<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NonRev99:
I think what you're missing is what "can be done" and what is "within the guidelines to do."
For instance, it is possible for an agent to issue you 10 free round-trip first class tickets to Paris. It would cost the agent his/her job, but IT CAN BE DONE.
Maybe what the agent should share with you is "I'm not willing to risk my job to bend the rules for you." Would that make more sense?</font>
Funny analogy, but there are many problems with that including:
- Continental doesn't offer First Class service to Paris
- Continental doesn't advertise 10 free roundtrip first class tickets to customers asking for the "rules to be bent"
- Continental does advertise complimentary upgrades on routings within 49 of the United States and select international flights within defined periods of time for Elite members and when "upgrade-eligible" premium seats exist ("F" for example). A Platinum Elite asking for an F seat within five days is hardly the same as asking for ten free roundtrip tickets to Paris. <I will acknowledge there is good reason for Continental to discourage agents from manually upgrading Elite passengers. Hopefully Continental is comitted to building a better (yet equitable) EUA mousetrap.>
Basically, NonRev99, I agree that it is probably wise for agents to stick to the rules. I couldn't disagree more with the spirit of your post, however.