Some Good News about Airlines

At last I received a cheque from Continental Airlines (http://continentalairlines.com) reimbursing me for the cost I incurred last July for a hotel room when my connecting flight out of Cleveland was cancelled for mechanical reasons. It took more than four months, partly because it was hard to discover from the airline's Website what the proper procedure was to request a refund. Continental is in the process of merging with United Airlines, so this may also have had something to do with the delay. In any case, it is good to be aware that refunds in cases like these can take a long time.
My friend Margaret (yes, same first name) recently flew for the first time on Toronto-based Porter Airlines (http://flyporter.com) and reported a good experience. Her route took her from Montreal to Toronto's Island Airport, where she said facilities were good with free coffee and wi-fi, and on to Chicago's Midway Airport. Porter flies the Bombardier Q400 series turboprops, a short takeoff and landing plane. This is not the same STOL plane I remember that used to fly between Ottawa and Montreal, but a new quieter version. According to Margaret, the centre aisle is very narrow (fortunately she is slim and in very good shape) and there is limited on=board space for carry-on luggage. On the positive side, there was a free snack and free wine, beer, coffee and soft drinks.
Porter is growing quickly, and now offers service not just within Canada but to many U.S .destinations. In April of this year they will begin service to Washington DC. I'm not sure what Margaret paid for her trip, but the price must have been very competitive because she is one of those people who often crosses the U.S. border in search of cheap flights.
Earlier this week I had my second experience with West Jet (http://westjet.com) on flights from Tampa to Montreal via Toronto. It was a very stormy day across the Ohio Valley and central Canada, but we made it with just about an hour's delay at Toronto. Service was good and even included free beer or wine on the second leg of the journey, but I wish some West Jet flight attendants would not confuse themselves with stand-up comedians. It's all right to be friendly and casual, but some of them take it too far and seem somewhat unprofessional.

Airline Complaints Website

I recently discovered the site http://www.airlinecomplaints.org, where travellers can register their problems with airline and view the experience and advice of their fellow sufferers, er I mean travellers. You need to register to post a complaint, but you can find some useful advice without registering.
It's now been more than three months since I sent a letter to Continental Airlines requesting payment of a hotel bill incurred when that airline cancelled my flight for mechanical reasons. (Airlines are required to put travellers up when a cancellation is for mechanical problems, but not when it results from weather problems.)
I called the airline again last week and was assured a supervisor would call me back later that day, but to my complete lack of surprise I heard no more from them. I am determined to collect the money Continental owes me, but based on what I read on the Website it may take quite a while longer. Unfortunately, it is not just Continental that gets a lot of complaints from customers. Wish I had some good advice for these types of situations, but other than not travelling by air I can't think of any.

Travel Travails

On Friday, July 22 I was travelling from Tampa, Florida to Montreal on Continental Airlines (www.continentalairlines.com) with a connection in Cleveland, Ohio. Generally I have been fortunate with connecting flights--I can't remember the last time I didn't make a connection, but I guess trouble has to catch up with us all sometime.
On arrival in Cleveland I learned the connecting flight had been cancelled for mechanical reasons. As cancellations go, that is about as good as it gets since that means the airline is responsible for re-routing you or, if that is difficult, putting you up until the next day. (If you get stranded because of weather you may be on your own.) The Continental rep offered some re-routing options, and said the hotels the airline uses for stranded passengers were full. The re-routing option I chose was through Toronto, but before that flight could take off Cleveland was hit with an enormous electrical storm and a ground stop. The flight that was supposed to go to Toronto was diverted to Erie, Pa., and it was unsure when it would depart.
The agent had said the airline would pay if I found my own hotel, which I managed to do, at a downtown Holiday Inn Express. There was a big convention in town and most hotels were full. The hotel proved to be very nice, but not cheap, $176 including tax, plus another $75 in taxi fares to and from the airport. All the Continental reps I spoke with were very nice, so I assume the airline will pick up the costs once I manage to file the paperwork.
Keep reading for more on the outcome, and on the hotel, which is a former bank building with very large rooms and a generous breakfast buffet.