Recently, CBS News reported that complaints against airlines are up noticeably. I think that the mega-mergers are creating predatory companies that are so large the people in charge are out of touch with their customers.

I used to enjoy flying Continental Airlines and earned around 48,000 miles on my frequent-flier account. Someone at Continental promised me that my miles would be there forever until I wanted to use them. I was told that 25,000 miles was all it took to get a flight anywhere in the U.S.

But then United Airlines took over Continental. On April 13, I called United to try to use some of my frequent-flier miles and was told I did not have any. The woman explained to me that I had not had any activity for 18 months, so they canceled my miles March 31.

I complained that my account was a Continental account and Continental had told me those miles would be there forever until I wanted to use them. The woman simply answered, “Well, this is United now.”

When I told her that no one had notified me that my miles were about to expire, she said I could buy them back for $200. I told her I will never fly United ever again. Those people have stolen from me for the last time. If necessary, I will pay extra to fly with an airline that is more honest than United. The emblem on the side of United planes should be a vulture.

I hope that people who had frequent-flier miles from Continental Airlines will check to see if their miles have been stolen by United, and, if they have, complain to the Federal Aviation Administration. That’s what I plan to do.

Thomas O’Connor

Falmouth

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