From: marke@ultra.com (Marke Clinger)
Subject: Re: Continental (was: Airlines to Fly ***Please Read***)
Reply-To: marke@ultra.com (Marke Clinger)
Organization: Ultra Network Technologies
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 92 07:19:42 GMT

In article <1992Sep11.151656.10980@athena.mit.edu> cid@athena.mit.edu (Derek H Cedillo) writes:
> marke@ultra.com (Marke Clinger) writes:
>
>> Continental should be forced out of business
>[lots of contintal bashing]

Ah...I never said this. I said no business has a RIGHT to stay in business
when they do not do the things that businesses normally do to retain 
customers. 

As you read my comments below...remember that Continential offers an
outstanding FF program. They also offer confirmed First Class to 
full fare passangers (which I am 98% of the time). You know it must
be bad when I would rather fly coach on United than First Class on 
Contential....beside their first class stinks.

>Seems like a lot of people have had a lot of bad service on continental.
>thing is, I've always had great service.  I'm not calling anyone a liar, but

It isn't implied that you are calling someone a liar when you have a
different point of opinion or if your experiences are different. I was
more offended by the mention (twice) of the word liar than I would have
been if you said Continential was the greatest airline on earth (which you
did) and that United (my favorate along with American) where the worst
(which you didn't say). Seems you must have been thinking that I made 
the whole thing up in my mind and posted it to the net. Sorry, real
stuff ... I have witnesses too...you can verify my story if you wish :-)

Must be regional. I never had the need to fly the big C when on the
west coast. Only since moving to Denver. I have an even better baggage
story than your C. story. Let me know if you are interested...it was
on United though. 

>again, Im not calling you a liar, but let me share a few experiences with you.

There you go again...You are entitled to your experiences...don't get
me all riled up by saying this!

>In anycase, she gave me a quick spiel about how my luggage probably wouldnt
>make it till the next flight.  Guess what, it made it there on time!

Same story on United and American for me. Once (on United) I pounded on
the gateway ramp door until someone opened it. I pushed them out of the
way and ran toward the plane. When they saw me standing there with
about five feet from the end of the ramp to the edge of the plane and
the door was closed. They phone the plane, opened the door, move the
ramp up, and let me on. As I was "jumping aboard" with baggage in arm
the attendant said "what! this luggage will not fit in here (plane was
packed. I got the last seat) you will have to check it. AH said I.
This was like my first business trip and all my suits where in that
bag.  I told them I must have by six AM in the morning for I am heading
out for a meeting three ours from Detriot. Guess what? It made it on
the plane. Amazing but true. My favorite United story. It was 1988,
San Fran to Detroit. Last plane for the day I got to the gate 2 minutes
before departure.

>I dont think this could have been the case. An FAA certified pilot would not
>try a noise reduction trick that jeoporadizes the saftey of his plane, crew,

The is the real reason I responded to the net. I think I must not have
been as clear as I thought when I posted my first message. I think what
happened is that the engines stalled. I was trying to say that I thought
it was for noise reduction. Then it was apparent that it wasn't because
we were falling. I think the pilots where sweating as bad as the rest
of us. I don't think they care about noise out of ABQ with all that
airforce stuff flying in and out.

>problem.  The Flap problem obviously wasnt too serious, or they wouldnt have
>landed safely (i.e. no emergency landing).  They must have been able to steer

I wasn't there for this one so this is hear say. My friend didn't think
it was too serious either since they landed ok and all. A pilot friend of
his is who said it was so serious. Something to do with one side coming
up while the other was down and the plane flipping. You can through this
one out...you know....hear say.

>and continue to fly them.  If you havent, try not to hold a grudge too
>much.  You may just be looking for bad things because its bankrupt
>and you "expect" bad service and what not.  But if you think about it, customer

Oh...here is the other primary reason for posting in response to your
posting. I decided to stop flying C. before I knew they where bankrupt!
Ok. So I keep my head in the ground. I honestly didn't know until after
the last straw (waiting an hour and a half for a late 7pm Continental
plane...you know the one that always has only 7 - 10 passengers) then
standing around in the DEN airport for 45 mins waiting for luggage that
was already there! It was after that that I made a stink to my flying
buddies about never flying that airline again that they said they don't
fly bankrupt airlines...I responded in my nieve tone "oh, their bankrupt?"
So. I usually support the underdog so it would be the other way around.
Plus...I would like for the big C to be better. I could fly confirmed
first class on them everytime I fly. So, as I said earlier, you know it 
is bad when I would rather fly coach on United than First Class on 
Continental.

>service should (and in my opinion is) be more important on the smaller
>airlines than the larger, becuase thier jobs are at stake.  A few may be angry

You would think so, but Continental out of DEN sure doesn't. Must be
a regional thing.

>at this, but most are working hard to please you so you come back, and

Not out of Denver their not. The baggage guy was even a smart ass about
my luggage at 10:45 pm. 

Marke
-- 
__________________________________________________________________________
Marke Clinger					Ultra Network Technologies
Western Region Systems Engineer			1942 Broadway Suite 213
marke@ultra.com					Boulder, CO 80302
Newsgroups: rec.travel.air