Rez Agents Are CLUELESS
Mar 11, 2002 | 9:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 217
Rez Agents Are CLUELESS
Last week I tried to make a reward reservation for a ticket to Mexico. The 6 Gold line agents I spoke to (repeatedly hanging up and calling again) each had their own individual rules and/or availabilities for reward seats. One insisted there was a Sat. night stay req. Another said no America West flights allowed. But the worst part was that different agents found availability on the same segments that others couldn't. Some of them even lied to me about whether certain flights existed. They were pretty embarassed and suddenly found it ok when I told them I was online and saw the flight listed. I really lost my confidence in Continental after that.
I later called Delta and booked the reward for less miles.
I later called Delta and booked the reward for less miles.
Mar 11, 2002 | 10:19 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: new york, ny, usa
Posts: 13,536
generally speaking, Continental Airlines (CO)reservation agents are...well...let's just say sub-par vis-a-vis other airlines' agents. i would wholeheartedly concur with this negative critique.
Mar 12, 2002 | 6:00 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP-6MM; Starwood Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 192
And I thought it was just me!
I don't even know why they call it an "elite" line. Frankly, I can get treated better calling the regular reservations number.
In addition to being Plat. Elite on CO, I'm also an Exec. Plat. on AA. CO does not compare when it comes to the Elite Reservations line.
I've never talked to so many argumentative, rude, uninformed, unknowledgable and overall non-customer service oriented agents.
Gordon, please make some changes!
I don't even know why they call it an "elite" line. Frankly, I can get treated better calling the regular reservations number.
In addition to being Plat. Elite on CO, I'm also an Exec. Plat. on AA. CO does not compare when it comes to the Elite Reservations line.
I've never talked to so many argumentative, rude, uninformed, unknowledgable and overall non-customer service oriented agents.
Gordon, please make some changes!
Mar 13, 2002 | 1:54 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 481
I have to agree. CO's rez agents are surprisingly incompetent. Before I flew CO for the first time after Gordo took over, I was really looking forward to it because I had heard how great CO is. Imagine my surprise when I called CO to book my flight and was greeted with rude, incompetent rez agents.
FWIW, I find NW's rez agents to be consistently outstanding.
FWIW, I find NW's rez agents to be consistently outstanding.
Mar 13, 2002 | 2:12 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2000
Programs: I am an AS employee, but my comments do not represent the company in any official capacity.
Posts: 4,343
The last two times I have called to book reward tix, the agent has announced that there are no seats in/out of ANC. When I remind them that AS is a partner and to check AS, the first time seats were found.
The second time the agent said there was "nothing between SEA and ANC." I asked her to check AS via JNU. Surprise! Seats were available.
If you are going to call CO res agents, you'd better know your options because they generally don't.
(I am a Gold Elite and call the elite line.)
The second time the agent said there was "nothing between SEA and ANC." I asked her to check AS via JNU. Surprise! Seats were available.
If you are going to call CO res agents, you'd better know your options because they generally don't.
(I am a Gold Elite and call the elite line.)
Mar 13, 2002 | 5:57 am
#6
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: new york, ny, usa
Posts: 13,536
AAmericAAn's elite reservAAtion AAgents AAre reAAly greAAt. on the bAAll AAnd you cAAn just tell they AAre shAArp. it's not CO.O.L thAAt ContinentAAl's AAgents AAre sub-pAAr, i AAgree. 
Mar 13, 2002 | 6:11 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Desert, under a rock, watch out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<" You can get there, but it's gonna cost you!
Programs: Previously NonePass, now UA 1K (*Enhanced*)
Posts: 4,248
AAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaaAAaa 
Mar 13, 2002 | 6:55 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 217
How great must AA feel when they check the CO board and find unhappy CO customers who consisently praise AA. 
Mar 13, 2002 | 7:06 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Spring Lake,NJ
Posts: 1,219
Yeah...and I'm sure they feel even better when they look at CO's bottom line and find that CO actually MAKES money once in a while...actually more than once in a while.
Mar 13, 2002 | 8:36 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Brooklyn, NY, US
Posts: 2,311
How "empowered" are CO res agents, in general?
I was using an old e-ticket towards a new one and the res agent put me on hold while he waited for the rate desk. He came back after a while and said, "no one should have to wait that long- I'm just going to waive the fee...."
Loose cannon or empowered employee?
I was a bit shocked- I'm top tier on AA, so I'm used to an Executive desk rep throwing me a bone occassionally for my loyalty. However, I don't know if I've had a "regular" res agent waive a fee in years (of course, at the airport it can be a different story).
[This message has been edited by landspeed (edited 03-13-2002).]
I was using an old e-ticket towards a new one and the res agent put me on hold while he waited for the rate desk. He came back after a while and said, "no one should have to wait that long- I'm just going to waive the fee...."
Loose cannon or empowered employee?
I was a bit shocked- I'm top tier on AA, so I'm used to an Executive desk rep throwing me a bone occassionally for my loyalty. However, I don't know if I've had a "regular" res agent waive a fee in years (of course, at the airport it can be a different story).
[This message has been edited by landspeed (edited 03-13-2002).]
Mar 13, 2002 | 8:44 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: New York, New York
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Posts: 4,706
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by KGruendel:
FWIW, I find NW's rez agents to be consistently outstanding.</font>
FWIW, I find NW's rez agents to be consistently outstanding.</font>
Mar 13, 2002 | 9:14 am
#12
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by katz:
How great must AA feel when they check the CO board and find unhappy CO customers who consisently praise AA.</font>
How great must AA feel when they check the CO board and find unhappy CO customers who consisently praise AA.
</font>
As someone who has actually switched to AA I will tell you this: the agents there are really, really great, IMHO.
[This message has been edited by JonNYC (edited 03-13-2002).]
Mar 13, 2002 | 4:00 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Spring Lake,NJ
Posts: 1,219
Thanks for the heads-up Jon.
Mar 13, 2002 | 4:28 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: This year we're going to the BAFTAs!
Posts: 5,518
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by IM4Travel:
Thanks for the heads-up Jon. </font>
Thanks for the heads-up Jon. </font>
[Edited for spelling.]
[This message has been edited by SMessier (edited 03-14-2002).]