Super OnePass service

I called Continental OnePass (800/344-1411) in December ’08 to book two tickets from Los Angeles to Papeete, Tahiti, using award points. I was told the economy-class tickets would be 100,000 points each, for a total of 200,000 — much higher than I anticipated.

I told the agent that I didn’t have enough points. We discussed my possibly buying points, but it would have been pretty expensive. The agent then asked me if I had any old points somewhere, since Continental OnePass miles never expire. I told her I didn’t think so. She asked whether my husband, Joe, might have some old points. Again, I was pretty sure he didn’t.

She offered to hold the reservation for me while I figured out how to gather the points, then I hung up. I was feeling pretty low about our Tahiti travel possibilities.

After about 15 minutes I received a phone call from the same Continental OnePass agent. She said she had looked through their OnePass system and found a Joe Kras in the Southern California area. She asked if he could possibly be my husband. I told her ‘Yes.’ She had found 50,000 OnePass points from the 1980s. I couldn’t believe it!

We did have to provide some very old information, such as Joe’s street address in the 1980s. Luckily, I was able to find it in the attic, and we transferred the old points into his account.

At that point, I knew it was fate. I got the tickets to Tahiti.

I am still amazed by the wonderful, thoughtful service from Continental Airlines (www.continental.com). I have always been one of their biggest fans and have flown with them to many South America and Central America destinations. Our flight to Tahiti is scheduled for September ’09.

SARA KRAS

Glendale, CA