HOUSTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Continental Airlines (CAL), the nation's fifth-largest air carrier, said on Monday it will improve its coach-class food on trans-Atlantic flights, but plans to start charging international travelers who order liquor to help pay for the better meals. Houston-based Continental said it will spend an extra $4 million a year to improve the coach-class meal service, and it will also add more video games and popular original programming from HBO to its list of in-flight entertainment. Continental will charge $4 per alcoholic drink served in coach class on international flights beginning July 1, bringing its international liquor policy in line with service in its main cabins on domestic flights. The airline will funnel revenue from liquor sales back into its meal service to help offset the upgrade's costs. After the Sept. 11 attacks drastically depleted sales for U.S. air carriers, many chose to trim costs by cutting back on in-flight meals and other amenities on certain routes. Most airlines still serve free alcoholic drinks on international flights. But Continental chose instead to upgrade the coach-class main meal's hot entree, improve the smaller second meal, and make various snacks available over the course of flights across the Atlantic. On even longer routes. Continental will add another snack and improve on the main meal's salad. "This reallocation of our investment in our in-flight product benefits every customer, rather than the few who enjoy complimentary liquor," said Eric Kleiman, Continental's director of product marketing. The carrier said it will offer more video game selections in coach class on its international Boeing 777 and 767 aircraft, and will offer HBO shows like "Sex and the City" and "The Sopranos" in its BusinessFirst cabin beginning in August. ©2002 Reuters Limited.