[mnedmonds]

Couple days ago used miles for intl tkt from Austin to Nice, France and back via London and Wash DC for wife and myself. Itinerary incl Continental coach over and Virgin and United Business First on return . No problem getting seat assignments on Continental portion but although website lets me assign seats on Virgin portion they don't "stick" on the actual res. For the United portion I'm to go to united.com to get my seats with a separate United confirmation #. That site repeatedly over several days tells me the conf # can't be accessed and to try again. So I called my Continental elite # (for the first time ever) for help. Was on hold for 20 minutes and hung up. Then called my Continental Presidential Plus Master card that's supposed to offer world class travel advice and help with the credit card for only $495 a year for the first time in the six months I've had the card. They were lots of help... willing to reconnect me to the same # I'd been on hold at for 20 minutes. Then went on the Continental website for the "live" help only to find it's just a computer sending back canned responses that don't answer or solve the issue.

I guess this is what passes for customer service at the new Continental/United today. A couple things for sure for me in future ... I won't be renewing the Continental Presidential Plus card in October when my $495 annual fee is due and I'm going to try to use up all my nearly one million miles on Continental/United and switch my future air travel to Southwest which has consistently given me superior service when I fly them.

[mnedmonds]

Called again tonight for intl service rep and was dropped after 21 minutes. Called back and waited 50 minutes to get thru. And she couldn't access Lufthansa, Virgin, or United to get me seats and suggested I call all three individually or via web again to try obtaining seats. Then told me my final leg was not business first and as res was made online I'd have to speak with online agent to fix the situation. That was 17 minutes ago and again I'm still on hold so I've now spent like an hour and a half on hold for zero help. About to hang up. These people are unbelievably incompetent.

[jimworcs]

Outrageous. Monopolies treat customers like crap. Delta and united have been given permission to get far too big. They need breaking up or face real competition