, Continental’s planes, even those painted with United livery, will show up on scheduled Continental flights. As far as United goes, its best international seats (also a lie-flat bed) are on its B747s and B767s. United’s B777 fleet is just starting the process, with eight of 46 planes now furnished with the new seat.
Working the Star Alliance
Mileage members of Air Canada, United, US Airways and other Star Alliance airlines can earn and redeem miles on Continental flights.
Air Canada members earn 125% award miles with such a ticket on Continental flights.
United members earn 100% award miles (125% for full fares) and 150% elite status miles when booking a discount Business Class ticket on Continental flights.
US Airways members earn 100% award miles (125% for full fares) when booking a discounted Business Class ticket on Continental flights.