What's OPSC? I called the number on my card. FWIW the 2nd hold was answered in ~5min (still longer than any UA call I recall), and the woman couldn't solve my issue... so I get to call back again.

I just tried and my call was answered in less than one minute...and the OPSC in about three minutes...

I was thinking there may be a heavier than usual call volume of pax looking for their bonus miles that haven't posted yet. FWIW, they are on it and the miles should post soon enough...

Maybe like the UA line can recognize numbers, the CO line can as well... and maybe I'm just not considered elite enough, hence the half-hour waits.

Don't know if the CO line can or cannot, but it's not a feature that's used by them in my experience. When I call the CO elite line I call the number on my card, I'm asked for my OP number - enter this on the keypad including the letters if I'm anywhere noisy, or say it if I'm somewhere quiet like my office - and the call is almost connected within a few seconds after that. It works so consistently that I'm genuinely confused as to how people can have such a different experience.

You're giving your CO Plat number, not your UA 1K number, right?

I am never asked for my CO or UA number when I call CO.

I posted this recently: I had an elite agent tell me their system was having trouble recognizing many of the new onepass numbers related to UA 1Ks.

:rolleyes:

Then you are calling the wrong number, because it always asks for my onepass number.

Just sent you a PM.

Just confirmed with star_world that I am calling the correct ELITE CO number. ;)

Don't know what to tell you... this just seems like the new norm to me.[/QUOTE]

Have you tried calling from a different number? In your PM you mention that it goes directly on hold. Here is what happens every time I call that number:

"Thanks for calling Continental Airlines elite desk. To ensure service quality your call may be monitored or recorded. Would you like flight status, new reservations, existing reservations or something else?"

I say "new reservations" or "existing reservations" and it prompts me to enter my CO or UA FF#. A few seconds later (normally right after or during the message where it says "all agents are temporarily busy") I'm connected.

Is anyone else seeing the same behaviour as bmvaughn where they're not even prompted for any of these? I'd suggest sending UA Insider a PM.

Clearly it isn't a "new norm" if this isn't what happens to most people.

[/QUOTE]

OK, so when you call and get the first prompt, depending on what you're looking to accomplish, say "something else" for in my case the OPSC...and at the second prompt say "agent"...at that point it will ask for your onepass #...and get you straight through :)

I don't even do that - I always say "new reservation" or "existing reservation" - even if it's an OP account question I have. The agent that answers has always been able to address the question, either themselves or by putting me on hold and speaking with someone else.

Me too, if that's what I'm looking for, but I see what you mean...either way, the next prompt is a request for my onepass #, so I'm curious as to why they're not getting there...

Need to call Continental today because I am unable to check in on line. First time I was on hold for 73 minutes. Then I wanted to lower the volume on my speakerphone because the constant blabbering advertising Continental over the UA hold music drove me crazy. Hit the wrong button instead and disconnected:mad: Now 48 minutes hold time already. this is just ridiculous:td:
By the way, don't the 800 calls cost them money, too?

You can call the UA elite line and ask them to connect you to CO. It's faster this way.

...IF CO is even taking calls. I tried to do that last night after an hour of hold time w/CO - the UA agent said "don't even bother, I was on hold for 20 minutes on our internal line w/o any success"