Correct Compensation?
 

Well I have been lurking on this board for a few weeks now and I must say that I am addicted. I've been waiting to write that de-virginizing first post....so here goes.

I was attempting to travel EWR-IAH-YVR a couple of weeks ago.

Checked in...got the BF (764) upgrade, was psyched, then went to PC for my drink and did some biz there.

CO51 showed on time at Check in and in PC. Went to the gate approx. 20 mins. before scheduled departure. I was surprised that they hadnt started boarding since the plane had been there since I checked in (in bound from Frankfurt). The electronic board at the gate showed flight was now 15 mins. late. I went to go sit down to wait and I look up at the board again and the plane was now showing 1:15 late....I walked staight up to the red jacket at the gate to let them know that I only had 1hr. connex. time in IAH and that I was going to miss my connex. He couldnt care less. "Late arriving crew" told me rather curtly and rudely, and to go walk down two gates to customer service, that they could only re-accomodate me.

I immediately called the Elite # to see what they could do and they informed me that they could only re-book on CO metal. Waited in line at CS, only to come across another rude a-hole. Told me that my B class ticket would not allow me to be re-accomodated on another airline...Couln't care less that I was CO Gold and that I would mis-connect in IAH. He brushed me aside told me that the plane was boarding anyway, that the missing crew member was found.

They actually did start boarding...why I dont know because I got on the plane and proceeded to sit at the gate for the next 90 mins....missed the connection..surprise, surprise, and the last flight out of IAH to basically anywhere that nite.

I was given a voucher for a Holiday Inn 30 mins from the airport and a $10. meal voucher for a Holiday Inn special Filet Mignon and a bottle of Lafite.

The next morning they reaccomodated me on CO IAH-DEN, then UA DEN-YVR to arrive a whopping 24 hrs. after my scheuled arrival time.

Now my big problem with the whole thing was not the fact that I missed one out of four days of skiing (yes this trip was personal) or that I had to spend a $200. taxi ride to get to Whistler, or that I payed for a $600 non refundable hotel nite that I never used, or that one day of my precious vacation time was burned up playing "how many flights does it take get to Vancouver", but the two agents at EWR could have rebooked me then and there on AC or CX or UA to name three and have gotten me there that night.


Anyway, I called up customer service when I was at the PC in Denver, still pretty PO'd at the whole thing. She offered me $200. travel voucher and said I'm very sorry for about an hour. I figured if I was stuck in DEN she was going to spend some QT with me on the phone and get a piece of my mind.

Anyway, I told her that $200. was not nearly enough for my inconvience and out of pocket expenses, that I was a CO Elite since 1983 and had never complained before...blah blah....I proposed for her to keep the certificate and make me Plat. Fair enough, I thought. "No can do" she said, but that her manager may be able to, and he would call me back in 72 hrs. A week later no phone call, I called again...they took another message..2 days after that...still no phone call back....Stellar Elite customer service!

Finally someone called back...told me that he could not make me Plat., but that they would give me $600. in travel vouchers....

Now, I've been flying CO for years and I am generally happy with the airline, the service and most of the employees I have come across. I am not one of those Gordo bashers.

But does anyone here think that this was fair compensation for what happened. I'd be curious to hear opinions on this.....Thanks for reading this rather long and drawn out 1st post.....

[This message has been edited by saccoNY (edited Mar 11, 2004).]

Well yopur IAH connection could have been late too und everything could have been fine.....
I guess they are only able to act when they know FOR SURE that you have missed your connection....

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Viele Grüße

Oliver

That seems sufficient.
I'd take it and run... before someone changes their mind.

I really think that 600 is fair. 200 is lowball, but 600 is fair.

Out of curiousity, where did you find a non-refundable 600 hotel night? I though all of the expensive rates are refundable.

Quite often we are forced to take the last flight of the day, but I would never do this if I really had to be somewhere for important reasons. EWR could have been socked in on account of snow or IAH because of thunderstorms etc. You should have considered flying EWR-SEA non-stop and then driving 2-3 hours to YVR. You would have probably gotten to YVR sooner than flying EWR-IAH-YVR.

MisterNice

I do think CO did you wrong by refusing to accomodate you on another airline given that the delay appears to have been clearly their fault (ie not weather related or air traffic control related). But, IMHO, $600 is fair compensation. By the way, next time something like this happens, I'd try the folks in the PC, they are sometimes able to work wonders that gate agents, res agents and cust service agents can't or won't do.

[This message has been edited by brooklynflyer (edited Mar 11, 2004).]

Unfortunately, I was looking to get the last flight out due to work stuff, but I was going to Whislter, which, in and of itself, is a 3 hour drive from YVR....so at an 11pm SEA arrival to drive for 5 hours would have sucked, though in hindsight it would have been 19 hours quicker.

$600. was for a one bedroom suite at the Westin at Whisler, btw. Paid in full internet special rate. I was meeting a few friends out there (who all made their connections from LGA)

I'm glad to here that $600. seems fair to most here, though a Platinum comp would have been nicer and not cost CO any lost revenue. In fact, it may have enticed me to fly them more...which would have meant more $$ in their pocket, or so I thought. They really wouldnt budge discussing the whole bump up to Plat. Saying that "Platnium needs to be earned" Which from reading this board enough, I know not to be true.

And if they would have done the right thing at EWR and rebooked me on another airline in the first place, which they did anyway at IAH, none of this would have happened. Very shortsighted.

I am continually amazed by the rudeness of the Continental staff at EWR versus every other station that I've flown into/out of.

i wouldn't take it personally. i just don't think they will bump you to platinum for a customer service issue. similar on AAmericAAn. they won't mAAke someone Executive PlAAtinum becAAuse they scre*ed something up.