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Stuck in Newfoundland: Thanks, Continental {Gadling}
Jul 30th 2006 2:24PM Erik,
I hope you got back ok. Unfortunately, I have to eat my words about the Continental contract staff in Halifax. (But, NOT my comments about Continentals frequent-flyer program.) After I wrote my submission, we were put on the plane, only to be returned 2 hours later, flight canceled. The contract staff got extra help, processed us for flights trhe next day, and put us up in a wonderful hotel near the airport. They were not required to give us the hotel and meal vouchers, because airlines are not required to do so when flights are canceled because of weather.
And, as if someone from Continental was watching my message to you after I typed, I got complimentary Elite upgrades all the way back to L.A. But still, the One Pass program continues to deteriorate. Continental is allowing airport staff to reduce due to staff attrition. (Related top me by a "Red Coat"--supervisor--at LAX.) Special security lines, expedited ticket and boarding lines for frequent flyers are being ignored. Airport staff morale is down. Yet, Continental ranked #2 in customer satisfaction last year. Go figure.
I've started to spread my frequent flyer miles (125K per year) on to other airline systems since expedited lines are the only real benefit. United has a decent program (if they survive) where even the basic Premier level gets "economy plus" seating (extra legroom for coach seats in the front of the plane). Plus, at checkin, you can buy upgrades, when available, for 10 cents a mile, a bargain over biz clasas ticket prices.
Stuck in Newfoundland: Thanks, Continental {Gadling}
Jul 22nd 2006 4:10PM Erik,
I feel your pain. I'm stuck in Halifax, Nova Scotia for the second day waiting on Continental to get me back to L.A. only to have my flight outta here today turned back to Newark. The only consolation for you is, that if I get out of here today, I'll be struck in Newark overnight, you'll still be in Canada. (Better food and hotels, if you get a room.)
The problem with Continental's personnel in these Canadian airports (I go to Ottawa every month)is that they are contract employees from other (Canadian) airlines who do not work for Continental and are not supervised by Continental, so they could care less about Continental customers. But, I now get the same second rate service at LAX, IAH (Houston) and EWR (Newark).
Continental won number two in Customer satisfaction last year, but I fail to see why. I'm Platinum elite with 99K miles on Continental last year (5th Platinum Elite year) and the service only gets worse. No more upgrades, and at LAX, there are no, or scarce, elite services the counter, at security, and sometimes not even in the boarding line.
I'm spreading my miles this year with United, which gives you economy plus even at it's lowest level of Premier, and has real personnel at the check-in counters, not just skycaps and touch screen check-in. An no grumpy counter supervisors. ("What do you want me to do?")
