Help!! Continental screwed up!!!

[frkymcky]

I originally booked my return flight for 5:15pm with seat assignments (4 seats in a row) perfect with the kids. For some reason they bumped me to the 6:15 flight (the 5:15 is still flying), however my seats were not to my liking, not awful, not perfect. I called and spoke with a rep, I simply stated the above and said I want to see what they can do to get me four seats together. He puts me on hold for a few minutes, when he comes back he says I have you on the 5:15 however the seats are now restricted, so you have no seat assignments! WHAT?!?!?! I did not approve or authorize a flight change with no seat assignments, I want my seats, I am traveling with 2 small kids and cannot risk not having seats together. He says "well I am not going to allow you to blame this on me - you told me to change the flight" , which I NEVER did (DH is sitting near me and confirmed I never said that). So after a few words he said there is nothing I can do and hung up.

I am on the phone with a different rep, who is trying to help but says there are no seats available, I can take the 8:15pm or 11:35am and she can get me seats. I know she is trying but I don't want that I want what I had or the 5:!5 with seats. UGH!!!!

I am SOOOOO upset

 

[bicker]

Don't get caught up in specific flights; they're not guaranteed and they can change your flight assignments if they want, even without your permission. What they can't do is get out of their obligation to fly all four of you from where you are to where they promised to take you, sometime today. Hold them to that, for sure. Best of luck.

 

[DebbieB]

When is your trip?

 

[Tara]

The airline holds a certain percentage of seats for assignment at the airport. Arrive early and request seat assignment together and it's unlikely you'll have a problem.

 

[frkymcky]

They fixed it!!! My flight is May 8th, my problem was not the flight change or the seats. I called to see if we could get 4 seats together, I mentioned that I had those seats together on my original 5:15 flight. The Rep decided to switch my flight BACK to the 5:15 without ANY seats.

I do understand that the airlines can change your flights at anytime BUT they cannot do what this Rep did to me. When I did get a supervisor they fixed it, we are still on the 6:!5 (no biggie) with the original seat assignments we had.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well....back when I was flying the more "proper" airlines, I had my seat assignment changed more often than I didn't! I'd spend the time to choose where I wanted to sit, then when I got to the airport, it was a different spot.

So they certainly can and do change the seats.

What was wrong about what happened is the guy made changes before asking you what you wanted to happen, and changing it before you said OK. That's where the problem, based on my experience with what does happen, lies.


The seat stuff is why I actually really like SW! Nothing is more solid about choosing a seat than walking onto an airplane and sitting in your chosen seat. Way better than picking it out ahead of time and having it changed!

 

[Lewisc]

I For some reason they bumped me to the 6:15 flight (the 5:15 is still flying), however my seats were not to my liking, not awful, not perfect.

You could have been bumped for a variety of reasons. Continental may have substituted a smaller aircraft. Continental may have cancelled a N/S flight and needed seats on your aircraft for connecting passengers.

Seat assigments are never guaranteed. People who say they won't fly an airline like Southwest have a false sense of security regarding seat assignments.

I see Continetal was able to help the OP. I suspect Continental moved you because they could no longer provide 4 seats together.

 

[frkymcky]

Well....back when I was flying the more "proper" airlines, I had my seat assignment changed more often than I didn't! I'd spend the time to choose where I wanted to sit, then when I got to the airport, it was a different spot.

So they certainly can and do change the seats.

What was wrong about what happened is the guy made changes before asking you what you wanted to happen, and changing it before you said OK. That's where the problem, based on my experience with what does happen, lies.


The seat stuff is why I actually really like SW! Nothing is more solid about choosing a seat than walking onto an airplane and sitting in your chosen seat. Way better than picking it out ahead of time and having it changed!

That is exactly what happen, a change was made when I inqured about a cahnge of seats, and I did not approve it. I beleive you are the only one who understands that.

The change in flights took place months ago, no biggie, the seats were assigned again no biggie. Today I called to inqure about getting seats together and that is when the screw up occured. The rep put me on hold, switch my flight and gave me no seat assignments, then put me back on the 6:15 without seats. He told me I requested it when I hadn't.

At this point, it's neither here nor there....the supervisor I spoke with completely agreed with me, the Rep should not of done what he did and I now have the seats I was originally assigned 3 months ago!!

 

[frkymcky]

You could have been bumped for a variety of reasons. Continental may have substituted a smaller aircraft. Continental may have cancelled a N/S flight and needed seats on your aircraft for connecting passengers.

Seat assigments are never guaranteed. People who say they won't fly an airline like Southwest have a false sense of security regarding seat assignments.

I see Continetal was able to help the OP. I suspect Continental moved you because they could no longer provide 4 seats together.

That's not what the problem was. I was bumped to another flight and had seat assignments (months ago), I called today to inquire about the possibility of having 4 seats together. The Rep took it upon himself to change my flight to the original of 5:15 then to find out he couldn't give me any seat assignments on either flight. I never asked to have my flight changed!! That's when the problem began, I DID NOT ask to have a flight change.

 

[bicker]

They don't need your permission to switch you to another flight on the same day. I'm glad they were able to satisfy you by putting everything back.

 

[Lewisc]

That's not what the problem was. I was bumped to another flight and had seat assignments (months ago), I called today to inquire about the possibility of having 4 seats together. The Rep took it upon himself to change my flight to the original of 5:15 then to find out he couldn't give me any seat assignments on either flight. I never asked to have my flight changed!! That's when the problem began, I DID NOT ask to have a flight change.

I'm glad Continetal was able to help you. My point was to list some of the reasons why an airline might move you to a different flight, even if the flight you booked is still on the schedule.