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Old Oct 19, 2011, 9:04 am
  #1  
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Reward Travel

Hi,

quick question,can you book a rt reward travel ticket with millage from two (2) diffrent OP acounts? or does the full millage needed has to be taken out of one single acount?

Also do you know if the cape air San Juan (PR) to EIS in the Bvi´s is bookable via reward travel,it wont schow up online.


thx
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Old Oct 19, 2011, 11:31 am
  #2  
 
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You can book two one way rewards, one from each of the accounts.
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Old Oct 20, 2011, 4:55 am
  #3  
 
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One way awards from any account. One of the best changes that airlines have made in the past 2 years (maybe the only good change!)
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Old Oct 25, 2011, 3:52 pm
  #4  
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so mexican onepass agent said cape air San Juan (PR) to EIS is not bookable qith miles,does anyone know if this is true considering you can purchase it with $...
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Old Oct 25, 2011, 5:10 pm
  #5  
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Originally Posted by pmlflyer
so mexican onepass agent said cape air San Juan (PR) to EIS is not bookable qith miles,does anyone know if this is true considering you can purchase it with $...
Not all Cape Air flights are bookable with miles..
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Old Oct 30, 2011, 4:35 pm
  #6  
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More recent discussion here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...rd-ticket.html

Cape Air's Caribbean operations offer codeshared connecting service from San Juan, PR (SJU) to the following destinations: Mayaguez, PR (MAZ); Ponce, PR (PSE); Vieques, PR (VQS); St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (STX); St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT); and Tortola, British Virgin Islands (EIS). In addition, there is connecting service from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT) to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (STX). Cape Air flies a fleet of Cessna 402 aircraft in the domestic U.S. and Caribbean and ATR-42 aircraft in Micronesia.


Continental OnePass members can earn and redeem rewards on all Continental Connection and codeshared flights.
(bolding mine)

The above is from the Co.com page.


I have in the past redeemed awards CLE-SJU-EIS. I do not know what has changed and have been trying to get a response via email but have had no reply yet. The flights ex-SJU are all CO codeshares as long as connect through from another CO flight. They *should* be bookable for rewards and have been in the past.

I am really starting to get a bit cranky about this. I've never used the "email to jeff smisek" tactic, but I'm getting close on this one. I need to book soon and want to use miles.

Edit: btw, what is Mr. Smisek's email? (in case I go another week with no response from a CO CSR)
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Old Nov 4, 2011, 5:07 am
  #7  
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Bump-

No response at approx 1 month from CO.

Can some one hit me with Mr. Smisek's email. I'm going with the "take it to the corner office" approach.
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Old Nov 16, 2011, 7:50 pm
  #8  
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Well, after another month I finally broke and contacted Mr. Smisek's office. I await a reply.

Here's a quick review of the email chain leading up to it:

Good morning -
I'm contacting you as I've had a number of different responses from
the elite desk reward trying to book a reward flight to Beef Island
tortola from CLE
About a month ago I noticed that the reward calandar would not load
for any flights to EIS. I know that have in the past booked saverpass
inventory via EIS. I spoke to the elite desk at that time who said
there was a computer issue with reward inventory not transferring
properly from Cape Air. The note is see online when attempting to
search is
"Continental.com could not find any available flights for reward
travel meeting your requirements.
I called back a few days later and received the same claim of
"computer glitch" from another elite agent and was isntructed to wait
a week and call back.
Today I spoke with an elite agent who claimed that Cape Air flights
could only be booked for reward ex-florida and had been so "as long as
I've been working here...at least 10 years." Since I know this to be
incorrect as I have fregquently noted saverpass reward inventory on
the CLE-SJU-EIS routen in the past I am trying to get some assistnace.
The Co.com website, with regards to Cape Air notes:
"Cape AirCape Air's Caribbean operations offer codeshared connecting service
from San Juan, PR (SJU) to the following destinations: Mayaguez, PR
(MAZ); Ponce, PR (PSE); Vieques, PR (VQS); St. Croix, U.S. Virgin
Islands (STX); St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT); and Tortola,
British Virgin Islands (EIS)
In addition, there is connecting service
from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT) to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin
Islands (STX). Cape Air flies a fleet of Cessna 402 aircraft in the
domestic U.S. and Caribbean and ATR-42 aircraft in Micronesia.
Continental OnePass members can earn and redeem rewards on all
Continental Connection and codeshared flights. OnePass miles and Elite
Qualification points earned on eligible Cape Air flights count toward
Elite status."

If someone could help me work through how to go about booking this reward it would be much appreciated.
>
Thanks alot!
dergon darkhelm
Reply1 ( 30 days later)

Dear Dergon Darkhelm:
Thank you for contacting Continental Airlines. Please forgive our delayed
response.

We are committed to excellent customer service, and we make every effort
to accommodate our customers. I regret I am unable to quote availability or
make reservations in response to e-mail requests because of the complexity
>> of some routings, the frequent changes in fares and availability, and the
>> lag time in communicating via e-mail.
For schedules and OnePass information please visit our website under
>> "Onepass Frequent Flyer" and choose "Make Reward Reservation" from the
>> dropdown menu.
>
>>
>
>> You may wish to review our web site for available options at:
>> http://insidecoair/Reservations/trai...okingguide.asp
>
>>
>
>> To review destinations served by Continental Airlines and its partners you
>> may wish to review this link below.
>
>>
>> http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...es/served.aspx
>
>>
>
>> We appreciate your business and hope to see you on a future Continental
>> Airlines flight.
Dergon's reply:

I'm sorry for any misunderstanding in my email.
>
>
>
> I am not asking you to book the reward ticket for me via email.
>
>
>
> I am asking for clarification regarding the policy on reward travel to
>
> EIS via Cape Air. Per all information on co.com (as quoted below and
>
> seen by me during reward searches in the past), Cape Air flights as CO
>
> codeshares should be available for reward travel booking. However,
>
> both the website and the elite desk booking agents show nothing for
>
> these flights.
>
>
>
> Thank you for the links.... but I have already used the website and
>
> they reward bookings are not loaded.
>
>
>
> So... If you could please clarify the relationship with Cape Air, the
>
> availabilty of Cape Air codeshares for reward travel bookings, and
>
> help to guide to an elite desk agent who can help (or direct this to
>
> the website managers for correction) then you would be of some
>
> assistnace.
>
>
>
> Thank you,

dergon
Next CO reply:

Dear Mr. Darkhelm

Thank you for your reply.
>
> The links I provided should reference available flight routes even utilizing
> our Star Alliance partners. Regrettably, I too was unable to locate the
> destination you desired.
>
> It is possible the destination may have been available at one point. Please
> keep in mind, flight schedules are often evaluated and available routes
> offered may change seasonally. .
>
> Decisions to reduce service are made following careful consideration and
> market analysis. We strive to maximize our resources by strategically
> placing each of our aircraft in a market or route where it will provide the
> most benefit. We continue to review alternatives to make sure we do what is
> best for our customers, shareholders, and the communities we serve.
>
> We truly regret disappointing or inconveniencing our customers. I regret
> that I was unable to offer further assistance with this matter.
>
> Your comments have been included in a report that is distributed to senior
> management for internal review.
>
> Again, we appreciate your e-mail and hope to see you on a future Continental
> Airlines flight.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
> CO CSR
And my final:





Hi CO CSR-

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Now we're getting somewhere - and I appreciate your efforts thus far.
This is where I need you for the formal clairification so I can on to
the business of booking my travel.


1) Contintental does provide service via it's codeshare partnership
with Cape Air to EIS. Therefore it is not a service reduction. The
relationship with Cape air remains unchanged based on all published
materials.
2) "Cape Air's Caribbean operations offer codeshared connecting
service from San Juan, PR (SJU) to the following destinations:
Mayaguez, PR(MAZ); Ponce, PR (PSE); Vieques, PR (VQS); St. Croix, U.S.
VirginIslands (STX); St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (STT); and
Tortola British Virgin Islands (EIS)."
3) Continetal's agreement with Cape Air specifies "Continental
OnePass members can earn and redeem rewards on all Continental
Connection and codeshared flights. OnePass miles and Elite
Qualification points earned on eligible Cape Air flights count toward
Elite status."

So - we have three things that all add up to bookable reward travel.
I need to figure out if it is a computer glitch, a change in the
loading of inventory, an unpublished change in the relationship with
Cape Air (the 3 leading explanations I have been given by telephone
elite desk agents) or something else.

I truly appreciate your taking the time to forward this up the chain.
If you could cc me on the follow-up email to this it would be
appreciated so that I can contact other directly as well.

Thank you again for your efforts on my behalf.

dergon
I then forwarded the chain along to Mr. Smisek with a request for assistance and clarification.

We'll see. Such a trivial matter. I feel like an old persnickitty bast*rd. You think you'd be able to get a clear answer after a couple or months but .... *shrugs* ... we'll see.
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Old Nov 17, 2011, 7:42 am
  #9  
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I've wondered about this lack of availability on Cape Air out of SJU as well and wish you the best of luck. Please do not relent in your efforts!

Hopefully, you'll eventually receive a meaningful response from UACO.
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Old Nov 17, 2011, 1:28 pm
  #10  
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Well , at least it is a reply

I guess escalation gets the wheels rolling- no answer, but moving forward at least---

Dear Dergon,

Thank you for contacting Continental. I was asked to reply on behalf of Jeff Smisek.

Currently, we are not showing award travel is applicable for travel from Cleveland to Tortola. We are researching further and should have an answer within a few days.

My direct line is LOL-555-5555 and I am available for calls Tuesdays through Fridays if you would like to discuss meanwhile.

Kind regards,

Someone More Important than who you've been dealing with your up to now.

Customer Care Manager
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Old Nov 23, 2011, 1:22 pm
  #11  
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So. I just received a phone call from a very nice woman in CO Customer Relations on the behalf of Mr. Smisek's office.

and .....


They have no idea what's going on.


to paraphrase:

"Well, Dr. Darkhelm. We've being working with your issue and still haven't been able to come to a resolution or a cause of the problem. We've forwarded it along to another set of people who are going to try to fix it. We just wanted to let you know that we're still working on the problem"


So at least CO acknowledges that there is some systemic issue with their Cape Air travel rewards and are *trying* to do something about it.
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Old Nov 24, 2011, 8:49 am
  #12  
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And I'm also still dealing with the regular line of CO customer care. About 2 hours after receiving the above "we're working on it" phone call, I get an email from a different CO person -

Dear Dergon:

Thank you for your reply. Please forgive my delayed response. I have been away from the office.

In any case, at present I have discovered that Cape Air (9K) whom usually services this market has not been enabled for reward bookings on Continental.com or through our Reservation department.

At present, if you desire to travel from Cleveland to Tortola, you would need to purchase a revenue ticket.

The award ticketing option may only be available with connections from Cleveland to San Juan but from there you would have to purchase a revenue ticket.

I'm very sorry but it does not appear that Cape Air or any of our other partners offer reward seat availability to Tortola.

Again, we appreciate your e-mail and hope to see you on a future Continental Airlines flight.


Regards,

XXXX XXXXXX
Customer Care Manager
Re: 5060129
So I am again in follow-up asking-

What does "has not been enabled for reward bookings" mean? Are you aware that what you just told me is entirely contradictory to the posted rules clearly stated on Co.com?

__

I am glad I got the phone call before receiving this email because it's this kind of bland "go f*ck yourself and just buy a revenue ticket" (stated much more politely, of course) that makes my blood boil.
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Old Dec 27, 2011, 2:15 pm
  #13  
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Well.... CO CSRs have beaten me down.

A few more back and forth emails brings this:

Dear Dr. Darkhelm,

Thank you again for contacting us and for your patience.

Booking reward travel on Cape Air can only be done through OnePass
Reservations. Reservations must customize availability with a
connection through San Juan. Due to demand during February and the
smaller aircraft that Cape Air operates, flights may not be available
for your desired dates. In my research, the first available date I
found outbound in February was the 28th and the first return I found was
for March 20 with a pricing of 95,000 miles.

I hope this helps you.

Kind regards,

Dana XXXX
Customer Care Manager
THey win.

I give up.

No reason as to why the flights are no longer searchable on CO.com, or why you can't just EasyPass if you wanted.

But they win the war of attrition after 'lo these many months and have beaten my down enough to make me quit asking.

Kudos, CO!
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Old Dec 27, 2011, 2:22 pm
  #14  
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I feel your pain i gave up on the matter too,specially since the elite desks in the usa and in mexico give a lot of mumbojumpo on the whys
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Old Dec 27, 2011, 3:07 pm
  #15  
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Have you tried writing to UA Insider?

The UA Insider team is one of the few teams of people who will "get it" right away with respect to this sort of issue.

Dealing with the regular channels on this sort of issue will just get you exasperated as you've experienced.
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