Continental Airlines SUCKS!
I Am Not Smiling Anymore
Nobody knows more than I do that STUFF HAPPENS; it’s a chapter in my book. That being said, my patience and understanding have run out and I am finding myself in a rant.
After sitting on this airplane for close to three hours without a word being said, I look out the window and see the guy in this photo taking bags off of the plane. I casually asked one of the flight attendants what he is doing, and he said, “Oh, he is taking off bags for people that we have accommodated on another flight.” You can imagine how my “mood” changed.
After giving him a little “lecture” on communication and “Aloha”. He just gave me a blank stare; he couldn’t care less. I headed out to the lobby to get “accommodated on another flight”. Well, after setting off a security alarm and being accosted by another unfriendly agent, I was told that there are no guarantees, and if I want to change to another flight to “wait in that line over there”.
I never have been very good at “line waiting”, but I went to the back of the line anyway and stood there with several angry people for a half an hour and the line didn’t move an inch. So, I came back on the plane and began writing this post. The first friendly employee that I have seen all day came over and said, “I think you left your glasses case in your seat when you left.” She was actually smiling, so I dumped on her about my felings; sorry!
She explained that they have another mechanic coming out to help and that he should be here in an hour. She also said that there is a good chance that this plane will get me into Texas before those other accommodations might, and without the hassle of changing planes, gates and even losing my 1st chosen seat, that I had to fight for upon checking in.
She was so pleasant, that I calmed down immediately and got back to work. A few minutes ago she came back and told me that she has an agent checking to see if there is any better way to get me to San Antonio any faster.
As in selling, it’s all about people, how they act, and what they say.
Stay Tuned!
November 13th, 2007 at 9:45 am
What a terrible morning! Almost every time I fly I run into some sort of problem, but I have never had a problem with Continental. American Airlines once gave me a ‘generous’ $10 meal voucher when they delayed my flight from Phoenix to Honolulu for 9 hours, causing me to lose a hotel room I had already paid for. As you know, $10 does not get you much in an airport. United once bumped me off my flight from D.C. to New York, because they were overbooked. When I called to get on another flight the representative was rude, and when I asked to speak to her boss she said “No way will I let you talk to my boss,” and she hung up on me. I then sat in D.C. for 6 hours, and I didn’t even get a meal voucher.
Traveling can be stressful enough without complications, so it is nice when the agents can be understanding, friendly, and helpful.
November 13th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
We were served Cheerios and a muffin at 2 PM in the afternoon. That was because it was scheduled as a “breakfast flight”. You would think with a 6 hour delay that they could have brought a lunch meal on board. I heard a lot of joking about the “afternoon breakfast”.