BACKGROUND Continental flies four times daily from Newark to Heathrow, one of which is served by a B777-200ER and the others by B757-200 aircraft. It is adding a fifth flight on October 31. The carrier’s new fully-flat bed in Business First (business class) is being rolled out across the two fleets, with the 777s due to be completed by the end of this year and the 757s by the end of May next year. Installation on its B767-400ERs and 767-200ERs is due to begin next year, and at this point that is not expected to be affected by the carrier’s forthcoming merger with United Airlines.
CHECK-IN I arrived at Continental’s dedicated “Global Gateway” at Newark Liberty International airport’s Terminal C3 at 1615, in good time for my 1840 departure on flight CO28. There were eight kiosks and bag drops for business class and Elite members – all were busy but I was seen to quickly. Security was extremely busy so I was glad to be fast-tracked through (I was travelling with a Continental Airlines representative). There is a separate business line but even so I would allow plenty of time to get through.
THE LOUNGE I proceeded to the President’s Club lounge to the left of security, which is the biggest of the three President’s Club facilities at Newark. It was big and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows, plenty of seating, a TV lounge, kids’ room, departure screens, free wifi and showers. There were a large amount of individual booths with workstations (though no PCs). Most of the drinks at the bar were free, with a few “premium” spirits paid-for, and there was a small selection of snacks (crisps, pretzels, fruit, cheese and crackers).
BOARDING At 1755 I turned right out of the lounge and made my way to gate 120 – it was a few minutes’ walk past the shops. Boarding had started and the gate was busy. I used the fast-track lane and was in my seat by 1810. I was brought a menu and amenity kit and offered a drink and a newspaper. My food order was taken shortly afterwards and I was asked if I would like to be woken for breakfast. The cabin crew manager also introduced herself. I started watching a film on the audio-video on-demand in-flight entertainment system (you can do this before take-off) but it cut out after a while. We first pushed back at 1855 but then came to a stop and there was a long delay as we waited for clearance – we eventually took off at 1945.
THE SEAT There are two business cabins on the B777, the first with five rows (numbered one to five) and the second with four (numbered eight to 11). To see the seatplan click here.
You turn left for the first cabin and right for the second. Seats are configured 2-2-2 (A-B, D-E, K-L) in a subtle herringbone formation with seats A and B slightly angled to the left and D, E, K and L to the right. In the front cabin there are no seats A-B in row one, and no seats K-L in row five. I was in the second cabin in seat 11K. Seats are upholstered in blue fabric and encased in a fixed shell, with an adjustable headrest and controls for recline, lumbar support and leg rest. They are 23 inches wide and join with an ottoman in front to make a 78-inch fully-flat bed (this is slightly longer and wider than on the B757 – for a review of that aircraft, click here.
The bed was comfy and I got a good couple of hours’ sleep later on in the flight, aided by the cosy duvet and pillow I was provided with. The seat-back in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen measures 15.5 inches and has iPod connectivity, and below this was a shelf. A good-sized table folded out of the shared armrest. Behind my right shoulder was the so-called “tower of power”, with in-seat charging, USB and headphone sockets, and storage space for small items. There was a fixed privacy screen between me and my neighbour, and my left armrest lowered to be flush with the seat. The touchscreen IFE system was audio-video on-demand with almost 200 films to choose from.
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? All seats seem to have the same amount of legroom. Window seats are more protected from footfall but do not have direct aisle access. In my cabin, I would avoid the front and back rows as the front is closest to the toilets and galley and the back is directly in front of economy, separated by the bulkhead and a see-through curtain. I could hear voices from economy quite audibly. Likewise, in the front cabin, the front and back rows are closest to the galleys and toilets. I would probably favour the front cabin because it is at more of a remove from economy.
THE FLIGHT Soon after take-off my table was dressed and hot towels were brought round. I was offered warm nuts and a drink after half an hour, followed by breads and three appetisers (you could have all three – the lobster bisque soup was good), and a salad with a choice of dressings. There were four main course options – chicken, beef, sea bass and pasta – I had the chicken and thought it was very tasty. Cheeses were offered, and then dessert, which was vanilla ice cream with a choice of toppings. There was no wine menu and I wasn’t offered it, though my neighbour was – I still had the glass of champagne I had been given after take-off, so presumably the crew member thought I wanted to stick to that, which I was happy with in any case. He topped up my glass without my having to ask, and the service throughout was warm and efficient. I noted the reds on offer were a Zinfandel, a Côte du Rhône and a Bordeaux.
Plates were taken away promptly, and there is an executive meal if you want more time for working, comprising an appetiser, salad and main served together at any time. I settled down for a rest and as mentioned got some sleep, although I thought the lights in the cabin could have been dimmed a little more. The journey flew by and before I knew it breakfast was being served and we were coming in to land.
ARRIVAL We landed at Heathrow Terminal 4 at 0650 and had to wait a short while for a gate – we were off the plane at 0715. Immigration was quick and my bag was on the carousel after a brief wait.
VERDICT The new Business First seat is impressive and comfortable, and the service was excellent. A very enjoyable flight.
FACT FILE
- SEAT CONFIGURATION 2-2-2
- SEAT LENGTH 78 inches
- SEAT WIDTH 23 inches (27 inches with armrest lowered)
- SEAT RECLINE 180 degrees
- PRICE Internet rates for a return business class flight from London Heathrow to Newark in September started from US$3,144.
- CONTACT continental.com
