Elite Reservation Guarantee Useless?
 

I tried to get on 4 flights tomorrow - all nonstop, CO metal - and was told that all 4 were "too full". What's the point of this guarantee??:mad:

This has been discussed a few times (and I've been rejected before as well, so I share your :mad:). It is a benefit that you can almost never actually take advantage of. It stinks, but that's the way it is.

Try to collect on just about any of Continental "guarantees." You will find that they have so many loopholes, etc that they are virtually worthless. The guarantee is to lull you into feeling better to part with your money. After that you can say goodbye to it.

I would love the straight scoop on this...like, what is "too full"? I used it once; if I need to use it again and am denied, I will be very cranky.

I interpret this to mean that the probably of getting volunteers on low fares to give up their seat is low. At very peak times like this - the flights are all full - so getting a volunteer is unlikely.

Hotel guarantees are the same way - guaranteed availability for top tier hotel elites, except there are a few high peak situations where the guarantee does not apply.

Ok, so I will be the one who is contrary here. I have used it sucessfully at least 10 times over the last year, and I think it is one of the better benefits. I can certainly see them capping the total number of reservations at times to prevent IDBs, but all in all it works well for me (IAH based).

That's what I think. People would be IDB; I bet the system tries to figure out if there is a way to get them to their destination later--if it doesn't look good, it probably negates the guarantee.

As others have indicated, CO tends to play a little loose with the meaning of words such as "guarantee."

Perhaps CO Insider can fill us in on what the exceptions to "most flights" are.

[emphasis added]

Hi texd, we clearly have an opportunity to re-evaluate this policy and do a better job of setting expectations for this benefit. And I know this issue does tend to come up around the peak holiday periods. When we say "most flights," this applies to sold-out flights that we're willing to overbook up to a certain level. On heavily overbooked flights and/or flights where we have little room to recover (like during the holiday peaks), we do inhibit any further overbooking. This doesn't apply to all flights that are sold out, just the ones where it could be a near impossibility to reaccomodate customers.

thanks, scott. yes, continental does need to do a better job in communicating the benefit. having said that, as a platinum i don't expect to be able to get a last minute seat to anywhere over the holidays. it's just not a reasonable expectation. starwood has a similar benefit and similar restriction. i don't expect to get a last minute room in the super bowl city, either.

I tried to do this a few weeks back. And was no go. And this was 4 weeks before the flight.

super.

unfortunately, there are gaping holes in your anecdote. namely, where were you trying to go? and, when?

I would guess that they would be more willing to do this from a hub, where there is a bigger chance that someone will misconnect.

Doing the math, it would seem to be an attempt to force on to a "holiday" flight. As noted above, this is the time of year when the "most flights" clause is likely to be invoked; four weeks out is nothing when considering Xmas flights.