Never Newark or Continental Again!
Jun 26, 2007, 10:37 am
#76
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Jun 26, 2007, 10:41 am
#77
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Jun 26, 2007, 10:42 am
#78
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ryerflyer: Absolutely, regarding the race card comment. I'm sorry that I did not make it clear that my comment applied in the general sense, not specifically in response to your post.
.
Jun 26, 2007, 12:16 pm
#79
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Of course, I understood this. The only thing that makes it inappropriate is cigarman's role as a semi-official passenger representative and confidant of Larry Kellner.
This position makes this kind of joke inappropriate. Instead, he should try to take his unique access and help Kellner and his team deal with the real, substantive issues that CO is facing with customer service at Newark.
This position makes this kind of joke inappropriate. Instead, he should try to take his unique access and help Kellner and his team deal with the real, substantive issues that CO is facing with customer service at Newark.
EWR has always been a cash cow for CO and thus this behavior has become the norm and acceptable to CO. Until their customers start talking their biz elsewhere and let CO know that the behavior of their EWR agents is unacceptable, this will continue to occur. How many of us has had one encounter or another with a EWR agent and swears we wont fly CO again but next trip - there we are on co.com.
Jun 26, 2007, 12:22 pm
#80
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Of course, I understood this. The only thing that makes it inappropriate is cigarman's role as a semi-official passenger representative and confidant of Larry Kellner.
This position makes this kind of joke inappropriate. Instead, he should try to take his unique access and help Kellner and his team deal with the real, substantive issues that CO is facing with customer service at Newark.
This position makes this kind of joke inappropriate. Instead, he should try to take his unique access and help Kellner and his team deal with the real, substantive issues that CO is facing with customer service at Newark.
Jun 26, 2007, 12:27 pm
#81
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So now you're implying that cigar can't have a sense of humor? So what if he made friends with the execs at CO. He isn't a representative (either unofficial, semi-official, or otherwise) of CO. He has absolutely no power to enact changes or solve problems on the behalf of CO airlines. As I understand it, CO Insider has that role. Cigarman is simply a member of this board that managed to develop a close working relationship with the airline that he flies very regularly. Everyone's so quick to jump on posters', very rabidly noting that they are inappropriate, liars, not telling the whole story, not entitled to compensation, etc. Now someone tries to lighten the mood a bit and you note it as inappropriate. Get a sense of humor
I think cigarman ought to use his unique access in a manner that better reflects the needs of his fellow passengers.
Finally, regarding a sense of humor, there is really nothing funny at all about broken necks, regardless of the obscure reference. Also, regarding my own sense of humor, it's funny that you should bring it up, since I am a TV producer who works in comedy...
Jun 26, 2007, 12:47 pm
#82
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I think that cigarman does a great job with the ear that he's gained of the people at CO and he's been able to accomplish a lot over the years. However, he still is not an official representative of the company, that's CO Insider. Just because he has some influence doesn't mean that he is at everyone's beck and call on this board when they want something changed. There are a lot of things that he simply can't do, but CO Insider can. All I'm saying is that he doesn't need to be ripped for attempting to make an (obvious) joke.
End of off-topic rant ;-)
End of off-topic rant ;-)
Jun 26, 2007, 2:02 pm
#83
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I am sorry for your situation and the lesson to be learned here is NEVER get in an arguement with a GA. THEY have the power, not the passenger. NEVER lose your temper with a GA. They have the power, not the passenger. NEVER curse at the GA. They have the power, not the passenger. See a pattern here? I'm not saying its right. It is what it is.
But on a flight to LAS, I would find it rather odd that you don't have a long queue of Elites waiting to get upgraded. On most flights to LAS, there are many Platinums who don't get upgrades, much less Golds or Silvers. While it just may be possible that there were 5 F empty seats on this particular flight, the story sounds very fishy to me.
Jun 26, 2007, 2:02 pm
#84
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I think that cigarman does a great job with the ear that he's gained of the people at CO and he's been able to accomplish a lot over the years. However, he still is not an official representative of the company, that's CO Insider. Just because he has some influence doesn't mean that he is at everyone's beck and call on this board when they want something changed. There are a lot of things that he simply can't do, but CO Insider can. All I'm saying is that he doesn't need to be ripped for attempting to make an (obvious) joke.
End of off-topic rant ;-)
End of off-topic rant ;-)
I believe that, while you may minimize cigarman's influence, he has been a key player in a number of decisions regarding customer service. I am very happy that Continental has such a person, which is unlike most (if not all) other carriers.
I am, however, a little troubled that cigarman often does not energetically enough represent all of Continental's customers. Instead, it appears that he is often inclined to represent himself and the small number of very elite flyers, sometimes at everyone else's expense.
Regarding cigarman's attempt at humor. He can do whatever he wants, but I think that, as Larry Kellner's confidant, he has a responsibility greater than to just himself. I think it actually reflects a little poorly on Kellner and Continental that the person they have selected as their confidant has a tendency to make mean spirited remarks and inappropriate jokes.
Jun 26, 2007, 2:19 pm
#85
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Huh? I would love to be your travel agent and overcharge you. Where are you finding such high fares?
Search on CO in both of its First fare classes (A and R, there is no F) from EWR to LAS today, tomorrow, and a week from today, brings up $634.40 from EWR to LAS, same day, one way, unrestricted fares.
Please help me understand how I could enrich CO by a factor of over 300% and pay triple fare ... you sure you didn't put in for a family of 4? Or do the exchange rate conversion the wrong way?
Or maybe this is just a way to gouge people who buy tickets in the UK?
:-)
Search on CO in both of its First fare classes (A and R, there is no F) from EWR to LAS today, tomorrow, and a week from today, brings up $634.40 from EWR to LAS, same day, one way, unrestricted fares.
Please help me understand how I could enrich CO by a factor of over 300% and pay triple fare ... you sure you didn't put in for a family of 4? Or do the exchange rate conversion the wrong way?
Or maybe this is just a way to gouge people who buy tickets in the UK?
:-)
Jun 26, 2007, 2:33 pm
#86
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Your post makes it sound like the actions of the CO Supervisor were somehow appropriate, even if the OP acted in a hostile fashion.
Also, telling someone to "go back to Quebec" is not playing the race card, since French Canadians are white (assuming, of course, the OP is white)...
Also, telling someone to "go back to Quebec" is not playing the race card, since French Canadians are white (assuming, of course, the OP is white)...
We are white, and Joe is white.
Jun 26, 2007, 2:44 pm
#87
Original Poster
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[
The episode happened exactly as I have reported it. Working through McCarran Airport staff, Continental is currently investigating and is actually very empathetic to our situation. One item they find interesting is that Joe did not take the time to place any notes on our flight record, except, "involuntary refund." (And, if you recall, he said he would not give us a refund. He or someone apparently changed his mind.)
Something stinks about this story. Stinks real bad. I don't doubt the OP was banned from his flight, but there HAS to be more to ths story. When was the last time there were 5 seats open (as the flight was boarding, no less so you know that battlefield's were already given) on a EWR-LAS flight? Smell that? It's stink.
Jun 26, 2007, 3:11 pm
#88
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Playing the race card is a little hysterical, though. When all else fails, plead racism. 
Please.[/QUOTE]
I'm not playing a race card. I don't even know how to do that. Racial profiling occurs when a person makes an assumption about another person's ethnic or cultural background, and then proceeds to insult, harm, or discriminate against that person based on this assumption. In my case, if you had observed Joe's paralanguage and listened to his statement, "Go back to Quebec," you would likely have thought as I did, "Does this guy think I'm Canadian just because I've just flown in from Quebec? And, is he treating me badly because he thinks I'm a foreigner?" It was a very odd comment made my Joe to my entire family. We have never experienced a comment like that before. Ever.
As we told Joe, we are American, not Canadian.
Please.[/QUOTE]I'm not playing a race card. I don't even know how to do that. Racial profiling occurs when a person makes an assumption about another person's ethnic or cultural background, and then proceeds to insult, harm, or discriminate against that person based on this assumption. In my case, if you had observed Joe's paralanguage and listened to his statement, "Go back to Quebec," you would likely have thought as I did, "Does this guy think I'm Canadian just because I've just flown in from Quebec? And, is he treating me badly because he thinks I'm a foreigner?" It was a very odd comment made my Joe to my entire family. We have never experienced a comment like that before. Ever.
As we told Joe, we are American, not Canadian.
Jun 26, 2007, 3:13 pm
#89
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As we told Joe, we are American, not Canadian.[/QUOTE]
Wasn't this a case of nationalism, not racism?
Jun 26, 2007, 3:30 pm
#90
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Fair enough. We will just have to agree to disagree.
I believe that, while you may minimize cigarman's influence, he has been a key player in a number of decisions regarding customer service. I am very happy that Continental has such a person, which is unlike most (if not all) other carriers.
I am, however, a little troubled that cigarman often does not energetically enough represent all of Continental's customers. Instead, it appears that he is often inclined to represent himself and the small number of very elite flyers, sometimes at everyone else's expense.
Regarding cigarman's attempt at humor. He can do whatever he wants, but I think that, as Larry Kellner's confidant, he has a responsibility greater than to just himself. I think it actually reflects a little poorly on Kellner and Continental that the person they have selected as their confidant has a tendency to make mean spirited remarks and inappropriate jokes.
I believe that, while you may minimize cigarman's influence, he has been a key player in a number of decisions regarding customer service. I am very happy that Continental has such a person, which is unlike most (if not all) other carriers.
I am, however, a little troubled that cigarman often does not energetically enough represent all of Continental's customers. Instead, it appears that he is often inclined to represent himself and the small number of very elite flyers, sometimes at everyone else's expense.
Regarding cigarman's attempt at humor. He can do whatever he wants, but I think that, as Larry Kellner's confidant, he has a responsibility greater than to just himself. I think it actually reflects a little poorly on Kellner and Continental that the person they have selected as their confidant has a tendency to make mean spirited remarks and inappropriate jokes.
Fair enough. We agree to disagree
FWIW, I agree that he can get a bit overzealous in his defending of CO.