[flyphotog]

This story is long and convoluted...I arrived at DEN for my 7am flight to LGA at 5:30am to check in. The lines were long and check in was under staffed. I think many customers are angry today. My companion traveling on another airline jumped to the counter to inform them of my flight time, and they simply said - "you are going to miss your flight". I waited in line an hour to learn they were over booked for the entire day and I would be #10 on stand by. Customer service suggested I could fly with Continental for a $35 paper ticket transfer. I asked if this would be the only cost - I was assured it would be. So, over to Continental who refused to fly me without my bags - then back to Frontier - "your bags will meet you in LGA". Back to Continental " Oh no, we have no ticket exchange agreement with Frontier - $285 extra to board this plane which is leaving in 10 minutes please". Arrive at LGA - Frontier "Sorry your bags won't be here for 5 hours, Continental is responsible for them" - Continental - "we are not responsible for your bags" Frontier "yes you are" Continental "no we are not - you are disconnected from them" Frontier -"Ok we will deliver bags to your home". 12am phone call wakes me up after 15 hours of travel - Frontier "Your bags are here - we will not deliver them".

Today - 6 hours of phone calls back and forth to Frontier and Continental - neither will deliver my bags after both again said Yes, and then No as I was bounced between customer care and the baggage claim at airport over the phone. Now I have to go to LGA to pick up my bags!

I feel completely misinformed, abandoned and taken advantage of by both airlines. There was obvious animus between the companies both at DEN and LGA. At DEN Continental employees smirked and giggled about Frontiers lack of ticket exchange agreement. At Laguardia a Frontier representative accompanied me to Continental to state their position about baggage responsibility, and an argument ensued. I was astounded by the complete lack of professionalism, and the fact that I, the customer was left in such a position.

Frontier are amateurs and Continental should know better than to separate the baggage from the customer in this equation. Shame on both of them.

[jimworcs]

This illustrates perfectly how low this industry has sunk...time for some legislative action.. the market is distorted and consequently failing. When will the legislators wake up and smell the coffee?.. (perhaps after they have finished counting their millions of dollars of bribes, oh sorry, I meant campaign contributions).

[flyphotog]

Distorted indeed. I have only flown often enough over the years to see a drastic decline in service take place in huge negative steps. I am an understanding fellow, and polite as well. They could not have given a damn on the ground or at corporate on this occasion, unfortunately. And this has led me to wonder how many other airline travelers have been faring. This has a minor sting for me, but I am certain it adds up across the industry.

I think I understand the restrictions of this economy, and the need for profit. I also understand I could have made better, more informed decisions as a consumer myself. But I can't help but feel in some way like I was an easy mark in a Las Vegas scam. The last thing one expects after all, is arriving still groggy from sleep for a 7am flight home from vacation, only to be enrolled in a crash course at the school of hard knocks - airline style. And further being forced to make expensive decisions with no guarantees in rapid succession, while only trying to get home and back to paying taxes.

Piecing my experience together, I recall the first Frontier agent saying to herself softly "Hmm, I don't know why I lost you in the system". This was repeated again by another agent on a return visit from Gate B to C (Frontier to Continental) which I made a number of times via train/tram and speed walking over 2 hours, because the two companies do not communicate via phone or internet to facilitate a transaction so complex, one could be lost while securing his journey, simply by some errant clicks of a mouse, key stroke or through no fault of the agent apparently.

Lost in the system indeed. A broken system. One that for me started with over burdened agents, who for the most part just wished push me on so as to deal with the next unhappy customer, and who only partially explained policies which they themselves did not understand, and consequently made up on the fly. I appreciate their need for creativity under such overwhelming circumstances. Sighing and blaming the boss with an "I hear ya" gesture was about the best I got."

This entire drama was replicated during my several hour phone experience, in which I was advised by both airlines to contact the other about who would claim responsibility for my luggage. All the representatives were quite understanding and accommodating at first...but then I would be put on hold...sometimes the music would stop...I'd wonder... had I been disconnected? Later the customer service agent would return, and need some more info from the other carrier...which I had to call them to get...this went back and forth in several calls throughout the day.

Somehow during these phone calls none of my info was lost. This new info was accumulating in the system, and every new department I spoke with across companies, received every update. In the end, I lost on a technicality when it was determined that I was "disconnected" from my baggage by Frontier - or wait - was it Continental. Neither will claim my bags for delivery, and Continental see's no reason to pay for Frontiers mistakes, so I will be driving to Laguardia at 6am before work tomorrow.

I've learned since that Frontier is held by Republic Airways Holdings. I will be contacting their Chief Operating Officer to share my experience.

Blue Skies

[azstar]

The airline you ended up flying into your final destination is responsible for handling luggage claims and delivery of delayed baggage regardless of who originally checked your baggage. That's standard industry practice. End of story. So, if you arrived on Continental they are 100% responsible for your luggage claim. As for Continental telling you they have no ticket and/or baggage agreement with Frontier is an outright lie. I know for a fact they do, and always have had.

[Leatherboy2006]

azstar, did Frontiers and Continental ticketing and/or baggage agreement change with they were bought by Republic?

[azstar]

Originally Posted by Leatherboy2006

azstar, did Frontiers and Continental ticketing and/or baggage agreement change with they were bought by Republic?

No, they still have a bilateral ticketing and baggage agreement.

[flyphotog]

Frontier insisted my bags were Continentals responsibility too. No matter who I talked to in customer care at either company, the answer always came back the same - call the other carrier. I heard from several Continental agents that there is no ticket agreement between the companies. And as I stated above, Reps from each company argued about this fact in front of me.

I thought paying an additional $285 to fly Continental + the $35 paper ticket transfer (which now appears to have been charged to me twice!) would insure my baggage would get to me some how if it was not waiting for my arrival as promised.

The bags were supposed to travel on the original Stand by flight, but apparently came a couple flights later in the day. When I picked them up this morning, they were marked RUSH - Ha!

I had to drive to Laguardia before work this morning to pick up my bags from Frontier. This whole experience has me disgusted with both airlines. It has cost me money, time and energy well beyond what I had budgeted for this vacation.

[flyphotog]

Originally Posted by azstar

No, they still have a bilateral ticketing and baggage agreement.

So if this is the case - why was I charged $35 paper ticket + $100 cancellation + $185 balance of Continental ticket cost vs Frontier?

I was told by Frontier customer service that the only charge to fly Continental would be the $35 paper ticket.

[azstar]

It looks likeyou checked in within 45 minutes of your flight departure. Every airline has the same policy. You must be checked-in prior to that time or they are under no obligation to do anything for you. I know Frontier's policy is to confirm you on the next flight if they have seats available. If not, it's stand-by. So, they offered you the option of printing your ticket so you could try to use it on another airline. Most airlines will accept each other's at face value because it's supplemental income... a passenger they wouldn't have had. However, if Continental refused to accept it that's their perrogative. You can't force them to take it without additional payment.

The lesson is to check-in online if you have access to a computer. If not, you absolutely have to be at the check-in desk checked in prior to the cut off time. Unfortunately, all airlines short staff their counters so it is the passengers responsibility to allow time for long lines and a lengthy process.

I'm not justifying it, but that's the way it is. Your complaint, therefore, is really with Continental not Frontier. Frontier would have to accommodate and compensate you for overbooking their flight ONLY IF you had checked in more than 45 minutes prior to departure for your original flight.