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Pictured at top from left: Houston International Reservations Sales Agent Marlene Eakman, LAX Chelsea Executive Chef Bhasker Raghav, EWR Customer Service Supervisor Carl Hicks, EWR Material Specialist Lead Ronald Logan, Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner, IAH Presidents Club Representative Barb Medina, David Power, IAH Flight Attendant Janice Rosado, EWR 777 Captain Brian Meenan, IAH Customer Service Agent Team Leader Bill Harris, and CLE Finance Lead Chris Hejl. |
J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES is well-known for its consumer studies measuring satisfaction in numerous product categories, most notably automobiles. Now J.D. Power has assessed how travelers feel about their airlines.
And guess which airline came out on top: Continental was ranked highest in customer satisfaction among traditional network carriers in North America in the 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Survey.
The study surveyed more than 9,000 passengers who were asked to rate their recent airline travel experiences in several categories: reservations, flight crew, check-in, in-flight services, boarding/deplaning/baggage, cost and fees, and aircraft. Respondents favored Continental over all other network carriers.
A group of employees from Continental, including Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner, accepted the award at a news conference in Washington, D.C.
“This award validates the effort we have been making to give our customers a better trip on our airline,” Kellner says. “We have focused a lot on keeping passenger amenities intact while offering clean, safe, and reliable travel. On top of that, my co-workers deserve tremendous credit for continuing to deliver the highest level of customer service.”
According to the study, business travelers on Continental showed an especially strong preference for the carrier. Among network airlines in the study, Continental achieved the highest satisfaction among business travelers.
— Lockwood Tallman
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September marks the resumption of the business travel season, which makes it the perfect time to understand the special benefits that Continental offers to EliteAccess travelers.
EliteAccess is a package of premium services designed with the busy business traveler in mind. Originally created in 2003, EliteAccess status adds benefits and cuts wait times, expediting the customer’s airport experience.
Eligible customers can check in for their flights at designated EliteAccess check-in counters, and receive priority screening where available. Any time during boarding, EliteAccess travelers can skip the usual board-by-row process and board at their leisure through the EliteAccess lane. Customers also receive priority baggage handling: the bags of EliteAccess travelers are identified and tagged during check-in to ensure they’re among the first delivered to baggage claim.
Continental’s BusinessFirst and First Class customers are eligible for EliteAccess, as are Elite members of Continental’s OnePass program. Customers flying on a full-fare, economy-class eTicket can take advantage of these programs through the “Elite for the Day” program; they will also be placed on the standby list to receive a complimentary First Class upgrade on all flights offering First Class service.
— Susannah Thurston
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A Real Team Player
It  takes a positive, winning attitude to want to clean out and organize one of Continental’s freezers at its Cleveland catering warehouse, but that is exactly what Dan Drespling, a warehouse lead at Continental’s sister catering company, Chelsea Food Services, did.
Described by co-workers as “always in a good mood, helpful to everyone, and extremely knowledgeable of all aspects of the warehouse,” Drespling works hard to keep operations in the Cleveland warehouse running smoothly. He’s known as a troubleshooter, tackling challenges head on and offering creative solutions to remedy problems. He helps to keep the place organized, monitors and maintains inventory, and ensures that employees are at the right place at the right time. When he’s not working, you’ll probably find him checking out his favorite sports teams, the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Drespling has been named Chelsea’s Employee of the Month several times. He’s one of the many reasons why Chelsea is a great place to work.
— Julie King
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Courage to Change
“Women have a vital role to play in this century. They embody the power to influence, decide, and lead,” says Kristin Engvig, founder and director of W.I.N. Forum, which is holding its ninth annual leadership forum in Rome this month.
Continental Airlines is a corporate sponsor of this year’s forum, which has become the leading global platform for effective exchange and networking among experienced female leaders. W.I.N.’s European touch and global outlook will attract more than 500 women from all over the world to this unique event. For more information about W.I.N., visit winconference.net.
— J.K.
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Saving Lives
 As the official “Commit for Life” airline, Continental has partnered with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in 2006 to help save lives. Giving blood just once a quarter can help save up to 12 lives a year. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center encourages blood donors to give on an ongoing basis.
All those who donate or attempt to at a Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center location will be entered to win a pair of round-trip tickets to any city served by Continental in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, or Central America. A winner will be randomly selected every quarter.
Additionally, September 2006 has been designated as Continental month. Commit for Life donors can be entered to win BusinessFirst tickets to any Continental Airlines destination in Europe, South America, Hawaii, or Asia. All individuals who donate or attempt to in September will be entered to win an additional pair of tickets to any city served by Continental in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, or Central America.
Commit for Life takes three easy steps: (1) Donate once per quarter; (2) allow the Blood Center to contact you; and (3) spread the word and encourage others to Commit for Life. 888.482.5663; giveblood.org
— S.T.
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The Plan is Working
Continental recently reported a second-quarter profit of $198 million — almost double what the company earned in the same three months last year. This result is especially noteworthy because fuel expenses for the period jumped more than $200 million and the company made a $60 million accrual for employee profit sharing. Continental also contributed $91 million to its employee pension plans during the quarter, bringing total pension plan contributions since 2002 to over a billion dollars. The second and third quarters are traditionally the strongest part of the year for Continental as more people travel on the airline during the northern hemisphere’s summer season.
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