TripAlerts
 

Did a search and nobody seems to be having the same problem I am (or, perhaps, nobody cares enough about it to post!). Everyone knows the TripAlerts, I suppose. Those e-mails/text messages that come two hours before your flight and tell you everything is peachy-keen and on time, then when you get the airport they tell you that ATC in EWR had to go to the bathroom and there's a 50-minute delay.

It seems that recently the text messages to my phone have a lot of text at the beginning about spam filter, etc. This is a relatively recent phenomenon, so I wanted to see if anyone had the same issue and whether there's a way around it?

I am having the same issues. Continental needs to go back to their old ones with none of the garbage in it.

This would be something that is added by your ISP. Where is the address you've provided to Tripalert hosted?

It's Verizon wireless. I don't have the same problem with any other text messages, which led me to believe that it was inserted by Continental.

Thanks imalawyer, we hear you. Our TripAlert messages recently changed to an HTML format, which would explain why these messages now have a lot of link pollution when viewed in plain text format. Considering that most TripAlerts are sent to mobile devices, such as phones and PDAs, we're going to go back to our previous non-HTML format. This change may take a up to a week to implement, but it will be corrected.

The few I get come in 5 parts and I get dinged for 5 text messages (I never text and don't have any included in my plan). Why is this?

Another problem, I recently went in and changed some of my settings and the damn thing texted me (5 times yet) telling me of the changes I just made. That was annoying.

Finally, I can't remember ever getting a disruption message. I had a flight recently that was very late and I never got a message.

Scott, thanks as always for checking in on the boards and proposing a solution. Nice having you around :)

Thanks Scott. Waaaay too much html email (from everyone, not just CO) for my taste, this is a small, but welcome change.

FWIW, and to convince the skeptics that trip alerts do indeed work sometimes, my delayed flight out of ATL last week spawned 4 messages:
We did indeed push at 12:45pm. Then we sat on the apron for nearly 3 hours, returned to the gate to let some people off, top off the tank and leave again. We finally took off at 4:20 or so. Then we had to fly to Corpus Christi before turning back to the east to land at IAH. Long day for all involved, but that's subtropical weather in Houston.

I reported it to CO and they responded indicating they would pass it along to development. It is a recent change. As a result many no longer see the actual text of the message since many carriers limit the legth of the message received to 130 characters or so.

UPDATE: As of today (11/4) it appears they've gone back to the old alert style. While still not close to being perfect, at least the message leads with the important information so you have a better shot at actually seeing what the message is.

Thanks! It would also be very useful if upgrade alerts lead off with information that identified the flight, e.g. In other words, arrange the message like only N characters will get through, where N is a very small character count that you don't know. If I see only it will make my day; if I get all of that's gravy.

(The above is a hypothetical example, as only battlefield upgrades are possible on the flight in question.)

The last few TripAlert messages I've received have contained *zero* useful information whatsoever. For example:I assume this is because the HTML is being ignored by my phone. Having the important part up front (flight#, cities, and seat) is a good idea!

Phone Call Alerts
 

I just use the phone call alert for domestic travel. Goes to voicemail if I miss the call, and it makes me look important with the phone calls I receive! :D

It seems as if NW has changed its alerts to be more concise/informative. Now it's CO's turn...

how to: tripalert option for mobile..?
 

attempts to add my tel number to co.com profile page have been unsuccessful, i have tried all combinations including the digit 1, area code, and the number, with and without the + sign...

any ideas..? :confused:

PS: yul hence 514 area code

This thread is about email alerts. Your question is unclear, but if it belongs in this thread, you're asking how to enter your mobile phone number in Saved E-mail Addresses, as opposed to Saved Phone Numbers. As you're having trouble doing so without using the @ character, this must be the case.

Call customer service for your cellular service, and ask how one sends email from a computer to your cell phone. Then test their answer. For example, Verizon supports the creation of symbolic names like [email protected], and automatically supports numeric addresses like [email protected].

Alternately, send a text message from your cell phone to your computer. When you receive the message, look at its originating address, and try replying. If this works, you have your cell phone's email address without waiting on hold for customer service.

Once you have a working, tested email address for your cell phone, enter this address in Saved E-mail Addresses, and select it for Trip Alerts.