Continental Airlines to Add Service Fee for City Ticket Office Transactions
Jun 11, 2004, 10:05 am
#61
Join Date: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,274
Upsidedown Economics
This is another case of Upsidedown economics. Example:
I live south of Houston and work downtown. I had an international Business Class partner rewards flight last month. I made the miles reservation & was ticketed 9 months in advance. In March, I was informed by CO that some flights were changed and I needed to be reticketed. I used the downtown CTO without problem.
Would I have been charged $10 to use a CTO because CO rejiggered it's schedule?
Two weeks before the trip, I learned of a 2nd flight number change (4 weeks after it occured -- CO didn't tell me. I found out when I called to confirm arrangements). I had a business trip scheduled so was going to IAH anyway. I went to the International Elite check-in counter to get the new tickets. Problem: no one there know how to deal with future ticketing! It took 30 minutes to find someone who was willing to try, plus another 45 minutes of her on the phone to "Operations" to be walked through the steps. So, it took CO well over $100 of their employees' time for what a CTO employee could have done in 5 minutes.
I live south of Houston and work downtown. I had an international Business Class partner rewards flight last month. I made the miles reservation & was ticketed 9 months in advance. In March, I was informed by CO that some flights were changed and I needed to be reticketed. I used the downtown CTO without problem.
Would I have been charged $10 to use a CTO because CO rejiggered it's schedule?
Two weeks before the trip, I learned of a 2nd flight number change (4 weeks after it occured -- CO didn't tell me. I found out when I called to confirm arrangements). I had a business trip scheduled so was going to IAH anyway. I went to the International Elite check-in counter to get the new tickets. Problem: no one there know how to deal with future ticketing! It took 30 minutes to find someone who was willing to try, plus another 45 minutes of her on the phone to "Operations" to be walked through the steps. So, it took CO well over $100 of their employees' time for what a CTO employee could have done in 5 minutes.
Jun 11, 2004, 12:44 pm
#62
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: DTW
Programs: BW Diamond, Choice Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 3,120
Originally Posted by JeremyZ
It's a convenience fee. If you don't wanna pay it, go to the airport.
Just a matter of time before you get the charge at the airport, too.
CO is just jealous that eliminating travel agent commissions didn't get customers to book direct. Can you just imagine Gordo? "D$@n, those Q fare customers will actually pay a fee to a travel agent and avoid our award winning website! We must get a cut of that!"
Jun 15, 2004, 7:45 am
#63
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Orlando, FL, USA
Programs: UA-2P, Hyatt-Plat, SPG-Gold, Marriott-Silver, Delta-Boycott
Posts: 131
Love the Tampa CTO
I really appreciate the Tampa CTO.
They closed the Orlando office I think sometime last year and moved everything down to tampa.
I can tell you that these gals are the best. They never charge me $10 and they will do anything to take care of you if they can.
These are the people who took care of everything when they matched my elite status into CO last year. They took care of everything and I have flown almost 100K with them since.
I have even booked a few times with them instead of the web, despite the fact that it cost me some miles, jsut because of their superior customer service. Plus if you book with them you get full EQM for any fare class.
They also help me with seats in the exit aisle. Very important if I do not get an upgrade.
Tampa is too far to go to on a trip just to visit them and I have done EVERYTHING with them on the phone.
They are the best, I have let HQ know that I think that as well.
J
They closed the Orlando office I think sometime last year and moved everything down to tampa.
I can tell you that these gals are the best. They never charge me $10 and they will do anything to take care of you if they can.
These are the people who took care of everything when they matched my elite status into CO last year. They took care of everything and I have flown almost 100K with them since.
I have even booked a few times with them instead of the web, despite the fact that it cost me some miles, jsut because of their superior customer service. Plus if you book with them you get full EQM for any fare class.
They also help me with seats in the exit aisle. Very important if I do not get an upgrade.
Tampa is too far to go to on a trip just to visit them and I have done EVERYTHING with them on the phone.
They are the best, I have let HQ know that I think that as well.
J
Jun 15, 2004, 8:23 am
#64
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Florida, east central coast
Posts: 82
Full EQM when booking at CTO?? How do you get this?
Originally Posted by jasonlaser
I really appreciate the Tampa CTO.
I have even booked a few times with them instead of the web, despite the fact that it cost me some miles, jsut because of their superior customer service. Plus if you book with them you get full EQM for any fare class.
J
I have even booked a few times with them instead of the web, despite the fact that it cost me some miles, jsut because of their superior customer service. Plus if you book with them you get full EQM for any fare class.
J
Please explain how to get full EQM using a CTO.
Thx
socref