Nice small gesture from Continental Airlines

[DandyDon]

Must be why the airfare is so high right now Was hoping to get away for another quick weekend in June, but can't justify $560 for a weekend trip.

When do you want to go and how flexible are you on days, dates, airlines, original and connection airports, etc. How would you like to do it? I see a lot of flights around $400, taxes and fees included...

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[fire_diver]

You are saying that they departed earlier than their scheduled time and then blew you off when you complained? Well, of course I wasn't there, but color me skeptical.

That's exactly what happened, to me and the other 14 people in my group.

 

[fire_diver]

I think they routinely close the doors 10-15 minutes prior to departure time. It would seem better to me to close them at listed departure time, then take off after that, but there is probly some scheduling rule that makes this so.

Edit: I found it on Contract of Carriage, which we agree to - read or not - when we purchase a ticket, but I remember it only because it's also printed on the boarding passes...

One could argue that it wasn't his fault that his inbound plane with the same airline was late, but it was not the airline's either - as he said, it was delayed because of rain. In inclement weather, landing intervals are increased for safety. Ok, so they told him that they would hold the connecting plane? I'm sure that they try, but the person offering that assurance had no idea what the various complications may have been, next plane needing that gate, inclement weather turning worse so the pilot felt compelled to get gone while he could, etc.

So yeah, it was luck of the draw, with weather calling the hand. I've been thru worse a few dozen times since the 1960s.

It wasn't that they had already closed the gate, they had closed the gate early, and the plane was already gone. But they made sure our luggage on the plane! There was no other plane at the gate they needed to make room for, which made them leaving early that much worse.

Maybe some of the others complained longer and louder and got something, but I never saw a single free mile, one cent, or anything.

 

[ggunn]

That's exactly what happened, to me and the other 14 people in my group.

When you say "early", do you mean earlier than the estimated time on the departures monitor, or earlier than the published time on the ticket? Whatever it was it wasn't personal, I am sure. In any case, Continental is very clear about what delays, missed flights, etc. they consider their fault and which they don't, and weather delays are in the latter category. But whatever; you can try to find an airline that never ever does something to anger a minority of their passengers in an effort to serve the majority or their on-time departure record, but I doubt you'll find one. Buyer beware.

FWIW, I have been mostly happy flying Continental to Cozumel and a lot of other places for the last 25 years or so. They have pi$$ed me off a couple of times, but in the grand scheme of things they have done pretty well by me. YMMV, of course.

EDIT: Also FWIW, polite negotiation always works better than righteous indignation in situations like this. A similar thing happened to my mom and her husband a few years ago on Continental. Their first flight was weather delayed and they missed the one and only HOU-CZM flight that day. They firmly but politely worked with the ticket agent, who placed them on a Houston-Mexico City-Cozumel flight on another airline that got them to Cozumel only a few hours later than they had planned. Had they blustered and caused a scene they would have spent the night in Houston.

 

[budaman]

When do you want to go and how flexible are you on days, dates, airlines, original and connection airports, etc. How would you like to do it? I see a lot of flights around $400, taxes and fees included...

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I had looked at Delta because they are considerably less....but, I will be taking down a couple of bikes & the only flights that don't have significant layovers use a regional jet from Atlanta to Coz & can't take oversize bags. If I wasn't taking the bikes I'd be on Delta in a heartbeat! Plus, I really do like Continental....although not as much since the merge with United.

Trying to go either the weekends of 6/11 or 6/18...Fri - Sun or Sat - Mon. Wife is down there for 9 days with 8 girlfriends between the 9th & 18th.

Mike

 

[judydivescoz]

I had looked at Delta because they are considerably less....but, I will be taking down a couple of bikes & the only flights that don't have significant layovers use a regional jet from Atlanta to Coz & can't take oversize bags. If I wasn't taking the bikes I'd be on Delta in a heartbeat! Plus, I really do like Continental....although not as much since the merge with United.

Trying to go either the weekends of 6/11 or 6/18...Fri - Sun or Sat - Mon. Wife is down there for 9 days with 8 girlfriends between the 9th & 18th.

Mike

Are you sure that the ATL-CZM will not take oversized bags? I took an oversized and heavy box from home via ATL in March. I hope they have not changed their policies!!

 

[DandyDon]

It wasn't that they had already closed the gate, they had closed the gate early, and the plane was already gone. But they made sure our luggage on the plane! There was no other plane at the gate they needed to make room for, which made them leaving early that much worse.

Maybe some of the others complained longer and louder and got something, but I never saw a single free mile, one cent, or anything.

Your boarding pass warned that they close the doors 15 minutes prior to departure. Sorry, but weather happens - which is what delayed you inbound, and quite possibly why the pilot felt compelled to leave as scheduled rather than waiting. You were connecting in IAH I guess; busy runways, and in weather delays they get planes stacked up on the taxis and in the air. Often they have to take the assigned slot or re-request at the end of the line. I'd be upset too, but caca happens. I'm sure they would have preferred to get you in the empty seats assigned rather than find you others later.

Last trip with my home bud, we were leaving Amarillo, and we went thru security with plenty of time to make the 5am flight - which was no small accomplishment for us after driving in. Then, he stops at the cafe! :shocked2: It's 4:40am and I'm like WTH? I tried to encourage him, altho I was not up to explaining the details. I've almost left him other trips before and he nearly got left that time.

I had looked at Delta because they are considerably less....but, I will be taking down a couple of bikes & the only flights that don't have significant layovers use a regional jet from Atlanta to Coz & can't take oversize bags. If I wasn't taking the bikes I'd be on Delta in a heartbeat! Plus, I really do like Continental....although not as much since the merge with United.

Trying to go either the weekends of 6/11 or 6/18...Fri - Sun or Sat - Mon. Wife is down there for 9 days with 8 girlfriends between the 9th & 18th.

Mike

:laughing: I didn't see that one coming. Getting you there and back for $377 is easy. Bikes huh.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Delta runs different equipment ATL - CZM at different days/times. Some will accommodate over-sized stuff, some won't. Wish I knew enough to be able to tell you which and when, but if you can be flexible...

 

[fire_diver]

You were connecting in IAH I guess;

Guess again. There are more flights in the world than just to Coz. This was in Denver IIRC.

I realize that delays happen, and air travel can be the biggest adventure of any vacation. I'm used to that, but let me break this down for you Barney style.

Our arriving flight was behind schedule, but we still had time to make a last minute catch of our connection flight if we hurried.

The flight crew told us they had talked to the connecting gate, told them we were in route, and the gate was GOING TO BE HELD for us.

We still ran to catch the flight.

We got to the gate at 2:50 (for a flight not scheduled to depart until 3:00)

The plane had already left the gate.

The captian waited until our bags were onboard, but not the passengers.

There was no weather at this airport or the arriving airport, there was no inbound flight waiting for the gate.

I wouldn't have been upset if we arrived after departure time. I have routinely seen flights wait a few minutes for passengers, but here they decided to leave early.

When we called to complain we were told it was because of weather so there was nothing they would do for us.

Continental said (politely) F--- you. so I say the same back to them and choose other carriers.

 

[ggunn]

Guess again. There are more flights in the world than just to Coz. This was in Denver IIRC.

I realize that delays happen, and air travel can be the biggest adventure of any vacation. I'm used to that, but let me break this down for you Barney style.

Our arriving flight was behind schedule, but we still had time to make a last minute catch of our connection flight if we hurried.

The flight crew told us they had talked to the connecting gate, told them we were in route, and the gate was GOING TO BE HELD for us.

We still ran to catch the flight.

We got to the gate at 2:50 (for a flight not scheduled to depart until 3:00)

The plane had already left the gate.

The captian waited until our bags were onboard, but not the passengers.

There was no weather at this airport or the arriving airport, there was no inbound flight waiting for the gate.

I wouldn't have been upset if we arrived after departure time. I have routinely seen flights wait a few minutes for passengers, but here they decided to leave early.

When we called to complain we were told it was because of weather so there was nothing they would do for us.

Continental said (politely) F--- you. so I say the same back to them and choose other carriers.

Do what you want, of course, but it doesn't pay to hold a grudge. There's not an airline in the world that hasn't ever pi$$ed off a customer, and by not considering flying on a particular airline because of a past perceived injustice, all you do is limit your options when you want to travel. An airline neither cares about nor feels the effect of your solitary boycott. Sure, you've talked about it in here, but I for one would never alter my choice in airlines because of an unsubstantiated story I read in on an internet forum from someone whom I have never met.

YMMV.