[msc39nj]

I am sure most employees are 'good' people, but you only highlight the problems with an airline like Continental. First, the customers pay for the service, and when customers are not happy with the service, they do this thing called complaining. Accept it. Or, don't take our money. Then won't complain. Your service is your service, including all its packaging and delivery (airports, TSA security). Nobody comes to the airport just to experience the sublime pleasure of standing on lines, going through security checkpoints and waiting through delays. The airlines collect all the fees, regardless of where all the costs are, so in the end, it's all their 'product' as far as their customers are concerned, and that's all that matters. Second, let's accept your assertion about pricing. I suggest then that Continental double? triple? it's fares, whatever it takes, stop selling tickets to passengers that it doesn't intend to honor (you've pointed out the motivation to overbook or book tickets on flights you never operate), and attempt to operate profitably. Nuissances like me (other industries think of us as a blessing called 'paying customers'), will either choose not to fly with Continental and go away, or we will choose to fly because Continental provides a valuable service as advertised, and Continental is free to deliver on the promise it made when it sold the ticket, and we won't need to complain, and everyone will be happy. Or, other airlines can operate profitably at present prices while satisfying customers, and Continental will cease to exist. Doesn't matter to me which it is.