Why Continental can blow me... Options

[Hartmann]

I have been switching back and forth between AA and Continental (CO) for work so that I can gain status on both of them (I have status on AA but I want Executive Platinum), so I decided to take CO for a vacation to Boston. My girlfriend and I were flying out of IAH at 7:40am so we arrived at 6am and got in line, which was out the door because of Spring Break.

We waited in line for about 30 minutes till a lady a came up to me, asked if I had checked-in online (I had) and asked if I had my confirmation number (I didn't have a printer so I said "No"). She told me to go to the Continental.com bag drop, we did.

We get over there and wait 45 minutes because they were having trouble with some people's bags and finally got to the kiosk, where it asked me for my confirmation number. I called over a CO employee and told her that I didn't have the number and in a rude tone she tells me that's all we can use in that line. I explain to her how we were sent over from the other line even though I didn't have a confirmation number. She goes on to tell me to get my confirmation # or go to the other line. I call a friend who logs into my e-mail account, gets my confirmation # and helps me out, or at least I thought. After the bickering and waiting and finally getting the # into the machine, the window for us to use the kiosk to check bags had expired (30 minutes before flight). The CO employee that had been rude has the gall to laugh at us... I almost lost it but didn't want to get arrested.

She directs us to the line we had come from even though there were people behind the counter who could have helped us and got us on our way.

We head back to the other line and wait, me knowing at this point it would be a miracle for us to make our flight. Then after waiting 10 minutes, the employee who was rude, comes over, opens our line and directs about 10 people, including us back to where we just came from to check our bags.... None of the people had their confirmation numbers but the people behind the counters helped them. They finally helped us but we had missed our flight. CO put us on standby for the next flight (which was oversold) and then finally confirmed us for the flight after that. Basically we sat in an airport for 10 hours.

I went to customer service and complained, a lot. They gave me a $5 voucher (each) for a drink or set of headphones on the flight... unbelievable.

Then to top it all off, during this process they had deleted our reservation, rebooked it, but did it incorrectly, putting my girlfriend and I on separate flights. They fixed that finally but didn't have us sitting together. At least the folks at BOS were nicer and got us seats together.

Just a bad experience.

[Mommy]

********SNORE*********

For those who travel OFTEN for business, anyone will agree that Southwest is not going to be their first choice.

I like Southwest because I can get somewhere for cheap. I feel like cattle being herded on and off their flights, but its cheap. For now, Ill stick with that because 1) I have a limited income...2) I dont travel often.

[impala454]

For those who travel OFTEN for business, anyone will agree that Southwest is not going to be their first choice.

well that's exactly the notion I'm debating here... i don't get it. would you not want a shorter flight and cheaper ticket if you were on business? obviously you can't go everywhere on SW but if it's available I don't understand why not.

[Hartmann]

well that's exactly the notion I'm debating here... i don't get it. would you not want a shorter flight and cheaper ticket if you were on business? obviously you can't go everywhere on SW but if it's available I don't understand why not.

No. I want flights that meet my schedule. When I am done on Friday at a client, I want to arrive at an airport, hang out in the lounge, check my e-mail, and relax. I don't want to stand in a 3 prong line hoping to get a decent seat.

[impala454]

No. I want flights that meet my schedule. When I am done on Friday at a client, I want to arrive at an airport, hang out in the lounge, check my e-mail, and relax. I don't want to stand in a 3 prong line hoping to get a decent seat.

well i guess that's where we differ. i'd rather wait a few extra minutes in a line because i thought ahead well enough to get an A boarding pass, and get a good seat for the next 1-4 hours i'll be on the plane. rather than have some assigned seat that takes nothing into account (i.e. you could end up with a 120 lb 5' 20 year old girl sitting next to you, or a 400 lbs 85 year old grandma that stinks to high heaven). kinda like pot luck roommates imo.

[Hartmann]

well i guess that's where we differ. i'd rather wait a few extra minutes in a line because i thought ahead well enough to get an A boarding pass, and get a good seat for the next 1-4 hours i'll be on the plane. rather than have some assigned seat that takes nothing into account (i.e. you could end up with a 120 lb 5' 20 year old girl sitting next to you, or a 400 lbs 85 year old grandma that stinks to high heaven). kinda like pot luck roommates imo.

But I thought you wanted time to eat... That means you have to take your food to the line with you because if you don't get there an hour before the flight is set to push back you'll be at the back of the "A" line.

My assigned seat does take things into account. On CO I am guaranteed a seat at the front or at an exit row on the aisle. On AA I am pretty much guaranteed First Class or Business. So yeah...

I'll read your other post when I get home. I don't know where you were looking but I just found a roundtrip flight to BWI from IAH for $283 and from HOU for $338, granted from HOU it's a puddle jumper.