Introducing Continental's BusinessFirst

[@PalmBeachDog]

I was a flight attendant at Continental when this was introduced. Imagine the looks on our faces when opened up the kits to find racks and racks of glassware and stacks and stacks of plates. The dinner service took three hours because we couldn’t find forks, which were buried behind the ice cream dishes, which were buried behind, the sugar bowls which were on top of the appetizer plates. I can see why airlines streamline things.

[@evgenykhamlov8423]

My class retired 747 and welcome 777 it was august 1997

[@cheetajet320]

I flew Business First from Honolulu to Houston Intercontinental in 1998! It was an amazing experience. Unfortunately, the dessert cart wasn't secured and on take-off swung open and flung out all of the desserts and shattered the plates, etc; No desserts on that trip. It was still wonderful.

[@alanmiller9681]

Never had anything like that happen. Makes me wonder if this was when Frank Lorenzo was CEO. I think Gordon Bethune was a much better CEO. I do remember the many beautiful flowers decorating Business First on the Hawaiian flights. I kick myself sometimes for not buying the stock when it bottomed out at a buck or two before it shot up! I was treated like a big shot even though I wasn’t. Just a regular guy scratching out a living fixing things.

[@nathanbush6781]

I love this. I enjoy business oriented airlines and hotels. Always have since I was a teenager. I’d be one of those business travelers who want to fly airlines and stay at hotels with ZERO children.

[@k0ll1d3r3]

0:34 the fact that there is no seat behind you when you recline ahhhhhh reality

[@johncaldora7150]

I rode in Business First on a flight from EWR-MAD back in the early 2000s. Was very helpful after we had a long ground delay due to a mechanical issue with a DC-10-30. The annoying thing was I was in 1C, right in front of the map. Kept me up all night.

[@ndirangugichuki6260]

This reminds me of Key and Peele Continental skits 😂

[@iFlyTheWorld]

Continental were advertising the new BusinessFirst in April 93 in Melbourne Australia but when I flew in May 93 they still had the old First Class seating as Business Class, and huge empty space behind First before Economy seats started. Looked like they were part way through a refurb and needed the aircraft in a hurry. The bonus for me was that the pitch in First was huge and the old seats had a pull out leg rest. No complaints from me ✈️👍

[@gotacallfromvishal]

@5:18 I love how they used the Chief Executive to demonstrate the "Executive Meal Service". Continental was a different airline, I worked for UA around that time and well after 9/11 and CEOs would never talk directly to us about yields.

[@spencerpierce1251]

I flew in BusinessFirst in the 90s. It was better than UA and AA Business offerings. However, UA and AA still had an International First Class product. On CO, the food was very good for airline food and the Flight Attendants all wore white dinner jackets, which was kinda classy at the time. Even the seats on the DC-10s were better than the upgraded BusinessFirst seats they had on the 777. Now I fly Singapore and Emirates and sometimes Virgin Atlantic in business class and they are all superior to Polaris, Delta One and AA Business class.

[@lmjr400]

Because they are government control

[@ajmartinez5885]

I hate you. Lol

[@clausstimpfig3803]

no first class anymore

[@spencerpierce1251]

@@clausstimpfig3803 Yes, AA is getting rid of F class on International itenerary.

[@v12ts.gaming]

​@@clausstimpfig3803AA currently still have First Class on its 777-300ER, but it would likely be phased out after seeing its brand new cabin products that will be launched next year or two.

[@bodyloverz30]

Notice that TWA soon followed, yet only Virgin still flies.

[@cancelanime1507]

Man it's crazy how far business class has come.. This is such a far cry from Polaris..

[@gaguy1967]

which proves the point of this film. Business class is very lucrative and carriers try to gain share from competitors with a better product. Thus products keep getting better.

[@philipduffer2669]

Those were the days!!!!

[@clausstimpfig3803]

All the former great US carriers like TWA and PANAM offered an outstanding FIRST CLASS CABIN. Continental was a victim of scrapping the first class cabin. AND so was TWA. Around 1996/97 they introduced something called Trans World One. Which was businessclass. Our customers were disappointed that this world famous and respected deluxe carrier moved away FIRST CLASS. Pax did run away. And you know in 2001....we flew west. Same applies to Continental or Northwest.

[@gaguy1967]

what year is this?

[@nonrevelite3465]

I believe that was 1992

[@philipduffer2669]

I am guessing 1992 or 93 wgen they got agressive into european market

[@apl175]

I wish more airlines would serve business and first using those rolling queen mary banquet carts....and serving customers with SAFT.

[@brianlacroix822]

@7:41 long ass 4 year timeline to roll it out? lol United DEFINITELY did not do this with Polaris🤣🤣

[@syxepop]

Did you know that Polaris is EXACTLY what Business First downgraded into? Today's United took the WORST parts of both Continental and United while being kept under Conti's former administration.

[@brianlacroix822]

@@syxepop yes i know blablabla continental is gone blablabla the merger happend 13 years ago time to move on. my joke is about how ua marketing announced polaris but in the first year when only 15% of the fleet had it or something lol

[@BarryDMoss]

They always make it look good on TV. It’s the overcrowded planes and decline in quality.

[@flyc3]

Heck, why didn’t they just call it ‘Aggressive Business First’?

[@lmjr400]

And yet they still went under merging with United airline

[@syxepop]

Nope, the "old United" went under. Toady's United (flying with Continental's "globe" on their tails) operates under Continental's rules, except that they took the worst parts from both.

[@B777Nune]

i believe you may be misinformed.

[@cxa340]

Technically Continental was the purchasing body and United was purchased, but it was an all stock deal so that is just legal formality (CO stock was worth more at the time so for every 1 share of UA stock a CO stock holder received 1.5 shares in the combined company)

[@castlegate2015]

Not been thought thtough. Once the aisle seat has been fully reclined, the person in window seat behind can't access the aisle.This vid was deception at its best.

[@tobiasstevenrayrousek8548]

I miss flying Continentals business first 😔

[@jasonlawrence8450]

Not me! I'll take United Polaris over Continental any day.

[@maxsaviation9512]

@@jasonlawrence8450I’ll take spirit over united any day

[@jamielancaster5185]

Continental was way better than UA, DL and AA at that time.

[@jasonlawrence8450]

United Polaris has has them all beat.

[@Blank00]

@@jasonlawrence8450 He said "at that time", meaning the 2000s. Polaris was not a thing until well after Unuted and Continental merged. As much as the new Polaris beats Continental business class, it also beats United's previous 2-4-2 business class, which was last seen in 2021 and was the worst-rated business class within the United fleet.

[@clausstimpfig3803]

the downfall for continental no more first class. just like my TWA

[@cxa340]

First class was a money loser and now no US airline operates an international first class - even AA is ditching their product.

[@clausstimpfig3803]

I know. And this is why US carriers are so bad. In my days WE at TWA had a majestic FIRST CLASS onboard.@@cxa340

[@clausstimpfig3803]

@@cxa340 first class is no money loser. Air France expands their la premiere first class cabin. So does Qatar. And wait for the new Cathay Pacific FIRST CLASS CABIN. Renovated. Oh and Starlux airlines US carriers are primitive and they used to be so good. TWA and PanAm.

[@cxa340]

@@clausstimpfig3803 For most airlines first class is a money loser, including for AF and CX, and it is only kept in order to be competitive on certain corporate contracts and to allow burning of miles. When you look at the actual passengers booked in first class, you can see most are on upgrades and have not paid a full F fare, or they are on a negotiated discounted contract. This is why most airlines have moved away from offering intl first, because there is very little actual revenue demand for the product - most corporate clients cannot book that cabin, and most passengers wish to only use their miles to upgrade into it

[@clausstimpfig3803]

@@cxa340 No, AIR FRANCE EXPANDS LA PREMIERE. CAUSE THEY ARE LOOSING MONEY?. CATHAY LUFTHANSA SWISS ETIHAD ALL WILL INTRODUCE A NEW FIRST CLASS CABIN. WITH MILES YOU CAN NOT GO UPFRONT ANYMORE. ALL THESE PREMIUM CARRIERS GET THE FULL REVENUE FROM THEIR FIRST CLASS PAX. ITS LIKE FLYING ON A PRIVATE JET THATS THE FOLKS THAT THEY WANT AND GET. JUST LISTEN TO THE LATEST AIR FRANCE STATEMENT. OUT OF PARIS THERE IS DEMAND FOR TRAVELLING IN FIRST NOT BUSINESS US CARRIERS ARE PRIMITIVE AND RUN DOWN NO FIRST CLASS ONLY C/CL WITH A CRAMPED CABIN: I WAS A PART OF TWA NOW WE SPOILED CUSTOMERS: SO DO ALL THE MENTIONED CARRIERS.

[@101514106]

How unfortunate that Continental merged with the likes of United!

[@mk3a]

Though Continental management took over United.

[@clausstimpfig3803]

?????? what is first class check the Videos here. Polaris a cheap Businessclass product

[@algonzales1809]

Incredible...miss Continental...United sucks.

[@ReneBuret]

The new United is run by Continental management in case you don't know. I miss the real United

[@christopherwaits7852]

ICU 2 Continental ruined United. So many CO fanboys are delusional

[@CROWOREGON]

United sucks big time compared to Continental

[@jasonlawrence8450]

Love United. Worst flight I ever had was on Continental. Good riddance.

[@Blank00]

@@ReneBuret It's not run by Continental anymore since all the execs that ran Continental left the airline industry. Oscar Munoz previously worked at CSX and Scott Kirby's previous job was at American Airlines.

[@gw78787]

Bad decision so they are now out of business!

[@tiadaid]

They're not out of business. They took over United & subsumed its name, though maintaining the Continental branding. So it's United that went out of business!

[@bodyloverz30]

In name only, as they bought United, kept the CO management, and now have the CO tail, on the United aircraft.

[@CROWOREGON]

Not out of business....Continental basically saved United.

[@jasonlawrence8450]

@@tiadaid Uh..NO, Continental did not "take over United". United kept the CO livery, for now, but in no way is CO running the show at United. And good thing. Today's United has Continental, and all other airlines, beat.

[@jasonlawrence8450]

@@CROWOREGON In your dreams.

[@clausstimpfig3803]

that was the downfalll of Continental to scrap FIRST CLASS. Businessclass can never ever give yoou that private Feeling. Plus no caviar Service and cheap champagne.

[@jakeianmartinez9902]

claus stimpfig but it makes more money than first class

[@clausstimpfig3803]

no i do not care About making more Money. It`s all About caviar and champagne and a de luxe cabin. By the way the same applies to T.W.A. once they scrapped their Royal Ambassador First class they flew west. Nobody cared for them in Europe anymoe. And I had been a proud employee of this carrier. How Wonderful Emirates or Air France is in their First Class cabin. Those CO Managers should have been fired Right away..wrong deciosion applies to both companies. CO`s First was never outstanding,but T.W.A.`s...

[@jakeianmartinez9902]

U can still get caviar in qatar airways though.. Plus business class has improved a lot and I mean a lot.. Business class now in 85 % of all airlines have it.. The reason they scrap first class is first it makes more money.. There there to make money 2nd it's a guarantee that business class will give u a same treatment as of in first class too.. 3rd yes you can get privacy in business class as well.. Most airlines are doing a 1 2 1 configuration now.. With direct aisle access and have u seen qatar airways suite? It's business class with a sliding door and a caviar and champagne service.. Business class improved a lot.. Have u seen the a350 delta interior? That's business class as well.. And has lot of privacy.. Airlines are there to make money.. It's not the 60s anymore

[@clausstimpfig3803]

no Qatar does not offer caviar in Business class. You are lying! And when I do mean privacy I mean a maximum of 6 passengers in a cabin. So does Emirates or Air France, or Singapore. Delta has low standard businessproduct called Delta One...No privacy at all with 40-50 Passengers in a c/cl cabin…..

[@jakeianmartinez9902]

claus stimpfig business class makes more money than first done. K no more of this argument.