[Sgt101]

The following is a detailed description of the problems we encountered with Continental
Airlines on 2/28/09.

- We were to fly from Omaha to Fort Lauderdale with connection in Houston. Our flight number was 1724 at leaving at 0700 from OMA to Houston on 2/28/09. We were at the airport in Omaha at 0515 and we boarded the aircraft at 0630.
- At approximately 0700 the pilot informed us that we were waiting for a couple of passengers to board.
- At approximately 0715 we were told there was a problem with a conveyor belt that TSA was using.

- At approximately 0745 we were told the baggage needed to be re-distributed in the belly of the plane from the rear to the front. While waiting on the plane we watched the American Eagle baggage handlers haul two trailers of luggage from the rear to the front of the plane. We actually witnessed one of our suitcases fall off the trailer and it laid on the ground for about 20 minutes.
- At approximately 0830 we pulled away from the gate. We informed one of the flight attendants that we had a connecting flight in Houston and that it looked like we were not going to make the connection. She had no suggestions other than to call Continental Reservations and see what they could do.
- Prior to departure we made a call to Continental Reservations and they said to check in when we arrived in Houston. Others on the flight were doing the same. Had we known what was going to happen we would have gotten off and tried another airline.
- At approximately 0900 we then started getting de-iced. We were de-iced 3 times.
- During our wait we were told by the flight attendants at least 2 times that this was not a weather related delay and it was all on Continental and American Eagle.
- Upon arrival in Houston, we went straight to Customer Service and were informed that Omaha had reported this as a weather related delay, and after we argued and told them what the flight attendants had said, they said “just because they said it doesn’t change it”. If it was a weather related delay, why did six other flights manage to leave while we were sitting there?
- About that time one of the senior flight attendant’s who was on the flight from Omaha to Houston, arrived at Customer Service and told them exactly what had happened. The flight attendant made a phone call and after the phone call, the customer service representative told one of the other reps, “Do whatever it takes to make this right for these people” .
- We were then escorted to gate B39 to meet with a gentleman named Tom and he apparently authorized getting us 6 seats on a full flight that was heading to Fort Lauderdale. It was their intent to get us to Fort Lauderdale in time to catch the cruise ship which was to leave at 1600. We had been informed by Carnival that unless we were at the pier by 1530, we would not be allowed on the ship.
- The flight they put us on was not scheduled to arrive until 1605.
- Before leaving I asked Tom (wore a red jacket) if we did not make the ship would Continental get us to San Juan to catch up to the ship. He said they would, but the flight to FLL was about to leave so they did not issue us any tickets to San Juan.
- I had spoken to Carnival several time throughout the day and advised them of our situation and status. I called them immediately upon landing in FLL and asked their emergency desk to contact the ship and ask them to wait, unfortunately they would not wait.
- We then went to Continental Customer Service in FLL to inquire about tickets to San Juan and they said the Omaha information said it was a weather delay and they would not issue tickets. They also stated that Houston Customer Service had misinformed us about getting tickets to San Juan and that they only reason they said it was “just to get rid of us”. The person we talked to at Continental in FLL said they had no flight to San Juan, and we could get a better price on Jet Blue.
- Continental did issue us a voucher for a hotel in FLL. Continental was not responsible for our missing the cruise ship but was willing to pay for Hotel rooms?

[stephen]

A very frustrating and disapointing experience for you.
However delays whether weather related or not and mechanical issues are very frequent in air travel. Whenever the purpose of your travel is to be on time for a specific event such as a wedding or a concert or to join a cruise ship etc it is really essential to travel the day before and stay overnight in a nearby hotel if necessary.

[Silent Bob]

Question: if it wasn't weather, why were they deicing? Not being sarcastic, just wondering just how cold it was (degrees) in Omaha. I would agree with Stephen, you have leave yourself room to play when it comes to such events like cruises. Next tip, if you feel you were gonna miss the connection, no matter what ask to get off. You were already delayed long enough, though I know some FAs will push you to stay, get off the plane because its better to be in your own town than someplace else. Did Continental eventually get you to your next port or did you end up going back to Omaha?

[jimworcs]

I agree with the advice to allow extra time, even a full day, for very time sensitive connections such as a cruise ship. However, the advice to get off the aircraft is less clear cut. You are very much in the hands of Flight Nazi's and you are often prevented from doing so, under threat of criminal action for failing to obey the instructions of a flight nazi. Remember this is the airline that threw a woman and her infant child off the plane because he was saying "bye bye plane". The delay started as an operational delay, but became a weather delay as time went on. Even the most tenuous link to the weather is grabbed hold of by the airlines. You might have a reasonable chance in small claims court, especially as Continental did in fact provide provide hotels and seems to have tacitly accepted the delay was not entirely weather related.

[countrynewsman]

I have learned from past experience that if I have to be somewhere by a certain time that I arrive early...at least a day early. If the plane had to be de-iced three times, that tells me there was a weather problem. I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Tuscon and we're having weather issues tonight in Texas. We're visiting our kids, so if we're delayed, not a big deal. We took a cruise in January and flew to California three days early to visit family and friends. No worries. Of course, I'm retired and have very few time contraints.

[Sgt101]

I have heard enough times now about leaving the day before for a cruise. Continental should post a warning "if your'e flying with us, leave the day before". It was not weather initially. At least 6 other planes left around our original scheduled time. I know this for a fact, as we saw them leave. But then we had to wait for the deicing unit after we had pulled away from the gate.