United/continental merger a mess?

[mishpat]

Its been over a week since the merger. Wait times still exceed fifteen minutes . Dropped calls abound. Customer care is now in Manila, far from Houston. Is this just me or has the merger ruined what was the once great OnePass program? Tired of being called by my first name, as in can i help you , Mister Jeffrey? and being given either wrong information or simply put on hold to go back to another agent

 

[IngridN]

We're on the United side and having nothing but problems. DH has free Red Carpet Club for life, however, they managed to drop it. He spent 45 min. on the phone yesterday and they supposedly fixed it. No such luck...took him a while to get into the Club this morning!

Last week, he couldn't check in on line because they thought he was traveling int'l from Green Bay to Chicago!

I still haven't received my package. Arghhhhh.

Ingrid

 

[falmouth3]

And how long did it take US Airways to work out the bugs after their merger? Probably a year.

 

[ricoba]

I don't have any dog in this "fight", but don't you think that it will take a lot longer than one week to work out all the kinks???? Just like falmouth mentions, these things take time.

Again, I have no interest one way or the other, but just an observation that these things (like em or not) take time (in spite of promises made).

Just my two cents.

 

[hypnotiq]

Friend of mine had to call United late last week. He spent a total of 5 hours the first time on hold waiting before he gave up and it was nearly 4 hours the second time before he reached someone. Pretty messed up.

 

[chellej]

DH is platinum with continental and prior to the merger I changed dd's FF flight to Hawaii in May to one earlier in the day. Well they did manage to cancel the original flight and put the miles back but they lost the new flight I had confirmed. I have been on the phone with them 5 and 1/2 hours to straighten it out. They have but the week back to being reserved but have not ticketed it yet. I am going to have to call again.

Each time I call at the least the wait is getting shorter.

 

[mishpat]

United but divided

Tried to get the replacement number for the OnePass ervice desk formerly in Houston, Texas, USA. Keep getting the Phillipines and am repeatedly told different answers to my questions. that is when the call doesn't drop after long holds or they simply hang up in the midst of an inquiry. Continental never had this rudeness, this outsourcing, this total lack of professionalism. I miss it already. Why does United sound like it is being operated in a third world country? Extremely frustrating

 

[bogey21]

It used to be that I could request miles for past trips on United's Air Partners using the United website. Now it looks like I have to do it by mail to Rapid City, SD. At least it is in the US!!

George

 

[MuranoJo]

I still have the notification from several months back saying I could 'merge' my United and OnePass accounts. What a joke. Never could pull it off after numerous calls and online emails.

 

[cissy]

Interesting comments. I was able to merge my ff miles online with no problems. Actually did it twice because I changed my mind about which account I wanted to use. Booked a ff trip to Hilton Head for April last week. No problems at all. Guess I'll count my lucky stars.

 

[Pat H]

Had no problems merging my accounts. At conversion the miles were merged. I have had a problem since Jan trying to get 270,000 miles back in my account from cancelled reservation. Can't even get a reply.

 

[thinze3]

Chaos indeed!

My neighbors missed their flights to Cabo last Saturday morning because the check-in lines moved to slowly. Even though it was the beginning of Texas spring break, they were in line 2 hours and 10 minutes before schedule departure time and should have had ample time. The United agent (former Continental agent) informed them that a lack of training of the new computer system was partly to blame. She also said that they had the same frustrating day on Friday and that many agents decided to call in sick because they didn't want to go through again on Saturday.

Early Sunday morning my neighbors did not make in on the stand by flight either. Finally, Monday morning they managed to get put on a flight to Cabo.

My neighbor owns her own marketing firm and travels at least twice a month on Continental, and she is a long term elite member.

 

[IngridN]

There was a blistering article in my local paper's business section this morning about all of the problems with the merger. They lauded United for getting all of the planes off the ground and flying as they were supposed to. Apparently this has been an issue in other mergers. The wait times and other non-flying problems were another story.

Ingrid

 

[normab]

Having gone through several large Pharma mergers and seeing how poorly they were handled, I can't imagine it's much better with this one. DH and I have been Continental elites on and off for years, and will miss Continental. Already we have seen changes we are not thrilled with, but we hope the overall new airline will provide some enhancements.

We don't travel again by air for another month, so we will see how it goes. I will miss the continental website when it goes and have to "learn" the new one.

Norma

 

[Luanne]

We don't travel again by air for another month, so we will see how it goes. I will miss the continental website when it goes and have to "learn" the new one.

Norma

United website has changed with the merger so we're all learning a new one.

 

[linsj]

DH and I have been Continental elites on and off for years, and will miss Continental. Already we have seen changes we are not thrilled with, but we hope the overall new airline will provide some enhancements.

Not as many changes as we elites from the United side hate. Remember when Smisek said in his video before the saftey briefing they were making changes we'd like? So far we don't like any of them. People are posting problems faster than I can't keep up with in the merger threads on FlyerTalk. We've given up all hope of enhancements in favor of customers instead of the bottom line.

I'm giving the merger a year to shake out but am expecting to comp status to another airline next year.