Continental unfair to paddlers
 

Regarding my previous post about Continental Airlines treatment at the Cleveland airport :



I received a call from a customer service rep. She was very apologetic about the treatment I had received at the hands of their
agents in Cleveland and offered to replace the gear I left behind in the airport lobby or a free travel voucher. I must admit they
were gracious about the situation and assured me this is not the way they would usually would ahve handled a problem like this.

I realize in a perfect world I would have read the new policy and followed it but instead relied on the Continental
agent's previous actions so the assumption was it conformed to size limits. The Service Rep agreed that since this is a new policy,
a return leg, and the bag had been accepted on previous flights, the Cleveland agents should have checked it through and provided a
copy of the written policy so that this would not be repeated. I think that was the proper solution.

Continental stepped up and made the situation right and that shows good will. There are lots of good folks at
Continental, I just ran into a coupla grouches in Cleveland.



Te Canaille

Continental unfair to paddlers
 

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message ...

I received a call from a customer service rep. She was very apologetic about the treatment I had received at the hands of their
agents in Cleveland

Kudos to them, but did they do anything to make this policy known to their employees?

They asked if I had gotten the names of the two agents involved and I had not. The Customer Service Rep was anxious to speak to
them. I'm sure they'd rather not have angry passengers sending them e-mails.

I realize in a perfect world I would have read the new policy and followed it but instead relied on the Continental
agent's previous actions so the assumption was it conformed to size limits. The Service Rep agreed that since this is a new
policy,
a return leg, and the bag had been accepted on previous flights, the Cleveland agents should have checked it through and
provided a
copy of the written policy so that this would not be repeated. I think that was the proper solution.

Now you know.

Yep , now I know

Back when I used to fly frequently and had to deal with them on a regular basis, it struck me that most of the people working
security
seemed to come from the same labor pool as the folks serving food in the cafeteria and cleaning the bathrooms. For some of them,
it was
obvious that the authority they were given (probably for the first time in their lives) went right to their heads.

I agree, but must quickly add that my problem did not occur in security. It was with the ticket agents at baggage check in.

Thanks for the reply

Continental unfair to paddlers
 

Te Canaille wrote:

Regarding my previous post about Continental Airlines treatment at the Cleveland airport :

I received a call from a customer service rep. She was very apologetic about the treatment I had received at the hands of their
agents in Cleveland and offered to replace the gear I left behind in the airport lobby or a free travel voucher. I must admit they
were gracious about the situation and assured me this is not the way they would usually would ahve handled a problem like this.

Kudos to them, but did they do anything to make this policy known to their employees?

I realize in a perfect world I would have read the new policy and followed it but instead relied on the Continental
agent's previous actions so the assumption was it conformed to size limits. The Service Rep agreed that since this is a new policy,
a return leg, and the bag had been accepted on previous flights, the Cleveland agents should have checked it through and provided a
copy of the written policy so that this would not be repeated. I think that was the proper solution.

Now you know.

Continental stepped up and made the situation right and that shows good will. There are lots of good folks at
Continental, I just ran into a coupla grouches in Cleveland.

Back when I used to fly frequently and had to deal with them on a regular basis, it struck me that most of the people working security
seemed to come from the same labor pool as the folks serving food in the cafeteria and cleaning the bathrooms. For some of them, it was
obvious that the authority they were given (probably for the first time in their lives) went right to their heads. I used to carry a
tool kit regularly. One moron actually confiscated a bottle of Loctite, of all things, after pouring over the label and finding where
it said "may irritate eyes or skin" and postulating that "someone could squirt this into someone's eyes". She had no problems with the
knives, screwdrivers, spray lubes or butane torch in the kit, though she did wave a pair of 4" wire cutters in my face and warn me
"You're really pushing it!" She had no idea what she was looking at, but was obviously bound and determined to give me a hard time and
confiscate something, and ultimately she did.

BTW, this was the one and only time I ever volunteered that they may want to seach a carry on. I learned the hard way that you NEVER
volunteer ANY information, as it just gives them an additional excuse to harass you. Just plop your stuff on the belt and let them do
their job. If they ask any questions, give short, direct, polite answers, but don't offer any additional information. The less you say,
the less you're likely to be harassed

--
Regards

Brian

Continental unfair to paddlers
 

Te Canaille wrote:

Back when I used to fly frequently and had to deal with them on a regular basis, it struck me that most of the people working
security
seemed to come from the same labor pool as the folks serving food in the cafeteria and cleaning the bathrooms. For some of them,
it was
obvious that the authority they were given (probably for the first time in their lives) went right to their heads.

I agree, but must quickly add that my problem did not occur in security. It was with the ticket agents at baggage check in.

There's even less of an excuse for that. We had some "fun" with them, too, especially when flying with archery equipment. It got to
the point that when asked, we would just tell them that the case contained a "trade show display".

--
Regards

Brian

Continental unfair to paddlers
 

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
...


Te Canaille wrote:

Back when I used to fly frequently and had to deal with them on a
regular basis, it struck me that most of the people working
security
seemed to come from the same labor pool as the folks serving food in
the cafeteria and cleaning the bathrooms. For some of them,
it was
obvious that the authority they were given (probably for the first
time in their lives) went right to their heads.

I agree, but must quickly add that my problem did not occur in security.
It was with the ticket agents at baggage check in.

There's even less of an excuse for that. We had some "fun" with them, too,
especially when flying with archery equipment. It got to
the point that when asked, we would just tell them that the case contained
a "trade show display".



I had a security agent in Hamburg forbid me to bring a 5-piece fly rod, in
an 18-inch travel case, onto a RyanAir flight. I had just been on two other
RyanAir flights with it within the week, had taken that exact rod in that
exact case as a carry-on on two SouthAfrican Air, a KLM and a NW flight
within the previous 6 months, and had gotten permission from the lady at
check-in moments before. But this bonehead, pigheaded obstinate 18 year old
German gestapo kid adamantly refused on the grounds that 'it was pointed'
(meaning the rod sections inside the case). As we stood there arguing, he
let some 16 year old girl bring her violin through, although I pointed out
that the bow was as pointed as my fly rod and the case was much larger. He
still refused and said "The rod either goes as checked baggage or you do not
get on the flight." I went up two levels; the immediate supervisor, and the
floor manager. They all backed him up although they could not produce any
reason other than "we don't allow those on flights." I wanted to spit on
him, I was so furious. And I don't often get that mad.

Fortunately, the rod arrived safely at the next stop, but I still was deeply
insulted by his attitude and treatment. I guess you get what you pay for.

--riverman