1. Gate agents fail to perform post-board upgrades, even when asked (we were sitting at the gate for 1 hour before the door closed). Plane leaves with empty 1st seats.

2. Mentioned empty seats to FA's after we left gate, they said there is no way they could or would move anyone-up. My companion could not move forward. I knew that, but here is the kicker. After the hour at the gate, and the 45 minutes on the runway, we returned to the gate because 'a light came on'. When we stopped at the gate, someone else's companion moved into First. The FA's cheerfully welcomed them, offered them drinks and never said a word.

3. I called the CO 'comment line'. The agent was curt, constantly interrupted me and then told me what I said happened did not happen (I swear this is true!). I asked to speak to someone else. She said I could not. All I wanted was to politely tell someone my story.

humph...

If these problems were isolated incidents, it would be easier to chalk them up to a few sour apples in the bushel.

These attitudes have now become SOP at Continental, with many employees picking favorities, selectively enforcing rules, not following policy (or making up their own policies), and the customer service line earning the unfortunate nickname of "800-we-care-less".

I think Bethune shares alot of responsibility for creating a way of thinking among the rank and file that customers (except those paying full Y/A) are the enemy, out to gouge the company, get things for free, cost the company revenue, and just be problematic. Airlines are service companies, not transportation companies - the longer this attitude lingers, the worse it will get for both CO and us.

I will lay low and stick it out with the hope that Larry K restores CO to the friendly, service and value oriented company he once helped build. In the meantime, I will just keep things simple and minimize my contact with CO staff that I don't personally know or have not interacted with in the past.

What station was this? DFW is known for this sort of thing.

IAH.

I was on flt 1112, IAH-AUS. I was on the plane for 3 hours, the flight is about 35 minutes, if there is a head wind. And, for the record, I was exceedingly polite the entire time.

Do you know if the FA's asked the agents about the companion upgrade when they returned to the gate? I can't imagine them moving up someone's companion when you had asked about upgrading yours. The only way I would have moved them up is if the agent had brought me a new boarding pass for them.

No, they did not. And, they did not move the guy-up. He moved himself-up and told them so and their response was to offer him a drink (minutes after telling me they cannot move anone-up). I could understand it if I was a jerk or there were some other unusual circumstances. But, as usual, I went out of my way to be extra nice to them the minute I got on the plane.

I will say they seemed a bit out of sorts. They were arguing amongst themselves right in front of me about whether it was okay to serve liquor while on a delay (They determined giving 1st passengers was okay, selling to Y was not).