Continental Airlines Consumer Reviews - Page 5

When, oh when, will Continental, or any other airline for that matter, crack down on jumbo travelers? On a recent flight my wife and I were treated to the presence of one of these behemoths. The woman wedged what she could have her girth into the aisle seat and then spewed over into my unfortunate wife's space, bowing the armrest by an honest 3 to 4 inches.

This person was so fat she was unable to lower her tray table and forget about even trying the seat belt, which none of the flight attendants ever mentioned (An FAA violation, I believe). Get to the restroom during 3+ hour flight? Not with this sweetie firmly lodged in the aisle seat!

I'm sure there will be whining from people with "glandular problems" and those that are just plain big. To you I say: take it up with the airlines, not me. I'm not the one that decided to fit their planes with narrow seats. That being said, that amount of space is how much the airlines have decreed they will sell for your fare. Not that space PLUS HALF OF MINE! If you need more, buy two tickets or go first class. "But, that will cost me more money!" Yup. Sure will. Not my problem. At 6 feet tall and 180 pounds I'm not a tiny person, but I don't ooze out of my seat and into someone else's.

Consider this: if I'm in a restaurant and someone plops down at my table and eats half of my entree simply because they feel like it I can have them arrested for theft. Why should I subsidize another's travel costs by donating half of my seat?

What to do? Airlines don't seem to have any trouble weighing bags to charge an extra fee, why not make the passengers, all passengers, step on the scale before the flight? Bought your ticket online and lied about your size to get a cheaper fare? Sorry, you'll have to wait for the next flight when they have that extra seat available. "But I'll miss my connection!" Yup. Sure will. Not my problem. Shouldn't have lied in the first place. I'm guessing you won't do it again. I recognize that Continental is probably as gutless as most companies and won't do anything about this problem, but it does feel better to get it off my chest.

Continental Airlines recently lost a bag of mine filled with irreplaceable possessions. This bag was a carry-on bag –not a checked bag, a carry-on –and was moved without my knowledge or permission from the overhead bin. No one has seen the bag since.

This took place on my way to Rhode Island to attend the graduation ceremonies for members of the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women. The First Lady, Mrs. Bush, was scheduled to be there and so, due to the nature of the events, I had packed some good clothes and jewelry and decided to take everything in one carry-on. A flight attendant helped meplace my suitcase in the overhead bin a few rows away from my seat as the bin above me was taken.

After the plane was taxiing down the runway, I was informed that the Continental staff had moved my bag -- supposedly to the lower storage area of the plane. In order to find out whose bag it was. The Continental staff had gone into my suitcase and, from my purse, theygot my return ticket and my name! Yet they did not have enough sense to at least give me my purse or to see if I needed anything (such as my medication) or wanted anything (such as my jewelry) from the bag.

Although they knew from my ticket that I had a connecting flight in New Jersey, they still didn't gate check my bag, which would have allowed me to retrieve it upon exiting the plane at Newark to make my connection to Providence. Instead, they told me that they had checked it all the way through to Providence and handed me a handwritten number. Unsurprisingly, the bag vanished, along with my jewelry. This is the most bizarre action I've ever known an airline to take with respect to a passenger's carry-on luggage, and may well be the most egregious case of airline carelessness you have heard.

Still, it doesn't stop here. Now Continental is claiming no responsibility and has retained Fulbright and Jaworski to fight me. They asked for receipts of all items over $100, which I told them I did not have, so –per their request and suggestion -- I supplied them with credit card statements and personal letters from the store managers who have records of my purchases. I believed that Continental had agreed to honor this information, but absolutely nothing came of it.

They took entirely unnecessary, unapproved, unilateral action over which I had no control and which directly resulted in the loss of my property. There was nothing I could have done to have prevent this, and now they choose to pay exorbitant legal fees rather than compensate me for the loss they caused.

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- I bought a ticket through a travel agency for Continental flights #4, IAH to LHR on 4/7/09 and return #23, DUB to IAH on 4/22/09. Due to changes made by a tour company for my Ireland tour, I was charged a $250 penalty and the ticket was reissued for a Continental return flight on 4/25/09, still from DUB to IAH, Flight #23. Travel to LHR remained the same as before. Continental charged me for two entire tickets- they took about $740 twice from my credit card. They should have taken out only about $740 for the ticket and $250 for the refund.

Immediately upon seeing this on my return, I went to the travel agency. They contacted Continental. I was in the office when the agent was on the phone with Continental. He told me Continental will refund the difference. When the refund did not appear on my credit card statement, I went back to the travel agency. He again called Continental and again assured me that the refund will be given. When I went back the third time, he said that I should contact my credit card company and Continental directly.

The credit card company said that Continental told them that the charges are correct. I then called Continental Refund department and talked to a Ms. ** who told me that, "Yes, Continental should not have charged for 2 tickets." She told me that the penalty to change the ticket is $150. She also said that I should get the difference credited to my credit card. She gave me a case number.

When the next statement came and nothing was credited, my daughter called Continental. She talked to a supervisor named Ms. **. Ms. ** said that the Travel agent filled out something wrong and that we need to go back to the travel agent. She said that the agent should call his sales representative for directions on how to fill out the correct form. I just came back from the travel agent. He called a supervisor today. The supervisor's name is **. He said the supervisor told him that the case is closed and the customer needs to contact Continental.

My credit card company sent me copies of the invoice of Continental taking out $737.50 for TWO tickets for My Name on the same departing flight (#4 on 4/7/09) but different return dates. I also have a copy of the Universal Credit Card Charge Form that I signed for $394.10 ($250 penalty + $144.10 for Aer Lingus LHR-DUB). I also have a copy of the FAX that the travel agency sent to Continental asking for a refund for me. I am in the process of writing to BBB. In the meantime, I searched "where to complain about airlines" and am writing my complaint online to vent my frustrations.

The letter I received said my claim was denied because their policy does not cover stolen ipods. When I called for more info I was told there is nothing they can do but that I could try taking them to court. The specific details are below: On June 20, 2009 I arrived at the airport in Los Cabos to take Continental flight 1453 to Houston. When I arrived at the Continental check in desk, the agent asked to check my bags. I set my 2 bags on the table and the agent inspected the bags, zipped them back up and then handed them to another agent who was standing behind her. The agent took my bags and walked me to the check in kiosk.

While I was using the kiosk the agent took both bags behind the counter and put both of my bags on the conveyor belt to be loaded on the plane and told me that there would be a $25 charge for the second bag. I quickly told him that the small bag was a carry-on and that I did not want it loaded on the plane. The agent said that because it had already been inspected that it could not be carried on. I then told him that if I could not carry-on the bag that I would need to get several items out of the bag.

The agent told me that because the bag had already been inspected and now behind the counter that I could not remove or add any items. I tried to explain to him that there must be a misunderstanding and that I was OK if the bag could not be carried on but that I really needed to remove several valuable items. He apologized for the confusion but said that there was nothing he could do once the bag was inspected and now behind the counter.

When I arrived in Houston I immediately inspected the bag after removing it from the baggage claim carousel and discovered that my iPod touch was missing. I would have never packed any valuable items in luggage that was not a carry-on. I had no choice in this matter and was not allowed any opportunity to remove any valuable items. There was obviously a big misunderstanding between myself and the Continental agent in Los Cabos.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY -- My mom recently traveled on CO83 (Delhi-Newark). She has the worst possible experience in flight and on arrival in Newark. The Continental ground staff in New Delhi was excellent. But after that it was things turned out to be too bad. My mother has traveled before on Air India, Air France and Kuwait airlines and Continental seems to be worst.

My mother has back problems (Collapsed disks). Therefore I ordered wheel chair for her. The New Delhi ground staff were very courteous and helpful and made sure she did not have to do anything that might hurt her back. In Flight the female stewardess simply refused to help her put her bags in the over head bin. A fellow passenger then came to her rescue.

On the ground in Newark nobody came in the plane to assist her with her bag or the wheel chair. When she asked she was rudely told to go look outside. Then outside she found someone holding a wheel chair with her seat tag. The lady with the chair started asking my mother personal questions like what has she brought with her.

Then at the baggage pickup she asked my mother to pick up the baggage herself, put them on the trolley. My mom told her that she will pay her handsomely and then only she helped. But then also my mom did end up picking off the bags. Then the lady started telling my mom that all her luggage will be opened. She asked her if she had bought any fruits etc. Then she said if my mom helps her she will help her back!

When I received my mom the Continental lady was pushing the trolley, my mom was pushing the wheel chair!!! Well I asked for a wheel chair as I know my mom cannot and should not be lifting heavy things. Making her lift heavy luggage is not only wrong but also inhumane. Finally Continental staff offering to help with restricted things at customs is outright criminal. If my mom suffers any pain or injury I am going to hold Continental responsible. I am also going to pursue the seemingly criminal conduct of your staff with regards to customs with US Border and Customs agents.

Here's a copy of the letter sent to Continental: Two months ago, I responded to one of your email promotions for the Chase Presidential Plus credit card. By accepting the card, paying the annual $75 fee and an annual $375 fee, I would have access to the Presidents Club and receive Elite status on the day of travel. The claim of Elite Access on day of travel is fraud. On March 12, my wife and I checked in for flight 9572 leaving Killeen, Texas bound for Tucson with our usual Houston connection. I checked two bags and the elite tags were added to our regular checked tags.

On arrival in Tucson, our first bag was among the last to arrive, contrary to your promise. Our second bag did not arrive. When I checked with your baggage department (handled by U.S. Airways), I was told our bag did not leave Killeen. I was further advised that our bag would arrive in Tucson around 6 PM. That was curious since there were earlier flights the bag could have been put on. As it turns out, our bag did not leave Killeen until their LAST FLIGHT of the day.

I checked further and was told that our bag was not boarded on our original flight due to weight and balance issues. Therefore, your so-called "€œPriority Elite Access" is a total fraud. Your baggage department informed me that bags are removed "at random" and that Elite Access made no difference. Allowing our bag to remain in Killeen for four more flights merely added the proverbial salt to the wound.

Later in the evening, after hearing nothing, I phoned your baggage department (around 9:30 PM) and talked to a lady named (name withheld for this site). She told me that our bag was still lost and that the bags were not checked Elite Access since I was NOT an Elite Access passenger. At that point, I was exhausted and frankly "went off"€ on her and hung up the phone.

The insinuation that I was lying infuriated me. Around 10 PM, the baggage delivery service phoned me and our bag was delivered around 3 AM the following day. As a result of the foregoing, I have no reason to continue with your fraudulent service and am returning your Presidents Club card.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY -- My grandmother is in the hospital (dying any day now). My whole family (from all over the country) has traveled to west palm beach Florida to say their goodbyes. I'm in Florida right now. I usually fly Continental and have a lot of miles with them. So I feel comfortable with the company. But no longer. When I called the airline to book a bereavement ticket the discount was a paltry 5%. Plus you must supply hospital/doctors name etc. I understand their need to verify, but for a 5% discount. That's just plain embarrassing. The company should change this policy or not have one at all.

Now what I wanted most in this ticket was flexibility. I don't know how long I'm going to stay. The agent told me that using my one pass miles I'll have flexibility. This seemed like a good suggestion. Since I know airlines have fees for everything and I annoyingly asked in three different ways if I was going to be charged if I changes the departure. I was assured that I would not be charged.

So, my grandmother took a turn for the worse and I am staying longer. I called Continental to change my ticket and lo and behold out comes the $150 change fee. The agent claims that it has always been their policy to charge $150 fee for changes made within 24 hours. I was embarrassed to explain all about my grandmother and how she's sick and what the other agent had told me.

I did my best to explain. But the agent wasn't budging. Company policy. Seems silly for me to be arguing over $150 at a time like this. But it just make me more upset. I feel like I'm being robbed at my grandmother's hospital bedside. And I also used the max miles for this ticket 50,000. If I could take it all back and fly a different airline I would. Way to go Continental! Customer First indeed!

I came back to France with Continental the 17 of July, have to transit by Newark when I took my bag it was completely wet plenty of fish product, I've to throw some clothes and in the same time the bag. I've been to the service concerned in the airport that gave me a claim form with a note where was notified "bag is wet and smell like fish". I found my bag in a plastic black container, they just told me to send everything to Houston. One month after I received a letter from the claim analyst telling me in conclusion that the solution has to be taken by the personnel in the airport. They give me the solution to send the claim to Houston with their note.

So what's the job of a claim analyst if she don't take responsibility on their act and don't give any solution. I've lost like 200 dollars with the bag that they damage and the clothes inside. They told me "no way to compensate me" with the other company when they have notified they give you another bag or an address where you can take a new one. And they finish the letter hoping that I will fly again with them. I'll make a bad commentary everywhere, I've got many connection with Tours operator, bad publicity.

The claim analyst is just writing letter until we decide to take a lawyer man that is the difference for them. But a simple client that doesn't use lawyer, they just don't care. They wrote me that nothing have been damage, but they are in contradiction with their service personnel in the airport that have notified the damage on their computer. They said customer first, it's not true. I'm working as a guest service manager and I know what it is to recognize the fault and to compensate.

We ordered tickets from Continental Airlines back in April for a destination wedding in the Virgin Islands (St. John). The night before the trip as we packed our suitcases we received a phone call telling us one of our connecting flights was cancelled due to weather. This was baffling to us as weather up and down the East Coast had been fine and there was no bad weather predicted. So since our connecting flight from D.C. to Newark was cancelled, they cancelled our entire flight and booked us to fly out on Wednesday instead of Monday.

The trip was only going to be 5 days and Continental felt it was OK to cut 2 1/2 days off our trip. This flight also would have caused us to miss the wedding. Our condo that cost us $1200 was also already booked for the week. We called Continental Airlines to discuss.

After being hung up on twice while supposedly being transferred, we finally got a hold of a "supervisor". The supervisor explained how our connecting flight was cancelled because of weather. I then asked if the flight from Newark to San Juan was cancelled. Continental explained no. I said "fine, we'll just drive to Newark and catch our flight there." Continental explained we couldn't do that because in the hour that they had cancelled our flight and booked us on the Wednesday flight they had already sold our seats on that flight.

It gets better. Continental had no other flights they could find for us to get us to St. John on Monday. They refused to put us on a competing airline because our trip was cancelled due to weather. We received no personal service to tell us our connecting flight was cancelled and were waived our right to drive to Newark to make the non-cancelled portion of the flight.

Come to find out, it's a common practice to claim weather when an airline overbooks a flight, and this waives them of any liability to make it right to the customer. Continental is most notorious for this practice. The worst part is customer service the entire time we were speaking with them treated us like we were being a burden to them to have them looking for other flights to put us on. They took no notice of the fact that they were potentially ruining a wedding trip that had been planned for months.

The story had a happy ending no thanks to Continental. We flew out on American Airlines but had to pay $300 more per ticket. Luckily the trip was great and the extra money was worth it. But if you have a trip planned on Continental Airlines, I would be worried. They might just bump you from your flight with a half days notice. We are working with a lawyer to recoup our losses.

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- I recently traveled from Cleveland to Honolulu with my grandson on Continental Airlines. The initial flight from Cleveland to Houston was over an hour and a half leaving, according to the gate agents, as the plane was being checked for structural integrity due to a lightening strike the night before. This inspection should not have been done at the gate as it made several of the passengers uneasy. We would have missed the connecting flight in Houston, but that flight had been delayed due to weather. I purchased both tickets at the same time, stated that I was traveling with a child and I fully expected us to be seated together.

I had to argue with the gate agents in Cleveland to make this happen on both outbound flights. After boarding the flight in Houston we sat at the gate for over two and a half hours. Once again, there was a problem with the plane. When we picked up our luggage in Honolulu some sort of grease or oil was smeared on my new luggage and I managed to get the substance on my white slacks. Needless to say, I was unable to get the gunk off my slacks and the luggage is ruined. The slacks are in the trash and I have yet to decide what to do with the luggage. The return trip was no picnic either. When we arrived at the gate the plane was waiting.

At boarding time the gate agents announced that the plane was being returned to the hangar for service. More than three hours later the plane returned to the gate but we were nor boarded. Finally, after repeated questioning from other passengers, the gate agents announced that there was no flight crew. The plane was over four hours late leaving Honolulu, so we missed our connection in Houston. I was seated next to my grandson on the overnight flight from Honolulu to Houston, but not on the flight from Houston to Cleveland. By the way, the rebooked flight from Houston to Cleveland was also late leaving.

There was an intoxicated gentlemen at the gate in Honolulu. He was questioned by one of the gate agents and much to my dismay and the dismay of several other passengers, this man was permitted to board the plane. He managed to get himself in the wrong seat and had further obnoxious drunken words with the flight crew when they tried to get him in the correct seat.

Thankfully, he fell asleep soon after takeoff and was quiet the rest of the flight. Three planes with problems, four late flights and general frustration with the seating and delays will make me think twice before flying Continental again. In fact, the new word, staycation, is sounding better and better all the time.