In the next couple of weeks, the Continental Airlines name will retire into the history books, so I’m devoting this week’s Vintage Airline Seat Map to one of the carrier’s DC-9-10s seen flying the skies in the 1980s.

Delta Air Lines took delivery of the first -10 variant in 1965 and it was designed to serve smaller airports on short- to medium-haul routes. Continental’s version appearing below seated a mere 83 passengers across two classes of service. The airline operated a total of 36 DC-9-10s during its tenure and sadly, experienced a fatal accident with one on November 15, 1987. Continental flight 1713 crashed after takeoff from Denver’s Stapleton Airport due to a combination of pilot error and improper deicing.

Continental’s row numbering in coach on this version is intriguing with a break from 16 to 21. Other DC-9s from the carrier at that time didn’t have a similar disparity. In First Class, you’d find me in 3A or 3F and in coach, I’d be keen on sitting forward of the wing on the two-seater side, probably away from the bulkhead in 6A or 7A.

Where would you sit?

Last week, the Chicago Tribune published an insightful article focused on a United-Continental merger related item not often reported in such detail – the consideration given to airline meals and galley equipment. Reporter Gregory Karp spent a day at the United Airlines test kitchen in suburban Chicago speaking with chefs, executives and other staff who make the decisions about what we as passengers eat and which items are best suited for onboard preparation and service.

Effective May 1, 2012, we as passengers will be experiencing the new menu, wine and service items under consideration in this article when we travel in First or Business class. According to John Yeng, United’s Director of Product Marketing, “We’re serious about this merger. Part of the reason we’re going through these details is that we want our customers to know that it’s not just merging things together. We’re paying attention.”

Fortunately, the article hints at the fact that chefs are “trying to emulate Continental’s food, which traditionally received high ratings, compared with United’s food, which usually scored poorly.” I tweeted a picture of my breakfast on United earlier this month noting how good it was for a change and one of my followers mentioned it’s Continental’s influence already being seen.

My recent domestic dinner flight also was a pleasant surprise with a salmon appetizer and a main dish including gnocchi.

Some decisions have already been finalized as to which way to go – the United way or the Continental way. Among them are:

• Continental’s slimmer, sleeker serving pot for coffee.
• Continental’s salt shakers vs. packets on United.
• United’s metal bowls for serving hot fudge and salad dressing.
• United’s longer, safer oven mitts.
• Continental’s cloth hot towels vs. United’s paper.
• United’s custom of serving warmed nuts in a ramekin.

The article goes deeper into the logistics and factors that determined the “winners” in each category, so I’d encourage you to read it to get a behind the scenes look into just how many decisions are made for what many travelers take for granted.

United Airlines today announced new daily nonstop service from Newark to Istanbul, Turkey effective July 1, 2012, pending government approval. More interesting, however, is the planned aircraft configuration the route will experience effective August 28.

According to the press release:

Now here’s the revealing part:

Unless I missed a previous release, this is the first I’m hearing United will be converting some internationally configured 767-300s into two-cabin aircraft with BusinessFirst, Economy Plus and regular Economy. Continental doesn’t have a fleet of -300s, so this is an interesting development. United currently operates 21 of the international premium travel experience (IPTE) 767-300s.

The shrinking Economy Plus section is a bit worrisome to me and also interesting to note.

[Edited to add:] I ended up jumping the gun on this post and missed the release Brad has linked below in the comments where United is converting the domestic 767-300s into the aircraft that will be flying the EWR-IST route (and others). Sorry folks!

If you follow my blog, you know I horde collect airline amenity kits and review them in my Amenity Kit Review series. As such, I generally don’t use the products in the kits with the exception of sampling each item at the time I post a review.

When I travel, whether it is a single day mileage run or a long international trip, I always have my own makeshift kit that fits perfectly into my laptop case. I’ve been using United’s current First Class amenity bag for the past couple of years as the carrying case for all of my items, as its size is perfect for what I bring along.

My essentials as pictured are:

• Antibacterial wet wipes – perfect for wiping down tray tables, hotel room remotes and back in the day when I’ve slept overnight at an airport, they’re a perfect way to freshen up.
• Quart-sized plastic bag – the TSA has significantly lightened up on the 3-1-1 rule when traveling with liquids, but in case a rogue agent really gets picky and requires I have them in a baggie, I have one on hand.
• Deodorant.
• Q-tips – I use a little case United used to provide in their Royal Pacific amenity kit from the 1970s and early 1980s.
• Shampoo – in a refillable container.
• Hand and body lotion – plucked from a recent hotel stay.
• Mouthwash – in a refillable container.
• Moisturizing face lotion – you can see I’m a Clinique guy and also use a refillable container.
• Antibacterial lotion – perfect for when the lavatory water is inoperative, which can be the case sometimes when parked at the gate before departure.
• Lip balm.
• Perfume oil – I generally only use it before landing on a long-haul international flight to freshen up.
• Toothpaste & toothbrush
• Eyeshades & earplugs
• Disposable razor – not pictured as I need to restock
• Miniature shaving cream – not pictured as well

I need to go back and rescore the bag on my United First Class Amenity Kit Review as I feel it ends up being ideal to store a lot of items and expands perfectly when adding in additional hotel amenities. Sorry, United… I was a bit too harsh in my review.

Do you travel with your own version? What are your essential items on the road?

In other airline, hotel and travel industry news last week…

• The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics released 2011 full-year data for a variety of airline metrics last week. Among them are several positive results when compared to 2010 and previous years, including the best on-time results in a December for the past 17 years, a record low rate of mishandled bags and fewer flights where passengers were involuntarily denied boarding. Complaints, however, were up 3% likely due to airlines reducing capacity causing packed flights.
• United Airlines is selling a hotel it has owned for decades in Waikiki to an undisclosed buyer. The Waikiki Seaside Hotel has acted as a layover property for flight crews and a popular destination for United’s employees and retirees. Having previously worked very closely with Hawaiian hotels when I managed the Hawaii market of two vacation packaging companies, my best guess is it will become a low-to-mid range property in the Aston or Outrigger chain.
• The USA Today recently sat down with five top hotel executives discussing trends in the lodging industry. One of the hot topics discussed was internet access and whether or not to charge for the service. It’s definitely an ancillary fee many chains would hate to see end, but at the same time executives are aware of the demands from business travelers wanting it for free. Other items discussed were the new Room Key hotel search site, customer reviews, smartphone capabilities, increasing nightly rates and property refurbishments.
• InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) will be overhauling the Crowne Plaza brand, as well as launch a new midscale brand in the United States and a five-star offering in China. The new brand names have not been disclosed and the company was quick to note the newest U.S. incarnation appearing in the next three years will result in “minimal cannibalization” to their current midscale offering, Holiday Inn. For Crowne Plaza, IHG plans to remarket the brand as an upper scale property through upgrades or having up to 41 properties leave the chain in the next two years.
• Air Australia, who rebranded from a primarily charter operation last November, met its death this past week. The airline suddenly went into “voluntary administration” (bankruptcy) on Friday, stranding thousands of passengers from Thailand to Honolulu. The airline bluntly released a statement saying, “It currently appears that there are no funds available to meet operational expenses so flights will be suspended immediately.”
• Hundreds of flights were canceled at Frankfurt Airport this past Thursday and Friday due to striking apron and runway workers. The airport’s operator, Fraport, claims it will lose approximately €5 million for every day workers strike. The union is demanding pay increases of up to 70%, for which Fraport deems ridiculous. Both parties are willing to return to the negotiating table, though further industrial action may occur this week.
• The “idiot airline traveler of the week” award goes to a man who tried to bring a loaded handgun through security at California’s Ontario International Airport. TSA officers and airport police arrested the man who claimed he forgot the weapon and additional ammunition were in his bag. He was cited and released, though was not allowed to fly to Phoenix as planned.
• Finally, many of my BoardingArea readers will thoroughly enjoy an article that appeared in the USA Today on Monday. It reviewed the recent oneworld MegaDo event where many mileage runners and “extreme fliers” participated in a multi-city (and country) behind-the-scenes experience. American Airlines and other oneworld alliance member airlines sponsored the event which allowed participants to meet with executives, ride in a flight simulator and slide down emergency evacuation slides at a flight attendant training center, among other things.

If you haven’t already started receiving email solicitations from airline and hotel loyalty programs regarding the Freddie Awards, here’s a link to the home page explaining the prestigious awards and another link taking you directly to the voting portal. Additional information appears below.

The awards ceremony will take place April 26, 2012 at the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel.

Cast your vote now!

BKAKT43E7ZV8

In other airline industry news this week…

• Delta Air Lines announced this week new interiors featuring lie-flat seats in BusinessElite and “slim line” seats with individual entertainment units as well as an Economy Comfort section in coach will be seen on all 747-400 aircraft by October 2012. A total of 48 seats will occupy the BusinessElite cabin in an angled herringbone configuration allowing aisle access from every seat. The Economy Comfort section will seat 42 passengers and offers up to four inches of additional legroom and 50 percent more recline than standard economy seating.
• A handful of original People Express executives announced the return of a rebranded PeoplExpress carrier on Monday. The new airline will be based at the Newport News-Williamsburg Airport in Virginia and expects to begin service this summer to Newark, Pittsburgh, Providence and West Palm Beach. COO Mike Morisi said service will be operated with single-cabin Boeing 737-400s and fares will be at a “pricing structure that is significantly more affordable than regional service provided by feeder airlines.”
• American Airlines posted a $1.1 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2011, accounting for half of the airline’s $2 billion loss for the full year. Executives mentioned much of the quarter’s loss stemmed from one-time charges attributed to reorganizing the company in bankruptcy. Jet fuel prices were also a factor and American paid an average of $3.01/gallon in 2011 versus $2.32 in 2010. The carrier expects to slash 13,000 jobs this year and is being very closely monitored by both Delta and US Airways for a possible acquisition.
• United Airlines this week confirmed it will adopt Continental’s “PetSafe” policy for transporting animals who don’t travel in the passenger cabin effective March 3. According to a company spokesperson, the rates aren’t significantly higher than the now current fees for checking an animal, with the exception of Japan whose government requires an extra fee be paid to a third-party handler. This change has many military families outraged as what cost some $130 when moving to Japan with their pet will now be in the $1,400 range under the new policy. PetSafe has been praised by pet transport professionals for taking exceptional care of animals in their care.
• Speaking of pets traveling in the cargo hold, more pets died on Delta Air Lines last year than any other carrier – 19 out of the total 35 reported deaths. Delta claims less than 0.2 percent of pets carried were injured or died while in its care and noted its size as the country’s largest carrier in terms of passengers carried often means it transports more pets than other airlines. Delta did institute changes to its policy and now bans certain types of dogs that are prone to respiratory problems. The Humane Society of the United States advises owners should not transport pets by air “unless absolutely necessary.”
• Low-fare carrier Spirit Airlines will resume service out of Denver this May. Daily nonstops to Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale and Las Vegas will commence on May 3 and enable passengers to connect to an additional 29 cities in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. Denver is a hub for United, Frontier and (effectively based on passenger volume) Southwest. While I’ve noticed United tends not to match Spirit’s fares, it remains to be seen what impact Spirit’s entry will have on Southwest and Frontier fares.

Finally, here are some Quick Hits:

• Regional carrier SkyWest posted its first annual loss since 1988.
• Qantas is discontinuing LAX-Auckland flights, pointing to higher Air New Zealand fares on the route.
• Spirit Airlines intends to increase capacity by 23% in 2012 vs. 2011.
• Southwest Airlines officially launches service in Atlanta.

I stumbled across another airline reality television series tonight I hadn’t previously known about, so thought it was worth sharing here. Camera crews follow airline personnel at Britannia Airways in the 1990s, once the largest charter operator in the United Kingdom. It rebranded to Thomsonfly in 2004 and then to just Thomson in 2008.

If you click into the video to watch it on YouTube, you can find more episodes posted by the same user. Enjoy!

United Airlines today announced the rebranding of international cabin classes and the upgrade of food, entertainment and amenities on those flights. United First will be named United Global First on three-cabin aircraft and Continental’s BusinessFirst name will replace United Business beginning March 3, 2012. The enhanced amenities will include:

• Additional in-flight food choices, including a fourth entrée selection in BusinessFirst.
• An ice cream sundae dessert option with a choice of six toppings.
• Expanded wine selections chosen by Doug Frost, Sommelier and Master of Wine.
• New amenity kits featuring Philosophy-brand skin care products.
• Duvet-style blankets and higher-quality pillows and hot towels.
• Improved in-flight entertainment including noise-reduction headsets.

Domestically and on some limited international flights, United will keep the monikers United First and United Business and offer enhanced amenities, most of which are seen today and include:

• Warmed, all-natural scones and cookies, made from scratch exclusively for United.
• Warmed cinnamon rolls on breakfast flights.
• Pasta salads as a light snack.
• Premium snacks including all-natural pop chips, Emerald nuts, Cliff organic energy bars, Toblerone Swiss milk chocolate and fresh fruit.
• Warmed nuts offered in a small china bowl on all lunch and dinner services.
• Ice cream sundaes on many transcontinental lunch and dinner services.
• Complimentary snackboxes on United Express flights longer than two hours.

Later this year, additional improvements will be seen including larger overhead bins on Airbus A319s & A320s, satellite-enabled inflight internet service and an overhaul of the premium service 757 p.s. fleet that will include flat-bed seats in BusinessFirst.

I’ll be certain to review the new amenity kit as soon as I acquire one for my Amenity Kit Review series. Here are my reviews of the current First Class and Business Class offering on United, and I hope United greatly enhances the Business Class kit, which scored terribly and is currently one of the worst in the industry. Perhaps they’ll simplify things and offer just one amenity kit for all premium cabins as American Airlines has done.

Today I received an email from American Airlines offering the opportunity to continue my AAdvantage Platinum status through the end of next February for a modest fee.

Last year I took the Platinum elite challenge with American in part to re-experience a carrier I hadn’t flown since 1998, and also to rack up some miles that I ended up redeeming for a fantastic Cathay Pacific First Class experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my travels with AA, but decided at the end of last year that I need to focus 100% of my 2012 travel with United Airlines since I’m so close to million-miler status. As such, I’ll be dropping down to Gold come March 1.

That said, the offer of $769 is reasonable, in my opinion, if I truly had intentions of continuing flying with American and/or oneworld alliance members this year. It’s definitely more reasonable than the price one of Matthew’s readers who is shy 10,000 elite qualifying miles was being asked to pay to retain Premier Executive status (soon to be named Premier Gold) with United – $1,691!

Would $769 be beyond your tolerance to buy status back?

It’s time again for a little narrowbody love for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps. Featured below is a Northwest Airlines MD-80 seen flying around in the late 1980s and seating a total of 143 passengers – 12 in First Class and 131 in coach.

While definitely not a favorite aircraft of mine to fly, I always did enjoy the quietness when sitting near the front, so although rows 19 and 20 are reported to have the most leg room, you’d find me in row seven or eight in coach. In First Class, I’d opt for a window seat in row two.

Where would you sit?