[gunder999]

Who else can I complain to anyone have any idea's on receiving compensation?



I was booked on flight 467y gate c-34 departing Houstan at 8:55 pm boarding at 8:20 pm for Seattle, WA. I arrived at the gate and asked the continental rep if I needed to check in and if this was the right gate, she said yes it was the right gate and no I didn't need to check in as I had a seat assignment. I waited and waited and when I finally got nervous I went to the continental counter to see what was going on.

They said the gate was changed and the plane had already left. They were fairly rude and very unhelpful, they booked me and another lady who happened to be in tears on the next flight. the next day. They offered us no compensation or any offer to put us up in a hotel room. They did NOT announce the gate change and if the did so it was prior to us arriving, which was withing the time the ticket says we needed to. The departure screen said the flight was on schedule and there were people at the gate. we had no reason to assume anything was wrong.

The counter people were very condescending and left us alone in a strange city without any help.

I also had no luggage as it was sent on to Seattle without me, they also did not call out our names or make any effort what so ever to see to our needs. I was worried about the luggage and when I called Seattle was also spoken to very rudely and told there was nothing they could do to safeguard my luggage other than pick it up if it was left unclaimed.

[PHXFlyer]

I'm sorry you missed your flight, but gate changes do happen, especially @hub cities which IAH is a hub for CO. Unfortunately gate change announcements are sometimes limited to the immediate area or concourse where the original departure gate is located and even if the announcement was made to the entire terminal it's possible that with all the noise in the airport you did not hear it. Gate changes are ALWAYS updated on the video display monitors throughout the airport and as a frequent traveler I always double check those monitors especially when I am enroute to the departure gate to make sure there wasn't a last-minute gate change. Since I mostly connect through Houston my boarding pass for the connecting flight was issued sometimes hours before the departure time so I never rely on the gate information printed on the BP.

Having been through IAH quite a bit, I am wondering when you approached the gate you thought was correct for your flight did you not notice the display? At every gate @IAH there is an electronic display which has the flight #, destination, departure time, boarding time, and any delay information. Those diplays are controlled by Continental Operations so when the gate for your flight was changed, so too the info. on the diplay would have been updated to reflect the next flight's info. departing out of that gate.

Did the agent you spoke to actually look at your boarding pass? If so, I'm guessing s/he probably mis-read the flight information or just checked to see if you had a seat assignment and nothing more. It's unfortunate that the agent wasn't more attentive, but ultimately it is your responsibility to be at the proper departure gate.

If you wish to pursue this further, you can call CO @800.WE.CARE2 (800.932.2732) or write:

Customer Care
Continental Airlines, Inc.
900 Grand Plaza Drive NHCCR
Houston, TX 77067-4323

[gunder999]

Thanks
Yes I was watching the departure screen intently and didn't know there was a problem until the flight number disappeared from the screen. The gate agent did look at my boarding pass as I handed it to her. I believe my biggest complaint was the condescending attitude from the staff at the Continental Counter and the follow up phone calls. I am now working with Anne Munoz
Director, customer care
(800) 932-2732
[email protected]

or actually her assistant

Tracy Self-King
Customer Care Department
Continental Airlines
832-235-1871

So far this lady has been pleasant to work with and I am hoping for some reasonable resolution. Wish me luck

[Silent Bob]

I don't think you'll get any compensation for this, other than some travel vouchers, which is of no loss to the airline. For instance I would not tell them "I waited and waited at the gate" and then follow up with "I watched the departure boards intently", because the boards should have correct gate info on them. And never, ever walk up to a gate and ask "If you have to check in", because your already checked in when you went to the counter. Finally, if you are unsure the info given at the gate is correct, do what I do and ask at the service center.

[gunder999]

I negotiated a refund for the hotel expenses and a travel voucher for 250.

[msc39nj]

Let's help get Continental to the top of the customer complaint list with the DOT, where we all know they belong. Don't submit false complaints. It's not necessary. The way this airline operates, there are too many legitimate complaints. Here is a great article about the right places to complain, and, unlike Continental's web-site, offers an email address to send complaints, and links to a web form: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...woodyard_x.htm

email: [email protected]
form: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/escomplaint/es.cfm

[rudybjr]

If that were true the aircraft would have left empty with ALL passengers needing to be rebooked the next day....

[mattkay]

Originally Posted by gunder999

Thanks
Yes I was watching the departure screen intently and didn't know there was a problem until the flight number disappeared from the screen. The gate agent did look at my boarding pass as I handed it to her. I believe my biggest complaint was the condescending attitude from the staff at the Continental Counter and the follow up phone calls. I am now working with Anne Munoz
Director, customer care
(800) 932-2732
[email protected]

or actually her assistant

Tracy Self-King
Customer Care Department
Continental Airlines
832-235-1871

So far this lady has been pleasant to work with and I am hoping for some reasonable resolution. Wish me luck

Hi. could you please keep me posted on how these people treat you (Tracy and Ann). I also had a really difficult experience on CON. and found the same condescending attitude.

[jimworcs]

Matt, Gunder has already told us how Tracy and Ann treated them. Here is the post:

I negotiated a refund for the hotel expenses and a travel voucher for 250.

[jbuddenh]

Continental does a poor job in many areas: about a year ago in Mexico City I went to the departure gate about an hour before departure and there was no person and no indication of any flight. The flight was not posted on any monitor, so I decided to return later. At about 30 min before departure I returned to the gate. Same thing: no person, no message, no nothing. So I went to the public information booth and was told that I would have to ask at the gate. But there was no one to ask, and no sign. I was afraid I would miss my flight, as there were no other Continental gates that I could see. Finally at about 15 minutes before departure there was an announcement on the public address system to the effect that it was last call for boarding for flight ### at gate ###, which was the new gate. About 3 other passengers in the same boat as me ran all the way to the other end of the concourse and just made the flight. Apparently, most passengers arriving at check-in later than me were given the correct gate number.

But Continental totally forgot about the 4 of us that ran. A small hand-written sign at the old gate would have done the trick.

After rude treatment recently at the Houston customer service of Continental Airlines, I have a new policy: I will pay more to fly on any other carrier.