Perhaps it’s time I visited the issue of airlines.
I get on airlines more times then I care to count.
There is one thing about flying domestic in the
US, “service sucks.”
On Virgin Airlines
Now, Virgin America is coming to the US, flying between NY, LA and San Francisco. One thing I enjoy is flying on Virgin Atlantic. If I have to go to London, I’ll drive over to IAD and take Virgin Atlantic. It’s a pleasure to fly with them. Virgin Atlantic makes me feel like they actually care about me.
Now, apparently Virgin America is going to be offering a hi-tech airplane. Ethernet ports at the seat, the ability to text people in other seats and the ability to charge your hand held devices at your seat. This and I don’t know how texting people at other seats is going to go, but I have a feeling a lot of new friends will be made on flights. Offering satellite TV, MP3 library, audio books and pay-per-view movies will only make the travel more enjoyable.
I have a feeling that Virgin America will have the same customer service model they have on Virgin Atlantic. Care about the customer and the customer will return.
Sr. Richard, I live ten minutes from BWI, please add Baltimore to your route.
On American Airlines
One year and a half ago Candy and I flew to Hawaii on American first class. Hey, I’m 6’3” if I have to be on an airplane for more then a couple of hours I need my leg room. Anyway, on the leg from BWI to Chicago, the first class cabin was mostly empty. The flight attendants went back into the coach cabin and got every person in military uniform and invited them up to the first class cabin. So here is an 18 year old Army Private sitting across from me and the flight attendant treated him like he paid for the first class ticket. In all the flight attendants brought four service people to the first class cabin. For this reason, I will continue flying American Airlines for a long time to come.
On US Airways
Last night, Candace and I started planning our upcoming vacation. US Airways had sent us two $400 vouchers for our troubles on about having us stuck in Philly last March for two fricken days. Well Candace believes we should use the vouchers on our next vacation. Hey she’s a CPA and watches our money very closely. As soon as she brought up the US Airways website, I had a reaction that I have never had before. I just kept saying NO, NO, NO until she closed the site. We can give the vouchers to our worst enemy’s and I would feel sorry for them. US Airways customer service model is be rude and what ever happens don’t help the client.
Here is my email to US Airways after the Charley Foxtrot last March.
Saturday March 17, 2007
Dear Sir or Madam,
On March 16, 2007 my fiancé and I planned to travel from BWI to DEN. Because this trip was more then the range of my Navion, we booked the flight on US Airways. I will not go into all the sorted details of the Charley Foxtrot this trip has been. However I will touch on a few of the customer service issues we encountered.
1) When we got to Philly, we boarded our flight to Denver. This time I was lucky, because the flight was full, I was seated in the first class section. Being the “gentleman” I am, I offered the first class seat to my fiancé who told me to take it because of my 6’3” frame. That and we were not going to be seated together anyway. The pilot pushed back from the gate and attempted to get to deice. Long story we never made it to Denver and never got off the ground. Hey, I would not have took off in that mess either.
2) After four hours, we returned to a gate and started getting acquainted with US Airways customer service model. In summary, it was every man for himself. US Airways passed out an 800 number to call to get rebooked. Customer service picked up my and Candy’s calls in four to eight minutes. This was good but after getting a person on the phone we were quickly put on hold. My record hold time was two hours and fifty minutes when the battery finally died on my cell. Fortunately, I also decided to stand in a customer service line. By the time I got to the agent (three hours forty minutes) I was informed that I should be rebooking through the 800 number. He was not there to rebook, only to inform people of what their options are. I now remember the union mantra, “It’s not my job.” And I got to tell you, US Airways employees have this one down to a science.
3) I witnessed three separate occasions of a US Airways “Customer Service” Agent yelling at a customer. Number one: A child who has never traveled by air and was traveling alone walked up to a customer service agent in the C terminal to ask “what should he do.” The agent proceeded to yell at him and told him to go to the end of the line. Her rant at this child went on for over two minutes. (at the current rate, he would have gone through the line in about five to six hours) Number two: A lady traveling with three children between three years old and six years old was brought to tears by the same customer service agent who saw fit to yell at the child. This agent was more interested in telling us that it’s not her job, not her responsibility and not her fault we are stranded. Candace and I finally got to a customer service rep who booked us on a flight out to Charlotte the next day connecting to Denver. Wonderful. When we arrived at the airport this morning our Charlotte flight was canceled along with all but one of the Charlotte flights. Then number three happens. At the Customer service desk in the C terminal for US Airways, a Customer Service Rep comes out of the office and starts yelling at everyone who was in line. Asking “Who here has a problem, do I need to get security down here?” We all (about 50 of us) responded that “we all have a problem.” Well, he stormed off telling the crowd, “its’ not my job, not my responsibility and tuff luck.” Someone told him, enjoy your last day on the job. His response was, “I’m union, they wont fire me.”
Now what has happened, US Airways seem to be hiring the cheapest customer service reps they can find. This saves money so the executive staff can get more bonuses. US Airways has no way of dealing with rescheduling flights in an efficient manner. There was no communication with the customers on what was going on, Passing out a flier telling you to call an 800 number is not communication. Especially if no one at the 800 number is willing to help the customer.
How did this turn out for Candace and I? Well, we rented a car, drover back to Baltimore. I called Southwest and booked a flight for us tomorrow. So, Candace and I will get to Denver, only a few days late.
Robert Lockard
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