Comics Wing It Aboard Ailing Continental Air

It was natural comedy material, but five high-flying comics couldn’t get any mileage out of it.

The comedians started entertaining Continental Express passengers during East Coast flights Monday, the same day Continental Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection. The comics shied away from the issue on company orders.

The comedians working the Newark-to-New Haven, Conn., commuter flights were told the news of the day and reminded to “stay away from inappropriate material,” Continental spokeswoman Nancy Compel said Tuesday.

The promotion was hatched two months ago and will continue despite the bankruptcy proceedings, she said.

The comedians were advised last week to keep the cabin humor clean and not make jokes about airplanes.

Continental, the nation’s fifth-largest airline, said a $2.2-billion debt and higher jet fuel costs because of the Persian Gulf crisis forced the bankruptcy move.

Peter Bales of Northport, N.Y., one of the comics performing during the one-week promotion, said the airline’s financial troubles were the least of his worries.

Turbulence forced the stand-up comedian to deliver his 10-minute monologue sitting down.

“It’s difficult to be funny when you’re trying not to vomit,” Bales said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

He began by warning hecklers they would be asked to leave. Then he griped about the gig, saying there were “two guys with headphones” in his dressing room.

The jokes were delivered while he was strapped into his seat. He craned his head down the aisle to catch a glimmer of response over the noisy engines.

“I thought at one point I got applause,” he said. “But I think my ears were just popping from the pressure.”