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(c) Elliott Publishing.

Continental Sucks
ChrisCrossings · September 21, 2000

Q: Do you know of a site dedicated to complaints about Continental Airlines only? I know there is one for United ("Untied.com") and I think Continental needs a similar one. Continental really sucks.

-- D. Kyle

A: There are probably plenty of other passengers who would agree with you. Although Continental has rebounded recently from bankruptcy and a well-deserved reputation for the worst customer service in the air - worse still than United or Northwest - I have to point out in all fairness that it's been improving.

Which might account for the lack of gripe sites dedicated to Continental. But, be that as it may, Continental still gets a lot of attention from the online community. Here's a rundown of what's out there:

A pilot speaks out - this Web site, written by someone who claims to be a certified pilot, lashes out at Continental for "inferior" customer service, cabin comfort and safety. It calls the company arrogant (hey, there's a new one for any airline) and urges readers to write the author with complaints.

Try working for Continental - If you think flying with Continental is bad, why don't you get on the payroll? At least that seems to be the message of the Continental Teamsters Web page - a place where you can see the airline from another angle. Check out the Teamster's contract and read grievances filed against the carrier.

Or try being one of its pilots - The pilot's union page is full of other interesting information that gives you a good idea of what kind of company Continental is. Does it suck? I think if you asked some of the folks who created this site, they'd probably say "yes." But heck, it's a living.

Will you behave? - A site called TravelDesk hosts a forum on Continental. However, its participants tend to behave rather foolishly on the site - calling each other all kinds of childish things - and I hesitate to recommend visiting this page.

Other places to get the lowdown on Continental include eComplaints, where, I note, Continental is the sixth-most complained about company; AirlinesSuck.com, and PassengerRights.com. But unfortunately, there's no central Web site that aggregates every Continental grievance that compares with Untied.com.

This being the Web, of course, this article is obsolete the moment it's posted. So my recommendation is that if these links go dead - and eventually they will - do a search for a Continental grievance site and see if it offers what you're looking for.

Happy surfing.

Christopher Elliott's column appears on Thursdays. All e-mailed questions to ChrisCrossings become property of Ticked.com and may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. You may reach Elliott at chris@ticked.com. Or visit his home page at http://www.elliott.org.