Continental Airlines
P.O. Box 4607
Houston, Texas 77210-4607

Dear Sir or Madam:

I hope you're sitting down. I am actually not writing to complain. Well, not about you, anyway.

Oh sure, I considered sharing some thoughts after recently sitting in the 14th row of one of your aircraft. You and I both know damn well that was actually the 13th row. Are people so unreasonably superstitious that you can't have a 13th row for fear no one will sit there? As though something will happen only to the inhabitants of row 13? Call me crazy, but if something happens on an airplane, I'm pretty sure everyone is screwed, not just the folks in the unlucky 13th row. You don't usually see one row of an airline get blasted out of the air while the rest of the plane continues merrily on its way.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes...

I have come to realize how good I have it with you folks after having the great misfortune of recently taking a Northwest flight. What a clown show that airline is. I didn't realize an aisle could be that narrow, or seats could be so close. Had the man in front of me chosen to recline his seat, he would have jammed my knee into my hip socket. To amuse myself, and because I could as his head was four inches from my eyes, I counted his gray hairs during the flight.

An old, dilapidated plane. No food. No entertainment. Truly, a bad airline. BAD.

Then, this news from your counterparts at American Airlines today announcing a $15 charge for the first checked bag. Are they fucking kidding? This immediately skyrocktes to the Bad Idea Hall of Fame. Why on earth didn't they just add $15 to the price of a ticket, which no one would have really noticed? What public relations genius decided this was a better approach?

People are already hesitant to check bags, thus causing all sorts of problems during the boarding process as they carry on half of their possessions, including oversized baggage that won't fit in the overheads. For the life of me, I cannot imagine what people will henceforth try to carry on board in the name of saving 15 bucks.

I am telling you, DO NOT DO THIS. I will drive to California, take a boat to Scotland, ride my bike to Minnesota, stop traveling altogether, before I will pay a ransom like this to travel with my luggage.

So, to my friends at Continental, I say keep up the good work. Oh sure, maybe you could work on the food. I took a quick straw poll during my last flight and it doesn't appear pastrami is very popular. But at least you're still serving food, strange choices though they may be.

But other than that, well done.

Hugs & kisses,
Jersey Girl