Even though I am Plat, and my wife is Gold, I haven't flown CO since May, having given up on upgrades, and just choosing to buy my seats in F or C, depending on carrier and destination. In this case, we were headed to West Palm, taking our dog as baggage, but lines like AirTran, Spirit, and USAirways don't take pets outside the cabin. I bought 2 one way First (A) seats, at $330 each, not a bad price, and it also meant avoiding the upgrade dance at the gate. Flight left at 6:30 AM, and the dog had to travel via Quick Pak cargo, the office for which opens at 5 AM on Saturday (our travel day). I arrive at Newark just before 5. I know where the office is, but only how to get to it by car. This time, I am actually in the terminal. Looking for directions, I can't find any CO supervisory people, and muddle around, asking bag handlers and TSA types. Turns out that not all elevators (which we needed, as the dog was in a shipping crate, and required a pushcart) stop on each floor. Finally get there, but its now 5:20 AM. Fortunately, nobody ahead of us. Even so, it takes nearly 20 minutes, including requiring me to be photographed. Unlike other carriers, CO charges for pets based on weight and volume, including the travel crate. $200 later, I calculate he has been charged more than most people in Coach (the dog only weighs 22 lbs.). Now, it's off to the "elite bag check", where we find ourselves about number 40 in an ever increasing line. How many elites can there be, I wonder? By now, it's 40 minutes to take off. I desperately look for a Redcoat (supervisor) for help to make the flight. None to be found. I make my appeal to some security guy who is watching the line. He says all they have is a lead agent, but that he will help (he never does). We finally make it to the kiosk, punch in the required info, but no bag tag prints. At that point, I interrupt an agent, who is helping someone next to us, asking for help, as we may miss our flight. She looks at me, and says "you are supposed to be here 2 hours early". I lose it, tell her we've been there nearly that long, show her that we have refundable tickets, and tell her, if we miss the flight we will rebook another airline, even if it means a stop. She decides to be helpful, says she will take care of the bag, including TSA, and we head to security, where somehow, we get through, and make the flight with ten minutes to spare. After boarding, I tell the FA we have a dog, and ask for confirmation he's on. The door closes. She comes over and says they have no confirmation, but the Captain has told her they will hand any paper work to him through the cockpit window. She says he will stay at the jetway, in case we need to get off if the animal didn't make it. My mind goes back to the speech we got about "special handling" as being the reason why transport costs for pets are more on CO. Finally, the OK..he's on. We take off, and I discover that the "airline who always feeds you at mealtimes", has dumped the hot breakfast for a roll and some fruit, in F. That's a change from a few months ago. So, what have I learned? Firstly, they have apparently gotten rid of many supervisors in the terminal. That's not useful. Secondly,the help is developing an attitude, which they use to rationalize problems, by telling you how much better the airline is than its competitors..a dangerous arrogance to allow to develop at the point of customer contact. Nest, in flight service has been reduced, to where I personally didn't notice it being materially different from that of Spirit (and other discounters), who will sell you RT premium class for the price of one way on CO, in many markets. Finally being top tier, as well as having purchased full fare, F (A) class tickets, had no effect on our particular needs on that trip. Nobody cared. If you can't, or won't execute the benefits of a loyalty program, dump it. Frankly, the whole experience was both illuminating, and disappointing. Apparently convinced they are unassailable, there seems to be a contest to see how much they can reduce services until they hurt the place. Based on what I observed, in the context of not flying them for a few months, they are working hard to get that point.

Writing is war. Commas are the enemy.

Wow.

deelmakur,
Enjoyed your commentary. I would have to agree, but who else can you go too?

That is disappointing to learn that the EWR PBI F breakfast has been reduced, and that EWR could care less that you actually bought an F ticket. One of the reasons I left CO (I was Plat at one point) was due to lackluster supvs at EWR, and due to the 1800-WEDon'tCare lines lack of understanding.

When I left CO I first jumped ship to US, and now I'm mainly a UA flyer.

I did get a status match to Plat, so this weekend I took a BOS to IAH trip on CO.

My upgrade as Plat only cleared on the day of departure for a Friday mid morning flight. Then I had to change the ticket to fly out Sat morning, and my upgrade again cleared the morning of the flight but that is more understandable since it was a last minute change. Still got an aisle seat, and enjoyed hot towel service, nuts (not warm), soup, a hot roll, shrimp salad, a chocolate candy, and then a cookie close to landing. I would give the food a little bit better grade than what you might get on a similar United flight, no soup to be had on a regular United midcon flight.

The return flight, an IAH to BOS on a Sunday night, my upgrade never cleared in advance. Again I'm Plat, what's going on? There were several F seats that got allocated to others, I'm assuming people that paid higher fares. My fare was in I class and about $235, of which I used a $200 CO bump voucher , so I really can't complain too much. Sstill I don't like that fare class plays in to it besides status but I can imagine a high roller spender would feel differently. All I can say is it is very transactional based as opposed to relationship based.

I check in probably 22 hours before the flight, and I have a sequence number under 11, and I am placed on standby for F. F at this point is 0'd out in the computer on all Sunday flights.

I get to the gate and they announce F has checked in full, but I wait in the gate area since just because someone is checked in it doesn't mean they actually will board. About 10 mins before departure I go up to the desk, and they advise indeed they are watiing for 1 F class pax who has not boarded, but the rest have boarded. The agent checks, and says however that there are, it sounded like, at least 2-3 people ahead of me for this one possible F class seat. The g/a asks me my status, and I advise CO Platinum, and seems confused that I am not at the top of the list, but then says as far as they know the others would be Platinums who paid more for their tickets. I thank the g/a and go back to my coach seat in the 20's. Again, I don't like this business of doing it by fare paid on that one transaction? I wonder if their computers have put all elite pax who paid say Y or B fares ahead of me even though I'm plat?

I wonder what will CO serve for "snack" on this dinner time flight in economy? I was pleasantly surprised to see a personal cheese pizza which was pretty good, an average to not so great salad, and M&M's. I really have to give it to CO for serving coach class customers a hot meal instead of a $5 box of junk food or cold sandwich like all the other big six carriers do:
AA: Serves buy on board food;
DL: Serves perhaps best variety of free snacks and possibly some buy on board food;
NW: Serves buy on board snack boxes;
US: Serves buy on board food;
UA: Serves buy on board food;
CO: Serves a hot meal even for customers in the back of coach!

I don't know why CO does not advertise this more. The only thing I can think of is they want to protect themselves in case they go the way of the other 5 of their big brothers and sisters. But they could easily have advertisements about their hot meals, while their brothers and sisters in the industry will justt sell you a $5 or $10 cold snack or maybe if you are lucky sandwich.

I also enjoyed the Margaritas that CO offers, while being cramped in their coach. The flight was full, and it was extremely cramped in coach which is different than United's roomy Economy Plus.

In short I will continue to stay with United as main airline (I especially like the channel 9 where you can listen to ATC), but I was impressed with CO's food service. Though it sounds like food service has really declined on shorter flights, like NYC to Florida. However, I was disappointed that as a Platinum my upgrades were not a sure bet, and that one randomly didn't come through and must have been given to someone of who knows what status that paid more on this particular flight. I am more used to when you are at the top level to getting upgraded nearly all the time, and it was strange too even the flight that cleared they held back seats until the very last day. All I can say it I would hate to be Silver .

I wonder if CO, other than say UA P.S., has the best domestic food? And if so they do deserve our compliments on that aspect of their product.

The answer is that your expectations are off. It sounds like you flew CO as Plat some years ago. Upgrade rates have been dropping drastically for everybody, even Plats on high fares, and there are plenty of Plats reporting low upgrade rates. If you want to travel in front with a high degree of certainty, pay for first. If you're happy to be upgraded sometimes, buy the cheapo coach fare (I class is pretty low, much of the time this is the lowest O/D fare offered on BOS-IAH) and chance it. Or try another carrier (as a US 1 you presumably have an excellent upgrade rate; the problem is that you have to fly US to get it).

I managed 3/17 upgrades on CO as Gold this year, all of them on BOS-IAH, so actually this is not such a bad route - if, like me, you are prepared to fly at 9am on January 1, or 11am on Tuesdays...

(And I'm ignoring the OP also... )

Hey guys. I took my first flight on CO in a Viscount, when I got finished with basic in the AIr National Guard in San Antonio. It was 1961. I joined the Presidents Club when it was free, and by invitation only, in 1970. The carrier didn't fly east of Chicago. I was on the inaugural fight to Newark (from Denver), that opened up the east. I flew them through 2 bankruptcies, and all the pain that came with combining People, Eastern, NY Air, the old Frontier, Britt, etc. For my trouble, I got Infinite Elite. I know this airline a lot better than most. It pains me to see them walk away from loyalty programs, and to reduce the product. Bethune and Bonderman brought the place back from the dead. It troubles me to see employees slipping back into complacency. Discount carrriers can do all that bad stuff, and get away with it. Customers have low expectation. A carrier like CO can't. A perfect example of what I am talking about is JetBlue. They have one of the lowest complaint rates, yet are habitually late, thanks to the JFK hub. Meantime, major carriers, like CO, get them all the time. If you get to the point where an airline doesn't care what your patronage is, or has been, regardless of status in their loyalty program, or your willingness to buy high yield tickets, that's a trouble spot.

I'm just curious what is different now than say 6-8 years ago when I was a CO Plat and nearly all the time got upgraded. Either:
1. In 2006 there are significantly more elites at all the levels, particular Platinum, than say 10 years ago? Although I would figure during the .com bubble there would be a lot of Plats?
2. CO has seriously changed the system to give much broader preference for upgrade based on fare paid? I jumped ship just as EUA was coming in to being, and I remember it wasn't popular, and it kind of took away the strategy part of the game, and it all became random. It takes the control away from the flyer more.

I am just curious if it is more 1 or 2 or something else? Does anyone even know how EUA works or to what extent it gives preference to higher fares?

As a US1 I would be like 98% upgraded. I could probably count on one hand flying as a US1 the times I would ride in back.

# 2 is certainly a factor, but it doesn't affect the number of seats available for upgrades; it only changes who gets those seats. The real difference is the advent of DL's Simplifares and the drastic lowering of paid F prices. CO sells the seats up front now instead of giving them to elites.

#1 is pretty irrelevant given the power of the above two factors.

#1 - The number of elites in CO is about the same, per CO. With the 50% EQM for lower priced tickets not purchased on co.com - it is harder for a business traveler to earn CO elite status - hence the numbers are not growing. CO does not want to grow the number of elites - to allow for some benefits.

#2 - It is not just the simplified DL pricing or lower FC seats. CO.com will many times assign Y or even Z or A to a certain segment of a coach itinerary. For example, a couple of weeks ago CO - if you fare'd a flight from say DCA-EWR-SRQ or FLL or PBI for outbound on Dec. 21-22, the segment from EWR to Florida would either come out in Y or A fare - the total being about $500 RT for the holiday week (other segments in lower categories). If you specified you wanted a F ticket - the fare was over $1K. But specifying coach - the cheapest would include either A or instant upgrade for Elite Y fare in the most significant segment.

Hence - CO was filling up F on those flights from EWR to Florida - on Xmas weekend - by simply making that segment A or Y - for a fare that was basically the cheapest fare for a requested coach ticket.

Originally Posted by deelmakur
deelmakur, forgive me for reposting you previous two comments but without spacing it makes for hard reading.

I think there are four lessions to be learned from this experience.

1) Check in the human bags FIRST. That way as soon as the dog was done, you'd be ready to roll.

2) If it is a requirement, suggestion etc. to be there two hours early, don't take a flight 1 :30 after they open. Or get there BEFORE they open at 5am. Not begin looking for it. Although, I agree you should have made the plane easily, and they should perhaps check your bag when you check the dog (I'll suggest it to CO). You did kind of back yourself into a time corner on this one. You only allowed 1 1/2 for a bunch of complicated stuff.

3) Use the Kioski to check bags it's much faster than the elite line.

4) NEVER check bags. If it doesn't go in a carry on... you don't need it. My number one rule.

Tiny font size also makes for hard reading, especially if you are over 30.

Duplicate -deleted

Cigar, I'm pretty good at this game, and so's my dog, who has made 4 transcons to Seattle from EWR, so far this year. You are better off not checking bags first, with a pet, since (a) if the pet doesn't go for some reason, neither do I, and (b) that bull s**t Quick Pak office is like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. You need to allow for delays there, so itr makes sense to go there first.

Next point. I knew the QP office didn't open until 5AM, and booked a 7AM departure. For some reason, although it operates Sunday through Friday at 7AM, CO 1554 to PBI, leaves at 6:30 AM on Saturday, our day of travel, in this instance. I was only advised of that a few weeks ago.

Lastly, we rarely check a bag, but my wife and I were going to our Florida home for the next 7 months, and had shipped what we don't keep there, but a few things had to be carried, and as long as we had to wait for the dog, it didn't matter.

I have my own business, and travel well over a hundred thousand miles a year. While it continually gets tougher, and you can't find many airports more unuser friendly than Newark, it just seems all these airline guys are in a feeding frenzy to cut everything they can think of. Continental, of late, has risen above that noise, and it's sad to see it going the other way.

FWIW, CO fully recongizes that the ground staff customer service at Newark is piss-poor (and has recognized this for over 10yrs), but there's nothing they can do about it except continue to lessen the need to interact with EWR ground staff by automating the h*ll out of that hub.