Nice small gesture from Continental Airlines

[fire_diver]

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.

I realize that my personal boycott does nothing to harm the company, but it's how I treat all companies I deal with. If you give me great service I will use your service or buy your products any time I need them. I will also recommend the company to all I know. When companies give bad service or have crappy products I choose not to do business with them and I tell everyone I know how I feel about that company.

I never asked you change anything you do.

 

[ggunn]

I realize that my personal boycott does nothing to harm the company, but it's how I treat all companies I deal with. If you give me great service I will use your service or buy your products any time I need them. I will also recommend the company to all I know. When companies give bad service or have crappy products I choose not to do business with them and I tell everyone I know how I feel about that company.

I never asked you change anything you do.

I still think you are cutting off your nose to spite your face, but it's OK. It just means that I will never have to compete with you for a cheap seat on a Continental flight.

 

[Doc Harry]

I HATE Continental and will never fly with them ever again.

On a trip back from Cozumel, the outbound jet's air conditioner broke and we had to wait all day to get it fixed. By the time he got to Texas we had missed all of our connections. Continental said that the flight was delayed because of "weather" and refused to give us (100 passengers) lodging vouchers.

We argued with Continental for a while, and eventually they did give all of us 100 passengers lodging & food vouchers, but it was for a hotel that was 45 minutes away and we all had to pay for our own taxis ($25).

The hotel was closed for renovations. The hotel manager was there to surpervise renovations, and he agreed to let us stay anyway since we had made the trip. But there was no hot water and no restaurant. Another $25 taxi back to the airport, where Continental said that they had met their legal requirements to provde lodging and food vouchers, if the hotel was closed then it was the passenger's responsibility to take it up complaints with the hotel manager.

After a bunch of arguing, Continental gave us vouchers for another hotel. But since the whole fiasco took 8 hours to correct we only got 3 hours of sleep before our flight the next morning.

I contacted Continental after I returned home and complained. They gave us two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the USA. We used the tickets to fly out west to visit family (regular ticket price was $385 each, round-trip). But when we checked in for the return trip home, Continental informed us that they were refusing to honor the return ticket and we had to pay full price business class ($1,200 each) to get on the airplane.

We switched to a different airline, the cheapest tickets we could get were $800 each one-way home.

**** YOU CONTINENTAL!

 

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide, receiving 1000 rewards miles ($35usd) will not get you out of your own shadow. You are always at the mercy of any airlines AND their ever changing rules. When Continental charges you more $$$ to change your ticket than the ticket cost plus bend you over on baggage fees, you start to realize it's out of your hands. Take your pre-flight/travel meds,smile,be polite,and pray to whom ever gets you to your dive destination safely.

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[Craig66]

But when we checked in for the return trip home, Continental informed us that they were refusing to honor the return ticket and we had to pay full price business class ($1,200 each) to get on the airplane.

We switched to a different airline, the cheapest tickets we could get were $800 each one-way home.

Doc Harry, did they tell you why they were refusing to honor the ticket given that it was a roundtrip ticket that you had been awarded? Did you take it up with them on your return?

I am in mixed minds about dealing with a company that has done me wrong and has poor customer service. On the one hand you do limit your options but on the other hand not voting with your wallet lets them know that they can get away with what ever they like and that we will do nothing about it other than asking for more. I agree that a single protest does nothing but if there are enough single protests then eventually it will begin to show in a companies bottom line. I think we have all become to complacent and accept that we have no power and as such we let everyone from our leaders to our service providers get away with what ever they choose to do.

Just my two cents (used to be twenty cents but we have let our leaders whittle that down to nothing by our complacency LOL )

Craig

 

[DandyDon]

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.

Okee dokee

We used the tickets to fly out west to visit family (regular ticket price was $385 each, round-trip). But when we checked in for the return trip home, Continental informed us that they were refusing to honor the return ticket and we had to pay full price business class ($1,200 each) to get on the airplane.

Got to wonder about the rest of the story on that one? If you had a ticket and seats assigned...?

I've had good times and bad times with many airlines. Most of them have done more to help me than hurt me. A lot of times it's how you handle it on the spot, sometimes you're just had, sometimes you are so grateful. I wish Delta had decent connection from Lubbock to Coz and other places I want to go as I have some good bennies with them from when they used to serve LBB well, but trip by trip - it's usually flight times and costs than win us over, then try to make the best of it.

 

[Doc Harry]

Doc Harry, did they tell you why they were refusing to honor the ticket given that it was a roundtrip ticket that you had been awarded? Did you take it up with them on your return?

There was no explanation other that it was a decision from corporate headquarters to no longer honor the complementary ticket.

I think Continental was intentionally screwing me. Which they did, over and over and over again.

What a better way to screw a passenger than to have them stranded on the other side of the country? We had to pay last-minute full price for return tickets.

I filed complaints with DOT but, according to DOT, there was nothing illegal about Continental's activities and I had no recourse through the DOT.

 

[ggunn]

There was no explanation other that it was a decision from corporate headquarters to no longer honor the complementary ticket.

I think Continental was intentionally screwing me. Which they did, over and over and over again.

Why would they do that? What did you ever do to them?

 

[SeaFlea]

because Continental is so dear to my heart. Continental makes it very difficult to connect international inbound with a connecting flight. I can't believe they can schedule a 50 min connect time coming in from Coz. Yes, 50 min. Twice I've been stranded in Houston on my own dime. Our last trip was a real gem on the way down. By the way the last ferry out of Playa is at 10pm. We got there at 1035 hoping to get across, had to get a hotel, it was a really long day. I will fly Delta from now on.

Early on I tried booking the last connecting flight out of Houston. I was willing to sit around for 3 or 4 hrs to make it home that night. However a week or so before the flight Continental emails me and says they cancelled my late connector and put me on one with 60 or 70 min of connect time?????????? WTF?????????

You can't win with them. They have to know how long it takes to get through immigration, customs, and two security check points then finally to you gate. Why make everyone run like animals thru the airport????????? I don't get it.

I will make it a point to never get in that situation again. If thats the best Continental can do........ I'll give my flying dollars to another.

If everyone, who has had similar treatment, would do the same they would get the message and change their ways.

Through with Continental,

SeaFlea.

 

[judydivescoz]

My favorite flight home from Cozumel has a fairly short time between flights, under a hour. I use Global Entry. Saves time in both immigration and customs. I have yet to find a line at the Global Entry kiosks in Atlanta or the NY metro airports. Getting anywhere is becoming so pesty that it was well worth the $100. it costs and the trip to Newark (closest interview area for me) to get the clearance. While it does not solve all the travel problems out there, it takes care of getting thru the lines in immigration and customs much more quickly.