The cost of a pen versus the cost of repeat business...

I use a pen constantly while at work, and other employees don't come
prepared with one, even though they know they will need one. So to
make sure my pen is returned to me, I get a $2 deposit on it. It is
not for the cost of the pen, but the annoyance of not being able to
use the pen I brought with me because someone else borrowed and didn't
return it to me.
And, no, my employer doesn't supply pens, as it is not an office
setting.

That on these types of letters the original poster rarely comes back
to see what's being said?
I mean, there are those who say, "You should offer constructive
criticism"... What's the point? The OP rarely comes back to
acknowledge anyone's replies.
There are some very good ideas offered, yet no response from the OP.

Hate to break this to you.... nothing in life is free.

Human Nature. That's why they don't provide cheap and abundant Pens.
They'd need a full time crew of people to keep the cheap pens
abundant...And how are they gonna pay for all this? Higher Ticket
Prices which lead to more complaint letters...and it gets really ugly
after awhile.

I don't know if this is true, but could it be a security issue? Maybe
they have to alter the tags in front of the employee?

I don't know, I wasn't there but I thought I wuld throw this out
there.

OK, so you have an 18 month old & a 4 year old, right?

My guess is you're carrying AT LEAST a purse, if not a diaper bag as
well.

BUY YOUR OWN STINKING PENS!

Seriously, I cannot believe you actually had the audacity to write a
letter over this!

I don't really think it's that big of a deal that she asked to borrow
a pen. Sometimes the pen in my purse seems to mysteriously disappear
and I have to ask to borrow one to write a check or sign a credit card
slip. I know that if I refused to provide a pen for one of my
customers to sign a credit card slip, I would probably get a lecture
on customer service from my boss! I hate it when people steal my
pens, too... it's like, "Thanks for my dollar tip and for stealing my
pen!" I probably have to buy new pens at least once a week, and it's
so annoying. The employee could have at least given an excuse, like
"Due to the recent policy changes regarding security, I cannot allow
you to leave this area with a pen." That way she wouldn't have been
viewed as being rude, though I'm sure that would caused another
complaint letter regarding policies with American Airlines.

HOWEVER, I certainly don't think that it warrants a written complaint!
That is ridiculous, especially since she's already written so many
other complaints. Tell me, Susan, do you have ANY joy in your life?
Did anything good happen to you over Thanksgiving? I would surely
hate to be you (or your husband and kids) if your life is so bad.

I borrowed my neighbors keyboard to type this respones - he work with
PC's for a living - so i'm sure he has lots of them - PS - I'm not
giving it back

Susan,
This weekend I watched a show about a Day in the Life of American
Airlines. Did you know that after expenses the Profit on one of their
Daily TransContinental Flights was a paltry $200.00. Yes, $200.00.
At 13 cents a piece that translates to 1,500 pens.
Considering the paltry rate of return on that flight and the fact that
most people cary their own communications tools having pens available
for all makes little sense.
Bill R.

lol this is funny! all this over a darn PEN!

You can't carry one yourself?

I am rarely ever cynical when writing here, but I think a dose or two
if cynicism is in order here.

If travelling with children is enough to warrant 4 -count em, FOUR-
complaint letters, perhaps you should leave the children somewhere
else while you travel, not travel until your children can be managed,
or just reconsider even having children as they are obviously such a
huge source of stress for you.

Gee, nothing went right for you over Thanksgiving, right?

First, you got mad because American didn't make a special boarding
call for families with children (no airline I've flown on ever does
this):
http://www.planetfeedback.com/index.php?level2=blog_viewpost&topic_id=
293522

Then you got mad because they wouldn't provide milk for your baby
(gee, isn't that YOUR job?)
http://www.planetfeedback.com/index.php?level2=blog_viewpost&topic_id=
293524

And then, you got perturbed that they checked your stroller before you
got on the plane!
http://www.planetfeedback.com/index.php?level2=blog_viewpost&topic_id=
293525

And now you're complaining because the gate agent wouldn't let you
borrow a freaking pen.

Here's a tip. Don't fly anywhere until your kids are in college.
American Airlines will thank you.

THAT is where the cheap and abundant pens are. So climb into your
land yacht SUV, get it out of long term parking, and zip right over
there. Next time, maam, I might suggest bring a pen with you to avoid
the inconvenience.

First of all, I am always putting pens in my purse so I have one when
I need it, but there have been times when I've gone to get it and
they've all mysteriously disappeared, so I'm not going to tell Susan
she should have had her own pen. We all get caught unprepared
sometimes.

HOWEVER, I have to say, with the way airports are these days, I
wouldn't think to question any process I was required to go through,
no matter how asinine it may seem to me. Most airports have a ton of
new procedures and requirements since 9/11, and I wouldn't be
surprised if, in some employee manual somewhere, there is an entry
that starts "If a passenger asks to borrow your pen......"

Why don't you just have a pen on you at all times for things like
that? That would have been the smart thing to do. Airlines and other
businesses would be spending a lot of money on pens if they just let
anyone walk away with one of their pens. Also, anyone could turn a pen
into a weapon, so they have to be cautious.

Post 9-11, people are suspitious of everyone. Next time be prepared.
Take it easy. life is good...don't ya think????

it's her pen. she's under no obligation to let you borrow it. how
did she know you weren't going to stab someone with it? I know it
sounds silly but this is the post 9-11 world now. get a pen and keep
it in your purse.

And, might I add, great ones. I just bought a pack of 4 that I have
been trying to find. Have you ever noticed that those expensive ones
NEVER write as well as ole EL CHEAPO. I try to purchase pens each
time I go into DOLLAR TREE, which is not as often as I would like. Me
thinks you should do the same, hun. Just be more prepared. Folks get
tired of others "forgetting" to return pens.

Susan, did you at least have a nice Thanksgiving or did the Turkey
steal all of the pens in the house, jump in your stroller, ride all
the way to the airport only to get stuck at the gate trying to alter
his gate check and attempting to ride the stroller all the way down
the jetway only to be stopped by Airline Employees telling him he must
check the stroller at the top of the jetway? Just kidding, I couldn't
resist...

Seriously, with all you have to complain about, did you have ANYTHING
to be thankful for? Did you at least have a nice Thanksgiving with
your family or with whomever you chose to celebrate?

They probably said this because people were taking pens away from the
desk and not returning them. She needs her pen to work. It's because
of people that don't bother to return the pen that make her tell you
to use the pen in front of her so she gets it back. Also I bet if she
did not have a pen because someone borrowed it and did not return it
and she could not do paperwork for you than you would be writing a
different complaint about how she did not have a pen and stating that
she should not be giving her pen out to other's because people tend to
take pens.

Anyone else thing it might have been a Security issue? Think about
it: If I see some one with a suitcase/bag/ect I like and they aren't
paying too much attention, say it is by their feet and they are
reading a book (or something). I see that I can easily get to the tag
and change the information. I get up, ask to borrow a pen, take it
back, sit, lean down pretending to tie my shoe (or something), change
the information. Then I can pick up the bag. If the owner makes a
fuss, I just say, "Look, it has all my information on in.", show them
my Drivers license with the same information, and I have a nice new
bag.

But, if I would have had to changed the information with someone
watching, I wouldn't try it. People that are going to steal are not
going to want people to see them commit the crime.

Now, I would NEVER really do something like this. But there are those
out there who would. Even in the "tight" Security of the Air Port.

Personally, I always carry a pen.

That way, in the event that someone would like my autograph I can
oblige.

I don't understand. I ALWAYS carry a pen with me. It's called 'being
prepared'. I know you had a place to stash it...purse or diaper bag
maybe? Go to the dollar store and buy an entire pack for just $1.

Was this your first time flying since you had kids? When I fly (which
is rare, believe me), I am sure to have a pen handy. Just as I keep
my passport, billfold, and other important stuff in a convenient spot
in my carry-on piece.

So if that never occurred to you, but it DID occur to you to complain
about not having free pens available (I don't blame that desk clerk on
bit -- if she lets people walk away with it to write where they want
to, she will lose that pen almost immediately), perhaps the other
poster is right: Don't travel until your kids are older.

That, or just try to understand that these people have a job and it
isn't "revolve around Susan H."

Susan, for the love of God, why didn't you write ONE letter?

I can't even comment on your complaints because I'm too bleary eyed
from reading all your letters.

Geez, maybe you shouldn't fly again until the kids are older.

You know, it's kind of a running joke at my local Kroger grocery about
pens. The cashiers guard their pens like they're the holy grail. Why?
Because this particular Kroger wont supply their cashiers with pens.
They have to bring their own.

Yes, you heard me correctly. A store, that presumably sells large
quantites of pens to the pen-buying public, will not supply their
cashiers with a pen. Nevermind that a pen would seem to be a necessary
supply...one in which the cashier would need to conduct business with
customers.

Using this scenario, if you think about it, I'm sure that it could be
quite expensive to constantly be replacing pens that customers
mistakenly swiped from you, as they were signing for your groceries.
I'm sure may of these cashiers are somewhat 'pen-poor' if you will.
:)

But, I digress. My point is, perhaps American has a similar policy?
Granted, it may seem implausible and petty, but I wouldnt be
surprised.

The last time I checked, the job of the person at the gate is NOT to
hand out pens. This person (at their little podium) is to get people
onto the plane. That's pretty much it.

I can't recall a gate agent ever saying "welcome to Staples."

Maybe next time I'm in an airport, I'll ask the gate agent for a
massage. Or to go fetch me something to drink. Or, perhaps to let me
have her clothes since, brrrr, I forgot to dress more warmly.

While it seems petty for the agent to not let you have her pen, it
seems awful petty of you to complain about it.

It's not her job to hand out pens, nor should it be.

Why weren't you carrying a pen? With a 18 month old, you MUST have
been carrying a diaper bag. I ALWAYS keep a pen in my diaper bag.
Along with Purell, wipes, plastic bags, snacks for the 4 year old,
bibs, diapers and wipes (duh), a toy or two for the 4 year old, and a
bunch of other stuff. And none of it do I expect a gate agent to keep
stock of.

Well, after 3 letters I have to say I'm tired of hearing how difficult
it is to travel with 3 small children.

It would appear that you are another one of the "I have small children
therefore I should be treated special" crowd. Give me a break. If
it's so tough and inconvenient to travel with the kids, then don't.
Don't expect everyone else to bend over backwards to make your
parental life easier. It's nice when the airlines make an extra
effort, but they certainly don't have to. There are many, many self
sufficient parents out there who do just fine traveling with small
children and don't expect others to wait on them.

Perhaps you could have borrowed one from one of your fellow
passengers. Or better yet, you could have brought one yourself. I'm
sorry - a lack of preparation on your part is NOT the fault of the
airlines.

Repeat after me: just because the answer was "no" doesn't mean that
anyone (other than you, of course) was at fault and needs a
"refresher" on anything. The only thing that needs to be "refreshed"
here is your patience level.