Complain about a product or service

Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines • Bereavement • Canines • Delays • Luggage • Minors • Overbooking • Rudeness • Treatment of asthmatics

It's beyond sad to see how severely service has deteriorated at major carriers. How is it that jetBlue, Southwest and the other low-fare carriers can offer such friendly, even enthusiastic, service while the likes of Continental snarl and snap at their customers?

Southwest says its secret is that it hires friendly people. Maybe a few of the high-cost, low-service carriers should take a lesson from this.

A few of the more recent complaints ...

Vennessa of Killeen, TX August 10, 2008

Vennessa of Killeen TX (08/10/08)
We arrived at the Bush International Airport and then to Greater Killen Airport on Aug 7, 2008. Upon arrival there was no luggage, they provided us a claim number and told us to check back. We contacted them and they said it was in.

My husband went to the airport and our luggage had zip ties on it. On many occassions Continental has misplaced our luggage but has never put zip ties on them. So when he got them and seen the zip ties he cut them off right there in the presence of the clerk on duty. As he went through the luggage he noticed that most of his valuable items were missing. He had a playstation 3 removed from its box and then the box returned to the suit case. Also the games that he had; had been removed from the cases and the cases put back. All of his watches and Through Back Jerseys were stolen.

Contacted the Airlines and they blamed it on customes, called customes and they blamed it on the airline. Bottom line is I need someone to help me find the individual that did this. I have the boxes that may have finger prints from the individual because if they were stupid enough to put the boxes back in then maybe they were stupid enough to not were gloves while committing this crime.

Loss of over 2000 of hard earned cash.

Rhonda of Lake Dallas, TX August 2, 2008

Rhonda of Lake Dallas TX (08/02/08)
I was on a flight back to New Orleans from Houston recently (7/31/2008 (CO 1423), and was in awe when the flight attendant yelled at a passenger for requesting assistance with a passenger who had fainted. The attendants were at the front of the plane by the cockpit, and more than one passenger tried to get their attention. The lady asked them to get the AED repeatedly. Neither of them moved. Then, the attendant finally came over and yelled at the lady. No one knew a thing about the guy who fainted, nor his condition.

So, in my opinion, asking for the AED was fine. She still didn't do anything to help this guy. Male passengers had to help him. The attendents were very rude, and seemed like they had no emergency training!

My second issue is luggage---LOST. I called all day, and got a different story every time about where my luggage was headed. I was yelled at by a luggage associate at the 1800 number. It's now 8/1/2008 at 930pm, and I still don't have my luggage, and I fear that something will be missing because it's traveled to several cities since last night. I will never fly Continental Airlines again, nor will I recommend them to my worst enemy.

I had meetings set up today. I potentially lost revenue. I had no clothes.

S of Tallahassee, FL July 31, 2008

S of Tallahassee FL (07/31/08)
Wanted to request a bassinet seat for my 18 month old baby. The associate told me what part of no do you not understand. I told them I understand you cannot RESERVE but how about a REQUEST. He hung up on me. Extremely extremely rude people. I am going to send BBB the recorded conversation. Continental cannot treat customers like this.

Kathy of Fullerton, NE July 29, 2008

Kathy of Fullerton NE (07/29/08)
We had e-tickets to fly out of omaha, ne 7-25 @7:05a.m. We were in the airport, in line with 45 minutes to spare when got to the clerk to get our boarding passes. We were told it was too late to board and they would book us another flight. All clocks showed we had 45 minutes until our flight left, yet they would not issue us passes. We were headed to Tampa, Fl for a business meeting at 3pm which we easily would have made--instead we sat in the omaha airport and didn't leave until 3pm, putting us in tampa at 9:30pm. This cost my husband a business opportunity and the expense of flying for a wasted trip! Hopefully, someone will take responsibility for this and do something about it!

Our company was to purchase a machine for our business, but we missed the meeting. We would never have flown to florida for 48 hrs. just for the heck of it!

Ana of Antioch, CA July 29, 2008

Ana of Antioch CA (07/29/08)
Due to a death in the family I found myself needing to travel to Europe. Since I had to meet my brother coming from LAX, we found Continental Air a viable carrier. July 01, 2008 I purchased a round trip ticket . From LIS we were given both our boarding passes for flights. As I reach New Jersey I cleared Customs, rechecked my bags and checked my boarding gate into SFO, gate 75 as it was stated on my boarding pass! The flight had been early, so when I reached the gate I sat down and waited for boarding to commence. After some time had elapse I started to get worried for I wasnt seeing the usual flurry of activity normal to pre boarding.

This is when I reach the counter and asked when was my flight to board or was it late! The agent at gate 75 informed me that the flight I was seeking had been re routed to gate 90 and that I better hurry or I would miss it. As I got to gate 90 I was informed that said flight had left and that I better hurry to the Customer Service counter. Again I ran to said location, now a bit miffed and annoyed for all the running around that I was being put through. At the customer counter I asked to see the supervisor. I was being major inconvenienced and I was appalled at the customer service I was receiving.

Why had such change not been aired through their PA system? I was then told the supervisor wasnt available, then I asked if he/she could contact me by phone; I had my cell and I needed to ask a few questions. That was also impossible and if I wanted to make the next flight I should pretty much run to gate 120. Because I was quite exasperated I was handed a complaint form. On reaching gate 120 I approached the agent at the counter explained what had happened and asked if as customer service could they at least bump me up to a better seat and in thus fashion I would be satisfied, the answer from the agent was Hell No!. As I boarded the plane I was so irate that I couldnt even see straight. Was this the famous Customer Service that their CEO so falsely advertised while captive in our seats waiting to take off? He has some nerve! The plane ended up taking off late, for as we were informed: they had to wait for a connecting flight.

From my seat as I waited for the progression of my saga I put in a complaint. Today I was further insulted by adding insult to injury; offered 120 bucks in a certificate, that off course I would have to redeem on Continental Air. Too bad Continental doesnt engage secret flyers or even give their customer handlers some sort of training on how to be courteous to their passengers, their attitude is the worst I have ever encountered in all of my years of travel.

All I have to say is this: I will be their worst negative promotional agent. My dollar my choice! Continental will never see another dime out of my pocket!

I had to re chedule all my apointments over and over.

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