If you've been on hold a bit longer than usual in the past day or so since Gordon's
"announcement," the cause may be the increased peervasiveness of The Fare Desk.
From what I have gathered, a directive has gone out to all agents to refer over any and all fares that have any discounted component and let everybody sit on hold and twiddle their thumbs while the gurus on high pass on the acceptability (in the new scheme of things) of any discount whatever, no matter how cut and dried some of these deals have always been.
I would guess that all the extended period on hold before the agent comes back on and confirms the original quote as having passed muster does is to waste everybody's time and effort and very likely do little or nothing for CO's bottom line.

This is entirely false. No directive. No mention of the rate desk in any corporate communications to reservations agents. I've never even heard of "the Fare Desk". It's not a term we in reservations use. We call it "rates".

ResAgent86, Please stop trying to spread facts and encourage logical and reasonable thinking here. You might put an end to the rampant speculation and confusion. This is FlyerTalk and only unsubstantiated complaining and guesses passed off as facts will be tolerated.

Let's return to the usual discussion about how there aren't enough luxury perks when flying, that fares are too high, that Gordon is an idiot for trying to make money, that every airline is better than Continental (especially the ones facing bankruptcy!), and where can I get a dirt cheap fare (but you better give me free alcohol)?

Cheers.

Daniel
Proud CO traveler since 83, OP since 90, 64 flights this year

dee-bker's postie abov kneeds a .

------------------
Loving, Caring, Honest, Intelligent, Empathetic, Creative, and Giving.

Sorry about the name confusion but I actually meant to use the term "Rate Desk." Also, it is not surprising that if there were such a directive, it did not come down to the res agents directly but was quietly put into the system, possibly in direct response to Gordon's press release.
When making my res yesterday, I asked the agent whether in the future our discount would be flagged as it was attempted to be ticketed and need to be approved by the desk each time. She responded that "it looks that way."
When asked if there had been a directive or order about discounts, she did not say that there was a formal order given to her but that this was the second time that day that she had been directed to the Rate Desk in situations that she had seldom been so directed before.
Maybe its just coincidence and my post is simply "rampant speculation," but it is not difficult to draw the conclusion that something new may be going on.

Well, what is that particular discussion doing on a CO board? Only CO relevant topics must be discussed here.

well...that makes all the difference in the world.