US Air Low Price Guarantee???

[tiki23]

Hi,

Our fares have dropped on US Air. I called twice yesterday and two reps had no clue about the low fare guarantee. I've called twice this evening and was told I'll have to call back because their system is down.

Has anyone experienced problems trying to get a travel voucher for the guarantee?

Thanks!

 

[bicker]

US Airways has no "low-fare guarantee" as such.

(They only included airlines that HAD a guarantee, naturally, so that meant American, Continental, Delta (sort of), Northwest, and United. US Airways, Southwest, AirTran, jetBlue, etc., weren’t included, since they don’t have a guarantee.)

US Airways will provide travel credits when the fare for your fare class decreases on your reserved flights, however, if you call asking about their "low-fare guarantee" you'll probably only end up confusing the agents. A change fee may apply, and that could end up eating-up the entire amount of the fare reduction. Also, I believe the credits need to be used within a year.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Try asking for it by the term used on their website:

Guaranteed Air Fare Refund
When a new lower fare becomes available after a ticket has been purchased, customers are entitled to a Guaranteed Air Fare Rule refund within the following guidelines:

The lower fare is available for the exact itinerary previously purchased.
No portion of the reservation has been flown.
Guaranteed airfare refunds are not available for online ticket exchanges. Certain promotional fares may be excluded.

$100 service fee will be charged unless the refund is issued in the form of a travel voucher. Additional rules and restrictions may apply. Call our Reservations Desk to seek a Guaranteed Air Fare Refund.
http://usairways.com/awa/content/travelplanning/ticketingpolicies/default.aspx

 

[Kies99]

This happened to us. The fare dropped about $50 total per seat. We called up and told them that the fare went down, they checked and sent us double the amount of the difference as a voucher ($100 per seat for a total of $400). Granted, USAir doesn't fly anywhere we want to go really (since we won't be back to WDW anytimes soon ), but we've got the vouchers if something pops up.

 

[tiki23]

Bicker and Kaytieeldr - you're right; I wasn't using the correct term on the first call. On the second call though, I did look it up and quoted the website to the agent.

I tried to post an update last night, but the board must have been on maintenance 'cause my post timed out. Here's what happened:

Two more phone calls and I was told that the prices had gone up even though I checked and double-checked US Air's website (even cleared cookies!) while I was on the phone with the reps.

The third call I asked for a supervisor. I was told that none were available, but I was given a number to call. Which referred me to another number, which referred me to another number and to yet again another number!

I decided to try their live chat. The agent couldn't help me, but gave me the number for the internet help desk.

This time, I started off by telling the agent that I needed to confirm the price on the flights I was looking at on the web page. She confirmed the fares at the lower price! I then told her I had flights at a higher price and wanted the Guaranteed Air Fare Refund. She told me I wasn't eligible for a refund. It was then that I uttered the magic word...."voucher." Apparently, they are not going to say the "V" word until you say it first.

I can hear her clicking away on the computer and she then informs me that there is only one fare available at the lower price, so I'll only get one magic voucher.

As a side note, at no time did I raise my voice or lose my cool - I just kept plugging away at it.

I felt like that was a lot of run-around for $72. Thank goodness I was on my cell with free long distance. Even if I would have had to call all of those numbers to get to the right person, it wouldn't have been a big deal - every request might have its' own department and I'm ok with that.

What I'm NOT ok with is that I feel like I was flat-out lied to until I had to practice a little deception by not declaring what my real purpose was in making the call.

US Airways has a reputation for bad customer service. I don't think this was just a matter of lacking in customer service or even bad customer service - it was a bad business practice.

I may yet try to call back and talk to a supervisor. Not to yell and scream, not to try to get any compensation, just to relay my disappointing experience.

 

[CarolA]

Keep in mind that often the NORMAL agents you talk to cannot see your fare. Most airlines have "webfares" that you get ONLY if you book online. That presents a problem in situations like this so the internet help was probably the way to go.

 

[tiki23]

Keep in mind that often the NORMAL agents you talk to cannot see your fare. Most airlines have "webfares" that you get ONLY if you book online. That presents a problem in situations like this so the internet help was probably the way to go.

That makes perfect sense; thanks for the tip!

 

[bicker]

US Airways has a reputation for bad customer service.

They provide a level of service commensurate with the industry. Some airlines provide better service, because they're in a better financial position and use that financial position to retain their advantage in that regard -- a luxury which an airline that is barely making ends meet cannot afford. Most airlines provide the same level of service.

In an colder world what would have happened is that the courts would have let US Airways fail, and United, and Delta. 185,000 people would have been out of work immediately, and many thousands more over the course of months after each termination. The remaining airlines would each have been strengthened by the reduction in competition. Load levels would have been easier to keep high, and prices would have much more readily risen to a level that could support the cost of operations for legacy carriers.

Instead, our compassionate courts have shifted the onerous debts of airlines onto the backs of the American taxpayer, and then let those airlines continue to operate on shoestring budgets, providing marginal customer service because that is the level of staff that they can afford to hire.

Sucks.

 

[tiki23]

Instead, our compassionate courts have shifted the onerous debts of airlines onto the backs of the American taxpayer, and then let those airlines continue to operate on shoestring budgets, providing marginal customer service because that is the level of staff that they can afford to higher.

Sucks.

Yep.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I've always had great customer service from SWA and they're ultra low-budget. At least they're polite and cheerful when they speak to me and they have a great sense of humor. Yes, they don't give out pillows, blankets, etc. but our flight is only 2 hrs. so I wouldn't need that stuff for a 2 hr. car ride either.

 

[cjsmom5]

Keep in mind you can only use the vouchers if you go to the airport and purchase your tickets and then they can't get the lowest internet price that is available. We have some that we probably won't use but at least they sent them our way. The SWA policy of putting the amount into an account works better but we have found their fares from Phoenix to MCO to be higher the last year ... so we have taken the last four trips to MCO on US Air.