Will NEVER Fly U.S. Airways Again!!

[bavaria]

Beth, Carol, Anne and I ARE a little unusual around here as we do choose to pay more for service (or don't pay less for lack of service)

I think that the OP has a greater challenge due to the high cost of fares from/within Canada, and the smaller pool of airlines serving those cities. Much as I can't stand Air Canada (both service and product related) reality is that I will not state 'I'll NEVER fly Air Canada again....' as I am stuck with them sometimes.

I am not going to speak for the OP, but experience here shows that once XYZ airline/car rental has a cheap deal, past hurts are often forgotten in favour of a deal.

 

[DebbieB]

I flew over 50,000 miles with US Airways last year. The only big problem I had was a connection through PHL. I was at MSP, our flight to PHL was delayed over 3 hours due to rain resulting in a air traffic control delay (very common occurrence, all it takes is a few raindrops or fog there). Finally made it to PHL, was put on a different connecting flight and of course my luggage did not make it. It was delivered the next day. I try to avoid PHL at all costs if I can.

 

[bavaria]

Not to make excuses for the baggage rep, but it can take anywhere from 0 minutes to 120 minutes or more for people to clear customs. I suspect that the airlines all have a set 'end of shift' time to reasonably accommodate travellers clearing customs, but cannot expect their staff to wait until every single person has cleared, regardless of how long it takes.

I have a card which allows me to bypass the customs line, and I can't tell you how many times I take my luggage and leave while every single other passenger from my flight is still standing in the line to clear customs.

 

[CarolA]

Beth, Carol, Anne and I ARE a little unusual around here as we do choose to pay more for service (or don't pay less for lack of service)

I think that the OP has a greater challenge due to the high cost of fares from/within Canada, and the smaller pool of airlines serving those cities. Much as I can't stand Air Canada (both service and product related) reality is that I will not state 'I'll NEVER fly Air Canada again....' as I am stuck with them sometimes.

I am not going to speak for the OP, but experience here shows that once XYZ airline/car rental has a cheap deal, past hurts are often forgotten in favour of a deal.

Well as I said I know better then to say NEVER. As soon as I do my boss will send me to the middle of nowhere and airline XYZ will be the only choice!

 

[taximomfor4]

Well as I said I know better then to say NEVER. As soon as I do my boss will send me to the middle of nowhere and airline XYZ will be the only choice!

How about "never by choice." That is the ONLY time I say "Never."

Beth

 

[seashoreCM]

I have a credit with them right now due to an incident where I was treated very poorly after asking to be reseated because a very obese woman was spilling so far into my seat that I couldn't even reach my seat beat--she was a good 6" or so past the gap between the seats hanging into mine. I still haven't used that credit, I still haven't flown them since that, and frankly, I doubt I will. Even when I called thier home office to complain, I was treated like dirt. I told them I didn't want the credit, I wanted the policy changed so passengers wouldn't be forced to share their seat with someone else. Until that happens, I"m not giving them a dime of my money.

(copied from another post)

According to Paul Harvey, half of all gift certificates, unused days on Disney passes, airline vouchers, etc. are never used. The airline will get off scot free if you do not use the vouchers you were given.

In the future, do not sit down in a space you will be contorted or highly uncomfortable in. No yelling or screaming and sorry, no sobbing either. If the airline is then unable to transport you, your stance can now be it has to pay cash compensation. You may well be entitled to more than IDB if the airline did not ask for volunteers first. Not sure whether you need to kibitz them but you will not have "exhausted all of your remedies*" without having summoned a complaint resolution officer.

It was Ralph Nader who started the process that led to what is now the bump rules on flights. IMHO this extends to large people taking part of your seat too. If you disagree perhaps we could petition Ralph to do another lawsuit, this time on this subject.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

* A phrase that those with J.D.'s or LL.B.'s understand.

 

[Lewisc]

I can't speak for the OP but most customers will only pay a small price premium for better service. I wouldn't pay double but I'd probably pay at least an extra 10%.

You're not price sensitive. Would you book a connecting flight or take a lousy flight time in order to avoid an airline like US Airways?

Face it if an airline we don't like has either the price or schedule we want many of us will book it.

The OP still hasn't answered my question, if they US Airways was a lot less than any other carrier, would she still not travel on them. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

(copied from another post)

According to Paul Harvey, half of all gift certificates, unused days on Disney passes, airline vouchers, etc. are never used. The airline will get off scot free if you do not use the vouchers you were given.

In the future, do not sit down in a space you will be contorted or highly uncomfortable in. No yelling or screaming and sorry, no sobbing either. If the airline is then unable to transport you, your stance can now be it has to pay cash compensation. You may well be entitled to more than IDB if the airline did not ask for volunteers first. Not sure whether you need to kibitz them but you will not have "exhausted all of your remedies*" without having summoned a complaint resolution officer.

It was Ralph Nader who started the process that led to what is now the bump rules on flights. IMHO this extends to large people taking part of your seat too. If you disagree perhaps we could petition Ralph to do another lawsuit, this time on this subject.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

* A phrase that those with J.D.'s or LL.B.'s understand.

Uh, I was actually in my seat before the other two arrived. My seat was ont eh aisle, I got up to let them in. The lady in the middle seat raised the armrest and sat down, thus taking a considerable amount of my seat, and covering my seat belt with her girth. I didn't yell, scream, or sob. I politely went to the FA's and asked to be reseated, or asked for them to reseat the couple, and was told it was a full flight with no available seats (a lie, there were seats in first that they could ahve offered the couple). I then asked for the complaint resolution officer who gave me the choice of folding myself in half or waiting until the next morning for another flight. I was told flat out "We do'nt discriminate against overweight passengers." OK, well then I guess they discriminate against slender one. Because one way or another, they weren't handling the situation. Ultimately a connecting Virgin flight didn't make it in on time and I took one of those seats.

But the way I was treated for simply trying to sit in my seat was absurd, and then when I was told that was the policy by both the CRO and the HQ customer service person, I decided that I would rather spend my money on a carrier that cares for the safety and comfort of ALL their passengers.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

I can't speak for the OP but most customers will only pay a small price premium for better service. I wouldn't pay double but I'd probably pay at least an extra 10%.

You're not price sensitive. Would you book a connecting flight or take a lousy flight time in order to avoid an airline like US Airways?

Face it if an airline we don't like has either the price or schedule we want many of us will book it.

Actually I would book a connecting flight or take a lousy flight time to avoid flying Untied, and I have done so on top of paying more for the ticket.

Anne

 

[NotUrsula]

... it was a full flight with no available seats (a lie, there were seats in first that they could ahve offered the couple).

I have NEVER understood this position, no matter how many times I have seen an FA take it. If all of the ticketed passengers are on board and the door is closing, what the h*ll difference does it make if the FA moves someone into F at that point? It's not like a new F customer is suddenly going to materialize on the wing in mid-flight. (Naturally, the move into F would be for that flight segment only, but people very seldom stay on the same plane for multiple segments on legacy carriers, anyway.)

I was personally embarassed by this on a Delta flight, not because of size, but because after sitting on a runway in the Georgia summer sun for 2 hours with no A/C, my child got violently ill. (This was the ONE time I ever lap-carried him on a flight.) When the FA asked what she could do for us, I suggested letting the aisle passenger move to a better seat. I *thought* that I was doing the poor man a favor, getting him away from the smell and mess and into F. (We were seated in the 2nd row of coach, and I could clearly see that F had 6 empty seats.) No go. She stuffed the poor man into a middle seat somewhere behind the wing, which made me feel 10 times worse.

 

[disneykid4ever]

Anne,

My feeling right now is that yes, I would be willing to pay more to fly on another airline instead of U.S. Airways. Maybe not $600 more per ticket as you suggested but I have looked and seen flights on other airlines that are within $100-$200 of U.S. Airways (at least from my airport and the airports surrounding me). To be very honest, I am willing to drive to Syracuse, which is 3 hours away, if it means getting on another airline instead of U.S. Airways at a good fare.

seashoreCM,

It's an interesting question you pose. Hmmm . . . well, I admit I would have been frustrated with my bag not showing up and then the delayed baggage rep being gone for the night, and being told I could file a claim over the phone and then when calling being told I can't . . . seeing the ground crew was just the icing on the cake.

 

[disneykid4ever]

Expirateshopgirl,

I hear what you are saying and it's cool that you want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but in all honesty, we had a 3 hour layover in Philly and if the bags were not on a cart and ready to be loaded at more than 15 minutes prior to departure than that just confirms that there is some serious slacking going on with U.S. Airways. Again, this is just how I feel.

 

[disneykid4ever]

CarolA,

I fully agree with your point on the delayed baggage rep's absence. In all honesty, I would have been irritated with the missing bag, but not infuriated, if the baggage rep had only been there to assist us with filing a claim right then and there before we left the airport. I believe a lot of consumers are willing to deal with quite a bit as long as there is someone to assist you when things go awry.

 

[seashoreCM]

my child got violently ill. When the FA asked what she could do for us, I suggested letting the aisle passenger move to a better seat. I *thought* that I was doing the poor man a favor, getting him away from the smell and mess and into first class. She stuffed the poor man into a middle seat somewhere behind the wing, which made me feel 10 times worse.

Unfortunately I beg to differ by alleging that the poor man was really not entitled to anything (unless he was the exact person your child got sick upon or unless he passed out himself as might someone after inhaling perfume or nail polish), at least any more than the person behind or the person in front. If the poor man remained in his original seat, only one of his five senses would be impinged upon (assuming your child did not commence screaming) and ear plugs placed in the nose would alleviate that.

the complaint resolution officer who gave me the choice of folding myself in half or waiting until the next morning for another flight. ... Ultimately a connecting Virgin flight didn't make it in on time and I took one of those seats.

I would take that to mean the CRO decided to bark before he tried to bite and I seriously doubt he had any teeth in that matter. Meanwhile there are too many combinations and permutations on how I could suggest you could have or whether you even needed to bark before you bit (and I do believe you do have teeth) hence I will hold off on making any suggestions for now. If you had gotten up to let the other folks sit down and then declined to fold yourself double, then (to quote Bicker*) in the event the airline failed to get you from point A to point B that day, the airline would owe you compensation.

Or we could construe the CRO's words as an attempt to "make you go away" but he still realized that you did not have to and he saved face by finding some other seat on the plane after which time IMHO any vouchers you got were for rudeness, not inconvenience.

* Someone who has over 20,000 posts on these boards.