[visitwisconsin]

Regarding my complaint with Sherrie Reed in "We Care" customer service at Continental this morning, about flight 3004 on Sat. Nov 6th out of Houston to Milwaukee. Referring to a person's fat overflowing over 4 inches into my small 17 inch airline seat, underneath the armrest and a few inches over the armrest. I had only a 13 inch left to sit on, the woman was approximately 400-500 pounds and should have never been allowed only one seat in this flight with very small airline seats. She should have been stopped at the gate when they saw she only had one seat, was very large and they knew the seats were only 17 inches wide. The seat was already the hardest and uncomfortable airline seat I've ever sat on in my 35 years of flying. Being forced up against the edge of the seat made it even more uncomfortable. My arm and shoulder needed to be into the walk area and I had to squeeze in my shoulders when the cart went through or a person passed by. Two days later my back is still not feeling right. Other people in the flight were also complaining to each other about the uncomfortable seats and their sore backs after the flight.

Continental's policy states:
Customers Requiring Extra Seating
If a customer’s physical size requires, or if a customer requests an extra seat for safety or comfort, the customer must purchase a first class seat or a second coach seat.
We reserve the right to deny boarding to a customer who cannot be safely accommodated due to a seat weight size restriction.

I wasn't protected from this by any Continental employee on the fully booked flight or at the gate. It's even more annoying to think that my husband and I tried to take an earlier flight that Continental had opened and they wouldn't allow us to take the open seats without paying an additional $100.00!

Their own policy states that the customer must purchase a first class seat or a second seat. It was clear to everyone at the gate waiting area and on the plane that her size would be a problem. I noticed her as soon as I sat down at the gate and knew she should never be allowed to buy only one seat on any airline let alone one with very small seats. Continental didn't follow their own policy.

Sherrie said I should have asked to change seats, right...who else would want the seat. So I guess it was my fault!?!? She said that there would probably be an employee on the flight that would have changed seats. Really? How would I know that? How would she know that? She also stated that it's a delicate situation, that the lady had a right to be there and that if I wasn't happy that I could have left! She said she would send a fifty credit to a future flight. That isn't going to help my back and why would I want to sit on those hard small seats again?

I didn't say anything to embarrass the woman and made friendly conversation with her, I felt it was a test of my character and that the employees of Continental should have done something. The gate attendant or flight attendant should not have allowed her enter the airplane with just one seat ticket. I'm sure that they were very aware of the problem.

I'm writing this after being on hold over 25 minutes after the usual menus and holds, then restating everything to a "Terell". Then so I wouldn't have to continue using minutes on my cell she was going to call me back on my home line to finish the conversation which she never did. So now I'm writing this letter to warn others. After a very uncomfortable flight and wasting several hours today with customer service at Continental, nothing satisfactory was done.

[jimworcs]

This is a classic example of transferring the problem from the airline to the customer. This passenger behaved in an exemplary fashion.. did not do anything to embarrass or make the obese lady uncomfortable. It is a pity Continental didn't do the same. This issue can be easily handled. Gate agents when checking in customers have a good indication of when a flight will be full. If it is unlikely to be full, they should block the middle seat of the obese person. It is is likely to be full or borderline, they should hand the person a letter explaining the company policy for people of "size". This outlines their options. It should not attempt to "gouge" the customer and charge and extortionate rate, but should state that they can either:

1. Purchase another seat, at the same price they paid for their original seat. This should be refunded if the flight is not full.
2. Rebook onto a later, less full flight, at no cost, if this is available
3. Decline to allow them to board if neither option is acceptable to the customer and offer a refund.

I am pretty large myself, and I think this is entirely fair. Southwest have a pretty good policy on this.

Under no circumstances should the airline require the passenger to raise the issue. It is unfair and unprofessional.

You were badly treated and Continental let you down. It most certainly is a delicate situation and instead of handling it professionally, they put the onus on you. Shame on them.

[visitwisconsin]

Thank you to jimworcs, and your comments were very well stated for Continental to make improvements. You are right I did not want to do anything to embarrass or make the obese lady uncomfortable and that Continental should have been professional to take care of the problem and not expect the customer to take care of it or transfer the blame to them.

[DazedNadConfused]

I went through a similar situation recently on Delta - I wrote a letter and received a $100 voucher (yippie) that was supposed to make me feel warm and fuzzy. I work in the crisis management industry and drafted a letter to Delta outlining the basic risk during an emergency and the liability they assume when they do not act on safety policy....

You got it - no answer.

[Leatherboy2006]

And the minute Southwest tried to enforce the buy another seat due to being fat s policy what happened.....O right the fatties all cried discrimination.

This problem is only going to get worse as America's waist line (and now the worlds) gets bigger and everyone seems to think we need to coddle these people with their fast food diets.
Shame on people for letting themselves get that way.....come join us at the gym and at eating veggies you might like it and your heart will thank you (as will your joints and limbs and btw you might live to see 90 or 100 and not be a sad static of poor eating and no exercise)

[visitwisconsin]

I gave Continental Airlines "We Care" one more opportunity to "care"...
First is part of my letter to them followed by their response. Bottom line... Fly someone else!

I would like to give you the opportunity to make this situation right and show that "we care" really applies to your customer service department. Giving $50 for a future flight with you doesn't make the situation right, isn't enough, fair or reasonable. Below is my first posting about your company's poor treatment of me during the flight and when I tried to resolve the problem with customer service. The first posting on the internet airline complaint site is mine, followed by others commenting on it. Your employees didn't do their job before or after the flight according to your own policy and also acted in the most unprofessional way by saying it was my job instead of theirs to raise the issue about another passenger, and if I wasn't happy I could have left! "A passenger should never have to raise the issue about another passenger, it unfair and unprofessional. It's your employees job not mine to take care of problems on the airplane when they see it and EVERYONE at the gate and airplane saw it. In fact the pilot even brought the lady her second tomato juice can. Doesn't that hit you as odd?" Ask yourself how would you like to be treated, would you be happy with a hard 13" seat with 4" of fat next to you and a $50 voucher for another flight? Would you like to have airline employees protect you from this happening on your future flights?


Thank you for contacting Continental Airlines. I apologize for the delay in responding.

I was sorry to read that you were unhappy with the gesture of good will sent to you by Ms. Reed. The Electronic Travel Certificate (ETC) was sent strictly as a gesture of good will because we do understand your frustration and inconvenience.

Your complaint was previously forwarded to the management personnel responsible for review and corrective action, and I am confident that the issue will be addressed with all involved.

While I again apologize for the frustration and inconvenience, I must decline your request for further good will.

Thank you again for choosing Continental Airlines. You are a valued customer and your business is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Wendy Harwood
Customer Care Manager

... Does anyone else find humor in their use of "good will", "we care", "valued customer", and "your business is appreciated"? Oh and "Customer Care Manager"

[visitwisconsin]

I gave Continental Airlines "We Care" one more opportunity to "care"...
First is part of my letter to them followed by their response. Bottom line... Fly someone else!

I would like to give you the opportunity to make this situation right and show that "we care" really applies to your customer service department. Giving $50 for a future flight with you doesn't make the situation right, isn't enough, fair or reasonable. Below is my first posting about your company's poor treatment of me during the flight and when I tried to resolve the problem with customer service. The first posting on the internet airline complaint site is mine, followed by others commenting on it. Your employees didn't do their job before or after the flight according to your own policy and also acted in the most unprofessional way by saying it was my job instead of theirs to raise the issue about another passenger, and if I wasn't happy I could have left! "A passenger should never have to raise the issue about another passenger, it unfair and unprofessional. It's your employees job not mine to take care of problems on the airplane when they see it and EVERYONE at the gate and airplane saw it. In fact the pilot even brought the lady her second tomato juice can. Doesn't that hit you as odd?" Ask yourself how would you like to be treated, would you be happy with a hard 13" seat with 4" of fat next to you and a $50 voucher for another flight? Would you like to have airline employees protect you from this happening on your future flights?


Thank you for contacting Continental Airlines. I apologize for the delay in responding.

I was sorry to read that you were unhappy with the gesture of good will sent to you by Ms. Reed. The Electronic Travel Certificate (ETC) was sent strictly as a gesture of good will because we do understand your frustration and inconvenience.

Your complaint was previously forwarded to the management personnel responsible for review and corrective action, and I am confident that the issue will be addressed with all involved.

While I again apologize for the frustration and inconvenience, I must decline your request for further good will.

Thank you again for choosing Continental Airlines. You are a valued customer and your business is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Wendy Harwood
Customer Care Manager

... Does anyone else find humor in their use of "good will", "we care", "valued customer", and "your business is appreciated"? Oh and "Customer Care Manager"

[jimworcs]

The contents of these canned responses... and how much they value your business are so insincere, it makes my skin crawl. The letters are utterly deviod of any interest in you as a customer... but they get bigger and bigger and more powerful...so they no longer care about the "little guy" as they regard themselves as too big to fail. Why shouldn't they? Delta did fail and they were bailed out...