Continental Airlines SUCKS BALLS

Sorry mom if you read that but my loathing right now for Continental can only be summed up as such.

This previous weekend I traveled to Waco, Texas (more on that in the next post). Normally I would talk about the trip sequentially but so great was the suckiness of Continental on the return trip that I have to begin there.

I was scheduled to fly on Flight 2406 from Dallas to Houston for a connection on to my Milwaukee When I arrived at my gate the flight was scheduled to depart as normal.

· At 3:30 the flight was delayed until 4:53.

· At 4:30 the flight was delayed without a time or any further explanation.

· At this time I contacted the Continental 1-800 # and spoke to a representative who informed me that my flight, 2406, was delayed due to weather. While I was on the phone with her another flight arrived from Houston I told her this and informed her that weather must not be the issue. By the way the 800 number for Continental is in Houston couldn't she just look out her f'ing window. She then put me on hold to talk to her boss. When she returned she told me that my flight is now delayed until approx. 6:50 p.m. I advised her that I would miss my connection. She offered to book me on a flight from Dallas to Houston on Monday June 9 instead. I declined

· Without explanation from either gate agent both of which were either unwilling, unable or too incompetent to make any announcement to those of us waiting for flight 2406 passengers from flight 2637 also waiting at our gate for a flight that was supposed to leave an hour later than my flight are loaded and depart for Houston at 5:00.

· At about 5:10 gate personnel finally made an announcement regarding the expected arrival of our plane from Houston. The gate agent declares that it has been delayed due to mechanical difficulties. These gate agents are unable or unwilling to help anyone with connections. Not only that, they never even asked anyone on the previous flight if their final destination was Houston. I.e. why not put people with connections on a flight that is actually on time and delay those not going anywhere else. NO WONDER CONTINENTAL IS WORRIED ABOUT BANKRUPTCY. THE SOONER THE BETTER.

· At approximately 7:00 flight 2406 (my flight) departs.

· At approximately 7:45 our fight arrives in Houston. I went immediately to customer service. I was informed that I had been re-booked for Monday June 9 on flight 3083 due to the fact that I missed my connection due to mechanical failure. I inquire about the possibility of being re-routed on flight 2146 to Chicago. The agent responded that she could put me on standby. While I pride myself on instantaneous judgement calls this would not prove to be one of them.

· I immediately went to the Chicago gate and check in with the gate agent to confirm my standby status and I inquired with her about ground transportation from Chicago to Milwaukee. She told me that I customer service in Chicago would help me with that. She also told me that I needed to wait at the gate because of my standby status.

· At 9:00 I was allowed on flight 2146 bound for Chicago and we departed.

· At 11:30 the captain informed us we needed to land in Indianapolis to refuel and wait out bad weather in Chicago. We land in Indy at midnight and are held on our plane. Some woman next to my starts crying.

· At 2:00 a.m. we leave Indianapolis.

· At 2:35 a.m. we arrived in Chicago. I immediately went to the gate agent and inquired about ground transportation to Milwaukee. He said that customer service in the baggage claim area would help me.

· I went directly to customer service in the baggage area. Get ready for the moral of this story, the woman working informed me that all ground transportation for the night had ceased. Apparently even though Chicago is like one of the busiest airports in the world and even though the cab line was an hour long there is no other public transportation after 11:00. She says she can't help me. I ask where the rental car counters are and get this, FRACKING (new word of the weekend) O'Hare doesn't have rental car counters. It only has a bank of phones which happen to be right next to the world's loudest elevator.

· At 3:00 a.m. I began calling rental car and transportation services. When talking to one agent she says "when do you want to pick the car up sir" I said "15 minutes" she said "I need to know what time you want to pick the car up" I said "I'm sorry it's really loud in here, I'd like it in 15 minutes" She said, (thoroughly annoyed) "I need to know what time that would be sir" "Well add 15 minutes to your fucking watch and that's what time." (well that's what I was thinking anyway), I said "3:15." "Okay we can give you a compact car for ... wait.... wait... $200" I hung up.

At this point I begin calling other rental companies, same story. Okay, isn't the free market society based on supply and demand. Are there really that many people that need rental cars between the hours of 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. I mean, I pay for gas, it's my insurance, etc. I just rented a car for all of next weekend, 48 hours for $80. This is for you rental car companies.

I begin calling car services. Bingo, I find a car service that will drive me to my house for only $195. At this point I feel like this guy. I give in.

· At 3:45 I was picked up by an Eastern European guy like this.

When we arrived at my house at 5:00 and he told me that the there was a mandatory 20% tip that I was responsible for adding I wasn't going to argue.

Total cost of my original flight to Waco $348.
Total cost of ride from Chicago to Milwaukee $234.

Stay classy Continental.