Continental Airlines complaint! [Rude FA EWR-DEL]

sam1168 · Mar 12, 08, 1:29 am

I had a bad experience in Continental airline for the EWR-DEL segment. Could somebody please let me know who I can contact directly, and what is the contact information?

Steve M · Mar 12, 08, 1:57 am

Without knowing more of the details, I think the stock answer would be to call the Customer Care department at 800-WE-CARE-2. This is the number you'd call if you have specific, reasonable remedy in mind for something that happened outside of CO's rules and guidelines. Within those parameters, I've had a 100% positive experience at being satisfied with the results.

However, if your situation is along the lines of "Flight attendant A Matron was very rude to me," this sort of thing is better handled in a letter. This will increase the chances of your letter actually reaching A Matron's supervisor, and you really don't need any response other than the satisfaction that you've done your best to bring it to the proper people's attention.

If you could be more specific as to your grievance, then perhaps more specific advice could be given.

sam1168 · Mar 14, 08, 6:12 am

Indeed! my greivance is that the airhostess was rude to me.... in the first incident, I was rudely woken up by the attendants, when they banged open the tray table only to give me a snack. The second incident, was when I decided to ask for a second croissant for breakfast, the attendant simply burst a fuse and rudely retorted that if any was left they would give it to me. Of course, I did not get one.

I do not think I will be given the approriate service by going throught he CO 1-800 phone line, thus would wish to talk to somebody that can resolve this issue to my satisfaction. I am absolutely repulsed and dread the thought of flying back on CO next month.

Bigpops · Mar 14, 08, 6:59 am

Good luck flying any airlline in 2008, if this is all it took to upset you. Seems pretty petty to me. But I was not there.

FrequentFlyKid · Mar 14, 08, 7:35 am

I should probably keep this thought to myself, but how do people find this site and have the ability to use it; but can't find the number to Continental Airlines?

Maybe the post is poorly worded and the OP is looking for advice rather than just a number, but it just seems odd to me.

tornado · Mar 14, 08, 8:52 am

Great.

The flight attendants were professional and courteous. The thing that I noticed was that the Indian passengers and the FA's had trouble communicating.

The Indians, I know several very well and enjoy their company tremendously, who were high caste really struggled with being treated as "normal people." The FA's didn't do anything special for them and it seemed to rub the Indians of higher caste wrong.

One FA, a black female, was screamed at by an Indian woman who yelled "this is discrimination" when the FA told her to put her 3 year old baby into her own seat for takeoff. The Indian woman was miffed that the FA talked to her directly in a tone that was professional but clear that she was speaking with the authority to demand the child be seated. The Indian passenger demanded to speak with another flight attendent so the pursor came back. He too was a black American and she blew up at him and treated him like garbage. I had misplaced my Gold Elite card before the trip

so I printed one out from the online site before I left. I wrote a letter commending the two FA's on the paper that contained my elite card.

I wonder if the OP is Indian and too felt some sort of subtle class struggle going on there of which the CO FA's were unaware of?

T

cpx · Mar 14, 08, 3:05 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam1168

I had a bad experience in Continental airline for the EWR-DEL segment. Could somebody please let me know who I can contact directly, and what is the contact information?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tornado

Great.

The flight attendants were professional and courteous.

I've seen both, but mostly bad service on this route. I've not been
on the raw end of the deal personally, but I've witnessed them treat other
passengers pretty bad.

I've noticed a big contrast between the CO's domestic service vs.
International.

OP: If you didn't like the service, you should take your business
somewhere else. I think thats the best protest.

**xyzzy** · Mar 14, 08, 3:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpx

I've noticed a big contrast between the CO's domestic service vs.
International.

Me too -- domestic service is pretty good. International service is excellent.

yad · Mar 14, 08, 3:38 pm

talk about petty complaints...the FA saw you were sleeping and probably tried to leave a meal for you. this wakes you up and you get mad. then you ask for a croissant and she says she'll get one for you if they have any left. this is rude exactly how?

**sbm12** · Mar 14, 08, 3:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam1168

I had a bad experience in Continental airline for the EWR-DEL segment. Could somebody please let me know who I can contact directly, and what is the contact information?

While I agree with most the others here that you are unlikely to get anywhere with your complaints, the answer to your question is that you can call CO Customer Care at 800.WeCare2. Good luck with that.

CO 1E · Mar 14, 08, 3:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by yad

talk about petty complaints...the FA saw you were sleeping and probably tried to leave a meal for you. this wakes you up and you get mad. then you ask for a croissant and she says she'll get one for you if they have any left. this is rude exactly how?

Yes - the FA clearly was trying to do the OP a favor. Had he awoken to find that they had skipped him during the meal service, he probably would have complained even more forcefully.

skipmnyc · Mar 14, 08, 4:01 pm

Two weeks ago I flew the EWR/DEL/EWR flights 82/83, on a full coach fare, out on a Friday night, back on the following Saturday night. I'll post my experience with the BF mileage upgrade in the proper thread (which is a story unto itself), but I have to comment that the service outbound was pretty horrendous -- a very rude bunch working on that leg. I don't know what it was, but during the dinner service in my aisle in coach I observed open condescension toward the passengers, with one FA in particular snapping rudely at passengers who were making the most reasonable requests. When it came my turn for the loud exhale of breath and roll of the eyes when I only had a twenty to pay for my wine with dinner, I merely smiled dispassionately and said "thank you." If I let it get to me, an already long, miserable trip would be so much worse. My advice to others in these situations (including the FAs) is to avoid all temptation to get worked up, and take a zen approach. I do wonder where the bad attitude comes from sometimes though. We all have bad days, but my goodness, if you hate the customers that much, you shouldn't be working in a service job (even if the customers act like animals, which they often do -- but in such cases the high road is always the better, disarming, path

). And I fly CO alot, so I will say that bad attitudes are the exception not the rule. CO's FAs are OVERWHELMINGLY professional and courteous.

Btw -- I don't think it's necessary to note the race of particular individuals -- it's not relevant.

CO 1E · Mar 14, 08, 4:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by skipmnyc

I don't know what it was, but during the dinner service in my aisle in coach I observed open condescension toward the passengers, with one FA in particular snapping rudely at passengers who were making the most reasonable requests.

Sounds like my most recent two CO international flights in coach last year. Fortunately, I have not had to fly them (or any other carrier) in coach internationally since then.

rkkwan · Mar 14, 08, 4:21 pm

All the FAs I've met on the numerous CO flights to Europe, HKG and NRT are fine and professional.

But of course, I'm the type that's happy to be woken for my mid-flight snack to/from HKG.

And despite the very light breakfast for the red-eyes to Europe, I never ask for extra croissants. I just go buy some more food after arrival.

Maybe because I understand being a FA is a relatively hard job and not the best paying. So, I try to make work easier for them, not harder.

cruisr · Mar 14, 08, 5:39 pm

It seems that whenever there is a thread with surly, mean, bad service, and CO in the same title it has to do with EWR somehow....

I have to admit after speaking with the EWR Customer Service Mgrs. at the HOuston DO I was encouraged that service would improve. I think that in general at EWR (GAs, PC personnel, etc) it has.

Maybe EWR based flight crews need to have a "secret shopper" fly with them so see how they behave. I'll volunteer as long as I can get FF miles and of course, unlimited upgrades. I think it would be imperative to check out the service from the FC FAs....

Cheers