Boarding Platinums Only
Mar 26, 1999, 10:06 am
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Posts: 160
Boarding Platinums Only
I was at DFW the other day going to IAH when the agent said that the flight was full and the only preboards would be first class, platinums (I was shocked to see 24 plats on the flight), and people needing assistance, children, or people with small children.
They then began boarding by rows. The remaining elites became infuriated and just started boarding causing the attendant to become belligerent (making the passengers even more angry). The attendant had to call for a supervisor (she was the only one working the gate).
I honestly thought some of the people were going to get into a fistfight. Some of the guys in the first class cabin made some comments (I don’t know what they were) that set some of the other passengers off again causing the loading of the aircraft to slow to a dead halt.
The tension built even more when the attendants started forcing some of the passengers to check their bags.
The flight ended up getting delayed 40 minutes because of the mess.
It only got worse when we landed in Houston and some of the bags were missing.
Got to love the adventure.
[This message has been edited by crju (edited 03-26-99).]
They then began boarding by rows. The remaining elites became infuriated and just started boarding causing the attendant to become belligerent (making the passengers even more angry). The attendant had to call for a supervisor (she was the only one working the gate).
I honestly thought some of the people were going to get into a fistfight. Some of the guys in the first class cabin made some comments (I don’t know what they were) that set some of the other passengers off again causing the loading of the aircraft to slow to a dead halt.
The tension built even more when the attendants started forcing some of the passengers to check their bags.
The flight ended up getting delayed 40 minutes because of the mess.
It only got worse when we landed in Houston and some of the bags were missing.
Got to love the adventure.
[This message has been edited by crju (edited 03-26-99).]
Mar 26, 1999, 11:17 am
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Houston, Texas, TEXAS
Posts: 1,510
A shining example of CO's generosity in making all Gold qualifiers automatically Platinum. 24 Platinums out of how many total seats? That's got to be 20-25% of the capacity. What a MONSTER CO created!!!! In 2000, I would expect half that many or less.
Mar 26, 1999, 11:51 am
#3
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
Continental created a 1500 pound Canary!!!
I wonder if CO realized situations like this would happen. It may be nice to COMP golds to Platniums but shouldn't it have been done in stages:
THis is just how I would do it (JAWS PLEASE make the appropriate corrections
*Golds who've been gold let's say three years or more get qualified first.
*GOlds who qualified with lets say 75 or more miles for one period next (starting April 1st.)
*Then allow those golds who qualified for '99 a certain period to fly a certain number of miles to get a COMP Platnium good for the rest of year. (maybe starting June or July into the same period next year.)
I don't know. I"M throwing straws and cat hair here. But It's like letting all the cats in the Fancy Feast factory at once!
I wonder if CO realized situations like this would happen. It may be nice to COMP golds to Platniums but shouldn't it have been done in stages:
THis is just how I would do it (JAWS PLEASE make the appropriate corrections
*Golds who've been gold let's say three years or more get qualified first.
*GOlds who qualified with lets say 75 or more miles for one period next (starting April 1st.)
*Then allow those golds who qualified for '99 a certain period to fly a certain number of miles to get a COMP Platnium good for the rest of year. (maybe starting June or July into the same period next year.)
I don't know. I"M throwing straws and cat hair here. But It's like letting all the cats in the Fancy Feast factory at once!
Mar 26, 1999, 12:15 pm
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA Platinum, AS, UA, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LTP, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,707
The thing to do would have been to have 4 levels for 1999 (Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze) with appropriate benefits for each. Those who had reached the Platinum level in 1998 (i.e. using the 1999 qualifying criteria) would get Platinum throughout 1999. At the same time, the program notes could have indicated that Bronze would be eliminated in 2000. This would provide everyone a fair chance to meet the new levels during 1999. Instead, CO deleted Bronze and gave all qualifying Golds the Platinum status. The results are obvious. (I can't complain though. I would only have qualified for Silver this year but due to the bump-up I'm Gold.
Mar 26, 1999, 1:29 pm
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Houston, Texas, TEXAS
Posts: 1,510
MileKing is right on! But it didn't happen, so we get in the Southwest, oops, CO first 30 boarding so we get the overhead space and get settled in our aisle seats so we can stand and block the aisle while we let the middle and window seaters in, thereby delaying the boarding process even more. I guess the boarding process could be "all those that want to sit in the back of the plane by a window, please board now", then they could ask, " all those that want to sit in the back of the plane in middle seats, please board now", and on and on. Pretty soon we have 93 people standing in the jetway all waiting for rows 5,6, and 7. All the while, FC passengers are being served drinks at the bottom of the jetway stairs.
Oh well, JAWs sent numerous emails to CO warning them of what their plan would do. They just kept replying sporadically with "how good it was gonna be". Ever heard that one before?
And, Catman, pack up Yastremski and Sir Edward and attack that 1500 pound canary.
Oh well, JAWs sent numerous emails to CO warning them of what their plan would do. They just kept replying sporadically with "how good it was gonna be". Ever heard that one before?
And, Catman, pack up Yastremski and Sir Edward and attack that 1500 pound canary.
Mar 26, 1999, 5:05 pm
#6
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tucson, Southern Arizona, North America, Western Hemisphere, The Earth, a small planet in the solar system. Previously OnePass Infinite Platinum Elite, now over entitled 1K
Posts: 2,288
Its hard to imagine 24 Platinums flying out of DFW, EWR or IAH sure, but DFW? ---Unless they have given a lot of American FF's Comp status. But they assured me that only those who actually met the published requirements for Gold would be given Platinum. But it will be different next year. Sort of makes you wonder what is going on in the brillant minds at the Continental Marketing Department.
Mar 26, 1999, 5:27 pm
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York
Posts: 2,115
A question? How do you know there were 24?
Did you screen the preboard and ask?
Or were there 24 preboards, combining Platinums, paid FC, people needing assistance and perhaps CO employees?
As for the 1999 elite year. I havent noticed
much difference from 1998. I'm actually getting a slighly higher percentage of upgrades and many of them are now confirmed not space available ones. From talking to
other platinums it seems to be about the same as 1998.
Of course its less then 4 weeks into the new elite year.
Did you screen the preboard and ask?
Or were there 24 preboards, combining Platinums, paid FC, people needing assistance and perhaps CO employees?
As for the 1999 elite year. I havent noticed
much difference from 1998. I'm actually getting a slighly higher percentage of upgrades and many of them are now confirmed not space available ones. From talking to
other platinums it seems to be about the same as 1998.
Of course its less then 4 weeks into the new elite year.
Mar 26, 1999, 5:27 pm
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York
Posts: 2,115
A question? How do you know there were 24?
Did you screen the preboard and ask?
Or were there 24 preboards, combining Platinums, paid FC, people needing assistance and perhaps CO employees?
As for the 1999 elite year. I havent noticed
much difference from 1998. I'm actually getting a slighly higher percentage of upgrades and many of them are now confirmed not space available ones. From talking to
other platinums it seems to be about the same as 1998.
Of course its less then 4 weeks into the new elite year.
Did you screen the preboard and ask?
Or were there 24 preboards, combining Platinums, paid FC, people needing assistance and perhaps CO employees?
As for the 1999 elite year. I havent noticed
much difference from 1998. I'm actually getting a slighly higher percentage of upgrades and many of them are now confirmed not space available ones. From talking to
other platinums it seems to be about the same as 1998.
Of course its less then 4 weeks into the new elite year.
Mar 28, 1999, 1:43 pm
#9
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Posts: 160
To Answer Boomer's Question -
The ticket agent stated out loud there were 24 plats on the flight and she would like to get them seated followed by a general boarding. The Flight was full of Elite Passengers. I have never seen so many Gold cards people were pulling out asking if they meant anything.
To Answer Old Gold's Question -
Continental has 21 flights per day to Dallas (DFW and DAL). We have several employees in my company that fly to Dallas at 2 times plus per week (they leave in the morning 7am and return in the evening between 4 to 8pm). DFW is always full of CO Elites. Just because DFW is a hub for American doesn't mean that the IAH Hub for CO isn't sending flights to Dallas.
Anyway, good questions,
crju
[This message has been edited by crju (edited 03-28-99).]
The ticket agent stated out loud there were 24 plats on the flight and she would like to get them seated followed by a general boarding. The Flight was full of Elite Passengers. I have never seen so many Gold cards people were pulling out asking if they meant anything.
To Answer Old Gold's Question -
Continental has 21 flights per day to Dallas (DFW and DAL). We have several employees in my company that fly to Dallas at 2 times plus per week (they leave in the morning 7am and return in the evening between 4 to 8pm). DFW is always full of CO Elites. Just because DFW is a hub for American doesn't mean that the IAH Hub for CO isn't sending flights to Dallas.
Anyway, good questions,
crju
[This message has been edited by crju (edited 03-28-99).]
Mar 29, 1999, 7:24 am
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Houston, Texas, TEXAS
Posts: 1,510
Boomer, Ol' JAWs is here to vouch for crju and the IAH-DFW/DAL flights. I do this trip occasionally and upgrades are near impossible. But, it's a 40 minute flight and basically, who cares, except for the "accomplishment" of upgrading. Since CO Express started service to DAL (no upgrades anyway) I just take their flights because of convenience. The Regional Jets are just fine for a 40 minute flight.
Mar 29, 1999, 7:34 am
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York
Posts: 2,115
I agree about not really caring about upgrades on a 250 mile segment. I'm flying down to Dallas next week. EWR-IAH-DFW-EWR. If I get upgraded on the long segments I'll be happy.
Mar 29, 1999, 9:13 am
#12
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tucson, Southern Arizona, North America, Western Hemisphere, The Earth, a small planet in the solar system. Previously OnePass Infinite Platinum Elite, now over entitled 1K
Posts: 2,288
Very interesting! Of course my prespective is quite different since I fly out of an airport that only has 2 Continental flights a day (Down from 6 when I first became an Elite)