Note: My review will concentrate on Continental's international business class, in comparison to other business classes, as opposed to a review of coach.

Continental Airlines is one of an ever-increasing number of carriers that are combining their first and business classes into one single class - in Continental's case, BusinessFirst. Other airlines such as Alitalia, Delta Airlines, etc., have also followed suit, though most still maintain the two (first/business) class distinction.

The benefits of BusinessFirst start with the check-in process. As opposed to the long lines (indeed, even longer lines today) in international economy, check-in for BusinessFirst is a breeze, as there are often as many representatives who are checking you in as there are for all economy passengers. Whereas a regular international flight may require three hours in order to get through all the hurdles, the check-in portion of BusinessFirst may last for no more than 15 minutes. If you still have some time to spare, BusinessFirst passengers get to visit the first class lounge, available at Continental's major hubs, and through relationships at most major airports. The one in Newark is particularly nice (as it is brand-new) and includes all of the amenities that you could expect from a first-class lounge: data access for your laptop, open bar, comfortable seats, and a plethora of magazines and newspapers to read. Also, as a BusinessFirst customer, you get to board the airplane first.

Once you enter the plane, you realize that there is a reason why you are paying often five to six times the regular economy fares (sometimes ten times compared to the ultra cheap economy fares). As opposed to nine seats per row in economy class, there are only six seats in BusinessFirst (Boeing 777). Leg room is also very ample: I am 6'1" and I couldn't even touch the seats in front of me even when I stretched fully. The bathrooms are also substantially larger than in economy class, though there are no functional differences (e.g., no shower, same small sink, even smaller toilet).

The seat itself is also very comfortable. It is electronically controlled and can be adjusted in a multitude of ways including reclining back, leg rest, lumbar support, etc. I have found the recline to be ample, but not as nice as I hoped. You can actually fall asleep (something which I can rarely do in economy class), but you are just not as refreshed as the 180 degree recline seats found in many first classes.

Several hours into the flight, the main meal service begins. Although people have complained about airline food, Continental's BusinessFirst cuisine is quite good, though not particularly inventive. All of the times I have flown, one of the courses is some type of steak with potatoes and vegetables (i.e., it doesn't change very often). The wine list is pretty nice, but it is by no means a full bar (they only seem to carry Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch and no other brands, an oversight which does not seem acceptable given the fact that you are paying over $6,000 for the privilege).

Now onto my gripes about BusinessFirst:

Although Continental proclaims that BusinessFirst is actually a "first class" fare, that is simply not true. One claim, for instance, is that the seats support the same recline as other First Class seats. As I mentioned before, this is just false. Most first class seats nowadays support a full 180 degree recline, and BusinessFirst maybe supports about 150 degrees (though much better than economy's maybe 15 degree recline). There is also no privacy between you and your neighbor. The "personal entertainment system" that Continental boasts about in an in-flight video describing how to use it is simply not as good as competitor products. The media repeats throughout the course of the flight, often several times (as opposed to having a personal video player in your seat where you can choose the movies you want to watch, on demand). With only about ten movies or so to watch and some taped television programs, you often run into having to watch movies you don't want to see or having to see some movies several times. In some flights, when you are faced with this quandry, you might simply choose to play the inflight games instead; however, the available games are atrocious: they are all designed by some no-name Indian company and are slow and unentertaining. They all consist of re-hashes of simple games from yesteryear, such as Tetris, Othello, etc. Controls are unresponsive, and the A.I. is often primitive. I understand that these entertainment systems can not keep up with the pace of technology in the real world, given the long-term investment in aircraft interiors, but Super Nintendo would have been greatly appreciated (competitors like Virgin, Singapore Airlines, and ANA offer this). The music choices were also not particularly compelling, again, as they repeated every three hours or so. If you are like me and only prefer say classic rock and some modern rock, you are often left with listening to the same music maybe three times in a long 12 hour flight. Continental also only gives a tiny amenities pack and does not offer perks such as in-flight pajamas, limousine service, valet parking, etc.

In conclusion, BusinessFirst is clearly a step above economy and slightly better than competitors' business classes, but clearly inferior to a "true" first class. Compared to other business classes, the food is generally better, the seats are slightly more comfortable, and Continental's service has an edge. Continental also has a superb frequent flyer program, though recently they have made some unfortunate changes to it, such as restricting the class of upgradeable fares to expensive economy fares only (you used to be able to buy the cheapest economy fare and upgrade for the same miles as a more expensive economy fare). If you remember that BusinessFirst is really more akin to business class than first class, you should be saved from unfulfilled expectations. In the segment of unified business/first classes, however, Virgin Atlantic is clearly superior, though they serve far fewer destinations than Continental. I would take Continental business over any other American carrier's business class, however.

Recommended: Yes