Continental - forget all the good things I've said !!!

[T16GEM]

The merger is just starting. They've gotten the OK for it and it's on as it now looks. But before they've actually merged, it'll be a long long time from now. A "regular Joe tourist" quickly sees a "new merged airline" as soon as they slap a new United Airlines name with Continental Logo on the planes and the staff uniforms. But in reality; it is just getting started. CO is still CO and UA is still UA. Biggest "merging" we've seen so far is some staff wearing 2 tags (one for each airline) finally some upgrade reprocity for elites from one airline on the flight operated by the other and vice versa. That's really about it in practice.

Operatings are still 2 different animals. Callcenters, check in desks, type of service offered linked to booked class, seating assignment options, boarding procedures, computersystems used, all are still the same as they were a year ago when it was still a fullblown codeshare with intentions to merge. You'll find some exceptions at some stations (smaller are easier to merge check in for instance), but the big picture is still 2 different animals. Can't speak for UK offices, but I know some EU offices will not see a real difference that should have an influence in the service or product offered until at least 2012.:

Having worked for a large multi national who merged with another, I fully understand the concept of a merger and yes you are right that they will be running two seperate call centres / booking systems etc, it doesn't happen overnight the point that I was making was that they have now announced the merger as being complete therefore they should be starting as they mean to go on, I believe their aim is to be the number one airline in the US, they should be able to cope with weather issues, and help their clients, not crumble under pressure.

Service? It's personal what one calls service of course.

Yes but there is a certain level that should be upheld, just because you don't fly regularly you shouldn't receive a lesser service to those that fly every week. A person that comes into my shop and spends £1.50 still gets the same service as the person that orders £500 of corporate decor services, it can be done without a FF programme (incidentally I am a memer of *** FF programme)

I'm in customer service every single day at work and I know that you can't please everyone all of the time but I think that they should be at least seen to be trying to help people who are stuck thousands of miles from home, with little or no idea of where they are (EWR especially as you never leave the terminal) and what their options are. Communication is the key here, where customer servcie falls down is not keeping the customer up to date with current infor filtering through. Our issue was that people went on or off shift to regularly through the delayed period and they didn't appear to be briefed on what was going on etc.

We leave for Orlando in a few hours with Continental, five of us with four cases, but will prob bring five cases back. lol.

DH usually has to go on a trip to Target on the morning that we are coming home to get anther holdall! It's one of our holiday traditions!

 

[T16GEM]

Yes they are stopping from Bristol which only leaves us with first choice flights now and thats to Sanford. We are really disappointed with the service as last year we couldn't praise them enough they were fantastic may be they are stressed from the change in company who knows or just tired being on delayed flights they probably just wanted to get to bed as much as us

Tinks - I meant to say to you, that you are totally right! They must be tired and stressed too! After our delay the CO flight attendants were very good with our DD and DS, they gave them both a pair of flight wings - a small gesture but it went so far. DS still remembers the "lady making him a pilot"
that's the kind of good service that we remember, honestly yes the 37.5 hours of travel time which should have been 12 was a bummer but seeing my little boy with a smile from ear to ear because of one flight attendant really helped to soften the blow!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Having worked for a large multi national who merged with another, I fully understand the concept of a merger and yes you are right that they will be running two seperate call centres / booking systems etc, it doesn't happen overnight the point that I was making was that they have now announced the merger as being complete therefore they should be starting as they mean to go on, I believe their aim is to be the number one airline in the US, they should be able to cope with weather issues, and help their clients, not crumble under pressure.

Define cope with weather issues, crumble etc. Not something I've read so far, but could be me after all!

Yes but there is a certain level that should be upheld, just because you don't fly regularly you shouldn't receive a lesser service to those that fly every week. A person that comes into my shop and spends £1.50 still gets the same service as the person that orders £500 of corporate decor services, it can be done without a FF programme (incidentally I am a memer of *** FF programme)

You're looking at it the wrong way, IMHO. Regular Joe flyer doesn't get treated less. Regular Joe flyer gets the standard experience, standard service, standard product. Loyal customers on the other hand can get extras. Just as many other businesses offer to keep in their biggest accounts. Stats are made up when combining experencies of all customers, flight records etc. etc. Those are not below par when it comes to CO. I'ld rather go on those than one single experience that isn't based on that horrid weird things, but of course; just me being me.

I'm in customer service every single day at work and I know that you can't please everyone all of the time but I think that they should be at least seen to be trying to help people who are stuck thousands of miles from home, with little or no idea of where they are (EWR especially as you never leave the terminal) and what their options are. Communication is the key here, where customer servcie falls down is not keeping the customer up to date with current infor filtering through. Our issue was that people went on or off shift to regularly through the delayed period and they didn't appear to be briefed on what was going on etc.

Let's see; multiple planes stranded, delayed, perhaps some flights cancelled. ALL of those folks want to be helped and on a flight, NOW. Somehow I can see them not being able to satisfy all. Keeping a customer up to date? I'm a firm believer of it going both ways. Yes, it's nice when an airline plays a pro-active roll but the same could be said from customers. It's soo easy nowadays. Airports offer free wifi more and more. Log on et voilà; all info at hand. Info that might not even be known by all ground crew. You're there seeing the update happen online, where as that ground crew is busy talking to customers, rebooking, doing multiple things in once while trying to keep updated. If alone for that fact, I'ld rather rely on keeping myself updated.

Poor briefing isn't a good thing, allthough a lot can depend (and thus look real bad) on the info crew even gets themselves.

Really, I'm not going to say you're to blame, nuts or whatever. I'm just talking about what I find important and have seen happen. If you're not pleased with a product; complain. And as we all know as customers, which you'll even more realise when known with customer satisfaction, there is no better way than to do that with a letter if complaining on the spot didn't get things solved.