Very Unhappy with USAIR

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Customer service everywhere has taken a nose dive, not just the airlines. Passengers tend to be so proud of the bargain fares they secure yet fail to understand the residual effects of lower fares; fewer mechanics, CRS and the like.

As a professional working in the airline industry, and DF flying commercial aircraft, along with nearly all of our friends who fly or work in one capacity or another at every airline mentioned on the disboards, I am the other side of the complaint coin tossed so often here. I fully understand that people screw up in every industry... but I am sure I would be FRIED on these boards if I posted a complaint about the obnoxious FC passenger who held up my DF upon arrival because she fought with the FA during final approach. DF spent 30 minutes calming the passenger down because he didn't want the woman arrested. He was trying to do her a favor and save her a lot of grief. Personally, I'd call that customer service and not the kind that I'd actually give if it were me. Needless to say, DF is MUCH kinder than I am. Meanwhile, I sit waiting for him at Ruth's Chris for our Friday night date. And I wait. And wait. Ho Hum... he will be here any minute! NOT.

The flight arrived just after 8 pm and DF arrived at 10:15. Was it something that messed with my travel plans? No, but it sure messed with our evening. No flames, I didn't actually post this, it was typed solely arguendo.

My point is this.... crap happens. 99.9999% of the time it is not the fault of the individual trying to help you at the counter when you're hopping mad. A flight can arrive on time and the next crew can discover issues during pre-flight that require attention. Immediate attention. It's not the like oil light comes on and you know you can milk another 1000 miles before you go in for an oil change. Again, this requires some understanding on the part of the flying public. Airlines (again, thank those low fares!) don't have the financial luxury of having spare aircraft at various airports in case something happens. In order to remain profitable, they need to generate revenue constantly to cover the lease and insurance payments on each plane. Simple business. This means there may NOT be an immediate solution to YOUR problem; i.e., your flight has been cancelled or delayed indefinitely. Crap happens. No, they didn't do it on purpose.

For what it's worth, I think CSRs need to be paid double what they make, which is next to nothing. YMMV

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I think companies would be more willing to admit errors if there wasn't such a tendancy for our litigious society to convert such admissions into sanctions with financial penalties. Many commodity markets, like air travel, operate on very slim (or negative!) margins, which have no capacity for sanctions for routine errors. We, the general public, have crafted the environment that these companies need to operate within, so we end up having to live with the ramifications of what we have wrought.

Of course, free of sanctions, we're as likely as not to get an admission of responsibility regardless of whether or not they actually are responsible. Therefore, I'm not sure that either approach really serves any useful purpose.

Clearly, though, a CSR should never "admit" a mistake which they're not empowered to admit -- in other words, a CSR shouldn't decide on behalf of a company that the company is "at fault." That's a legal decision, and shouldn't be made by line personnel. That's like a McDonald's cashier admitting that Big Macs are a major contributor to a customer contracting diabetes. So all a CSR can do is admit that they personally made a mistake, which is not applicable in this situation.

You're on the right track here. The fact is, most people don't want JUST an admission of fault. They want the promise of compensation for their inconvenience or loss. They want you to acknowledge "that we were so incredibly wrong and normally we wouldn't do this, but please take these 2 round trip first class tickets to any destination we fly along with our sincerest apologies." Airlines don't charge enough per ticket to be able to offer routine or unjustified compensation. That's just a fact of the business. If you don't believe this is true, stand next to a gate agent for 30 minutes or more.

Remember also that the CSR at the counter really doesn't know WHY something may or may not have been screwed up on a particular ticket. Nonetheless, she (or he) has to stand there all day long and apologize for other people's mistakes... the airline's, yours, your travel agent's, her co-workers'...

hmmm... maybe I will start a rant post about my issues

 

[bicker]

Airlines don't charge enough per ticket to be able to offer routine or unjustified compensation. That's just a fact of the business.

I want to underline what you've said here: Airlines don't charge enough per ticket to be able to offer either routine compentation or unjustified compensation. Either/or. The issue is that most folks could readily craft what they feel is justification for compensation that they want to feel entitled to. However, routine conditions, such as flight cancellations, mixed up information systems, etc., can be followed up with nothing other than the airlines' "best efforts" ("best" in their estimation) to get you to your destination.

If you don't believe this is true, stand next to a gate agent for 30 minutes or more.

Amen.

 

[goofy4tink]

I want to underline what you've said here: Airlines don't charge enough per ticket to be able to offer either routine compentation or unjustified compensation. Either/or. The issue is that most folks could readily craft what they feel is justification for compensation that they want to feel entitled to. However, routine conditions, such as flight cancellations, mixed up information systems, etc., can be followed up with nothing other than the airlines' "best efforts" ("best" in their estimation) to get you to your destination.

Amen.

Hey, we're agreeing!!!! I have to agree that there are way too many out there who feel the need to be compensated for every little thing that doesn't go their way. I've seen it many times. Just want to be clear...my family didn't want to be compensated..they just wanted the seats they needed on the flight they had booked, or one shortly after. Nothing more.
I have to say that I think most CSR take a huge amount of 'stuff' from the public. That's one of the reasons I no longer work as a CSR...got really tired of taking the fall for everyone from the janitor to the president of the company!!!
I hope that my attitude towards the 'front line' is a good one and I don't contribute to someone's bad day.