On April 14, 2009 I bought a package deal (flight and hotel) from Orbitz.com. Due to the CDC and US government warnings I contacted Orbitz on 4/30/09 to cancel and ask for refund. Orbitz promptly refunded my hotel money and told me Continental was not giving refunds. I contacted Continental on 4/30/09 at 7:35pm and they refused to give a refund but offered to give me a credit for less than half my money spent if I used it within a year. I asked to speak with a manager and a fellow named "Tony" told me my money would not be refunded and the CDC was "just a recommendation" and "they have a vaccine now" for the swine flu. I informed him he was an idiot and I was following the recommendation of the CDC instead of "Tony" of continental. I asked for his identifying number and he told me it was "SB" and that he could not help me. I informed him I had a pacemaker and was not going to ignore the governments recommendations. I feel that Continental is wrongly using this disaster to profit (keeping money for services not given or giving fraction of money within a year). I an likely not able to take a vacation within the year. I would like all my money refunded minus a service fee. No US business should profit off of this disaster.

If I had received a little bit of compensation for my mutilated luggage that I got back from Continental Airlines I would have forgiven them for the cardboard sandwich with melted cheese that I got during my four-hour flight back from Houston.

I looked over at the packet of hot sauce that came with the meal. I remembered my brother telling me how he carried a bottle of hot sauce while in the military because anything with hot sauce is edible. To Grin and Bear It is how he often described his time in the Marines. If only I liked spicy I could grin and bear I ate my desert instead.

To grin and bear is apparently something that Continental Airlines promotes and expects from their customers.

Continentals even got this customer service phrase thats pretty catchy, There is nothing I can say that will make you happy.

After the continental rep (we will call him little man) said this regal phrase I wanted to respond with, there is nothing you can say that will keep me from taking the wheel that was ripped off of my luggage and smacking you with it.

But, I digress

So, isnt that a long way from the customer is always right? But, the pendulum swings back- all the way back.

We have been left at the end of the tarmac, paying for extra luggage, terrible food, horrible customer service, delayed or canceled flights and sometimes we have to sit next to people who have a little to much junk in the trunk.

This is what its come to. As we struggle in a hopeless economy, with cost of living cuts, where my management gives me a title instead of a merit raise- my yearly evaluation is coming up at work and I just got crowned Director of Marketing and Community Relations.

Can you smell what the rock is cookin? We have no choice but to grin and bear because we are just lucky to get a flight that gets somewhere on time without having anybody plant a bomb in their shoe, or open an emergency exit. And, arent we lucky just to have a job in this economy.

So, cant I come home from my Costa Rican trip Yes, I was in Costa Rica and stayed at the Four Seasons for a work conference that my boss paid for. But, dont judge- this is the reason I didnt get violent with little man.

I left the Continental Counter and my brother would be proud- as he would grin and bear too. But, is it weird that I imagined pouring hot sauce all over little mans Continental head?

*In Continentals defense, they did give me an actual explanation: Continental only compensates for luggage when they tear the actual suitcase- meaning my wheel was not part of the actual suitcase. Continental said the wheel was an addition to the suitcase. However, my wheel did not come separate from my suitcase. In fact I have never seen a suitcase without wheels?

Early last year I made a reservation with Continental, then subsequently had to cancel. Continental sent me a voucher for $511.40 with no mention of any rebooking fee. Late last year I used this to make another reservation, and received a confirmation email with a $150 "change fee" (first time I'd heard of this) added to my $350 ticket!

So I canceled that reservation and complained to Continental, and they 'respectfully declined' to refund me the $150 -- or the cost of the ticket! At this point, I have flown zero miles and I'm out $661.40.

After further complaint, they added insult to injury by sending me five vouchers for $157.50 each - not to be used in combination. So I would need to fly 5 times (and spend more money) to recover the $661.40 they took from me.

I don't think I'll be flying Continental, and I recommend all travelers consider this egregious example of their deceptive business practices before you do.

A couple weeks ago, I had a flight booked and paid for on Continental from NY to Tel Aviv. I arrived at the airport and I was told that I did not have a seat on the plane and it was over sold. The ticket woman was actually very pleased to let me know there was a good chance that I miss my flight (and parents anniversary) that night, despite the fact that I paid $1, 300 for a reservation.

As a frequent flyer, I have seen many oversold flights but never have I seen someone forced off the plan who did not accept the airlines offer. Unfortunately, Continental did not feel it was their responsibility to up their offer ($700) until someone accepted. So, they made a conscience choice to maximize revenue (by overbooking) and expect consumers like myself to pay the price. Not sure how management signed off on this but it should be criminal.

After speaking to more disgruntled Continental Airlines employees, I discovered that this was common on the NY to Tel Aviv flight and the employees had actually informed corporate but no changes had been made despite many frustrated customers forced to go home rather than fly to Tel Aviv when scheduled.

I sent a similar letter to Continental Airlines a couple weeks ago but received no response. Plus, I just tried to use the $700 vouchure and was told that it must all be used at once (where all other airlines allow you to deduct the value of the flight booking from the vouchure). So, I now have to book an international flight (which I likely won't) to get the full value of the $700 which didn't nearly compensate my troubles to begin with.

Thanks Continental Airlines, your commercials could not be further off (keep your pillows and blankets and get me to where I pay for when I book it for).

I think Continental Airlines needs to think of our ppl on R&R in our war zones and when there is weather to try and get our ppl rerouted. They only have 14 or 18 days leave and everyone counts! If it is unable at least offer a voucher! When I spoke to Customer service which they let me know they were in Houston with bad weather they were rude and unconcern about our ppl.

Bet if it was one of their own they certainly would have taken care of their ppl. Very rude ppl!