Honeymoon turned nightmare

In case anyone notices, on the request of one of the site mods, I am
cleaning house in this comment thread. Most of the comments were made
before the site guidelines were released, so I'm not sending warnings
or anything - just cleaning out the comments that don't meet the
guidelines.

But I do want to point out a few terms that count as personal insults
to the letter writers, that will very likely get your comments removed
from the site and will result in warnings from this point forward:

ENTITLEMENT PIG
ENTITLEMENT HOG
GOOBERSMOOTCHER
GIMMEGRABBER
GIMMIE PIG
GIMMIEOINK

Sorry to be the party pooper, guys, but they're just not appropriate.
You can use them in your blogs, which are unmoderated unless you have
a problem with a comment someone makes and ask us to take it down!
But you can't use them to insult a letter writer.

Thanks for understanding.

I'm sorry that you had to have a bad experience on your honeymoon
flight. However, your beef might be with your travel agent, not the
airline.

Airlines don't sell honeymoon flights, and the terms of use on upgrade
vouchers are pretty limited. If you paid extra for first class, then
your agent should have booked first class flight TICKETS, not
vouchers. At the very least, your agent should have explained the
limitations on upgrade vouchers and given you the option of paying
more for first class tickets. If your agent misled you into thinking
that vouchers were the same as first class tickets to clinch the sale,
you definitely have a valid complaint. If you opted for the cheaper
option knowingly, well, you get what you pay for.

Secondly, airlines do recognize loyal customers; which is exactly why
you did not get the reception you expected. There are many frequent
travellers with very long relationships with airlines - and the
airlines recognize that loyalty with better service. You don't say
specifically, but it seems that you don't fly frequently with them;
and so have no relationship with them. Unfortunately, you probably
will not build that relationship now, but please understand that
someone who is above you 'on the list', probably had to earn that
status too.

Thirdly, I understand that your honeymoon may be important to you, and
you may have paid a premium for a premium experience, but airlines
aren't in the wedding/sentimental events industry. They don't offer
honeymoon packages, and that's because, for whatever reason, they
don't do the 'making memories' niche that cruise lines and travel
agents do. Maybe you would have better luck getting a response from
someone who made the advertising claim that your honeymoon experience
would be special - your travel agent, or your wedding planner.

Allow me please to express the realities of this situation:

You have stated that your travel agency gave you "First Class
Vouchers" to use at the airport for your honeymoon. Why did your
agency not upgrade you prior to your departure? I will tell you why,
either the first class cabin was already booked, or they were space
available vouchers. If they were space available you can forget it.
The high fliers in the respective travel club for that airline, will
be way ahead of you on any stanby list for that cabin. If you want a
first class seat, use your mileage or buy the ticket. There are only 8
to 12 seats on any given aircraft in the first class cabin "first
class vouchers" are a waste of time and your agency should have
notified you that your odds of seeing a seat in that cabin were slim
and nil. As for making you "lifelong customers" ...yeah right. The
first time you can buy your tickets cheaper at a competitive airline,
you will.

Second, if a plane loses an engine, you do not receive compensation.
What you should have received was a meal voucher ($5.00 - 7.00)to get
a sandwich and perhaps a hotel voucher if you were staying the night
in that city. Don't expect the airlines to seek you out, ask them for
it. This is common procedure for an aircraft that has a mechanical
problem (never for weather). Passengers walk off an aircraft and
scatter. When they have a lengthy delay, often times they will take a
cab and visit the city they are in just to kill time. Don't expect the
gate agent to know what you want to do with your time and whether you
would like eat, shop, or take a sightseeing tour.

Lost luggage? I assume you really mean lost and not simply late. If
your luggage is in fact lost, you are entitled to compensation for
that luggage. If your luggage was delivered to you, or came in on the
next flight, you are not. Airlines have 48 hrs in which to find
luggage that was routed on an alternate aircraft due to mechanical and
wheather issues. Each aircraft has weight and balance regulations. No
airline will violate those regulations in order to make an aircraft
unsafe. If the aircraft you were on that lost an engine, had been
overweight, guess what? You would not be whining about first class
travel vouchers because you would not have made it to Nevada or
anywhere else!

Refund? Did you not take your honeymoon? Did you never arrive? Did you
not in fact, get the very seat in the very cabin that you actually
paid for? So, you had a mechanical problem, would you have preferred
to continue flying? Does a rental car company refund if their car
breaks down on the road? NO! They fix your car or bring you another.
The only valid point you have is your lost luggage and I am guessing
that it was simply late due to the rerouting needed. However, if it
was actually lost and you did not receive it, you are entitled
compensation for the bags. Contact your airline.

:)

n/t

Be honest - which bothered you more, the inconveniences you suffered,
or being made to feel small and unimportant? Trust me when I say that
I think both are important, just that they don't belong in the same
complaint. Would the delay/luggage loss been a little easier to deal
with had anyone acted like they gave a damn? Money will not fix the
lack of recognition, and maybe if you were to re-write your letter
emphasizing that, if it is true in your case, you will get a response.
I really hope so, because I really think that is all you want - to be
heard.

Since I don't like to be spoken for, here is my two cents:

I'm a travel agent, and have been one for 15 years. I know of no
'first class voucher' that are to be given to customers, unless they
are high-level, high-mileage passengers on a specific airline. Even in
these circumstances, the 'paying' first class passengers obviously
have precedence over the upgraded passengers. Perhaps this was the
situation.

I think a few details are missing.

Perhaps first class was full? Were you on a waitlist? What did the
vouchers say on them?

If the delay/cancellation was indeed mechanical, they should have
given you a food voucher, at minimum. This part is a valid complaint.

To begin with, Abby, let me begin by apologizing for the rest of these
individuals and many of their inappropriate remarks. Disagreeing with
you or nicely giving you input on your letter is one thing, but acting
as if they were never taught any manners is something completely
different.

With that said, I think the problem with your letter is not describing
what you believed these "first class vouchers" were. As a result, the
legitimate question rises, if you really wanted first class, why
didn't you legitimately purchase first class tickets?

I would also suggest that you expound on the comment, "we discovered
that our luggage was lost." Was it lost for good? Was it ever found?
If it was found, how long were you without it? How did they return
it to you?

The ten hour layover was frustrating, I'm sure. Whereas it was their
responsibility, they should have given you some sort of meal
compensation. Did you request they do so at the time?

To me, the worst thing you could have asked is "a refund of your
money." It does come across as sounding very poor, whereas you did
not explain some of the other points properly. They got you from
point A to point B and back again, so you would not be entitled to a
refund. If, though, they lost your luggage, expecting them to replace
your items is appropriate. Further, having them compensate you for
necessities while you were delayed in Nevada would also be
appropriate. Ironically, this could end up being more than the cost
of the flight. I just wish you would have explained yourself better.

Flying is not the same since a while.

I'm sorry to confirm that we all suffer the same problem/s very
often.

It is frustrating.

So, if I read this right, you are SO offended by the fact that they
made you wait for 10 hours in Nevada while repairing the plane.
However, you also say you were not bumped up to first class. If it was
an empty plane, I'm sure you could have sat wherever you wanted, which
leads me to believe that there were other passengers on this flight
who were also made to wait for 10 hours in Nevada. Should US Air give
THEM all their money back too? No, that would be silly!

I would LOVE to have your problems. I could tell you problems that
would make you regret one word of that pompous letter. You should be
happy for what you have. Congrats on your marriage. May he always
love you, may all your problems be nonsense like this.

Oh man, another person that thinks their "special" Ha!
Just because its your honeymoon doesn't mean you should get special
treatment. Your complaining about being stranded at the airport for
ten hours, the plane lost an engine for god sake.

You feel as if you should be treated as 'first class travelers'
because you got married?? Geeze. People get married everyday. ANd more
than half end in divorce so who cares. Second, just be thankful that
you landed safely and didn't crash in some field somewhere to face a
fiery death. Most people would look back on this trip and laugh about
it one day. If everything was always perfect life would be boring. If
these are the least of your problems you've got a pretty good life.

Could have been even worse... how about being bumped up AND continuing
with one missing engine??? Your travel agent over schmoozed you and
booked you on a plane in coach i'm guessing....take it up with them.
Losing an engine is something that needs attention... count your
blessings that you landed safely in Nevada.Ten hours stranded on the
ground is nothing compared to possibly crashing into the ground after
"losing altitude" at almost any speed from any height.
Lost Luggage happens every day. To everyone.

1. What exactly is a "first class voucher"? Is it the same thing as a
first-class ticket? Somehow I don't think it is, so if it isn't US
Airways has no obligation to give you a "honeymooners exemption" and
bump you to first class.

2. Would you have preferred to have US Airways keep the plane in the
air with the non-operational engine? Yeah, it caused you to be late
Abby, but at least you are not the Late Abby.

3. Lost luggage happens everywhere. It sucks, but it's a fact of life
in air travel.

I think part of the reason Abby's letter irks me is because it comes
off sounding so self-absorbed and thoughtless.

My 30 year old sister is in the Navy and was flown to Iraq about a
month ago to start her 1 year tour with an Army platoon that was being
stationed near Baghdad, on a commerical flight.

She and the other members of battalion/platoon (sorry, I know I never
get the terminology right & I apologize to any servicemen/servicewomen
out there for not knowing better!) she is stationed with all rode
coach from Texas to Baghdad and NONE of them griped.

If she, serving her country, can ride in coach, on what had to be a
FAR longer plane ride than yours and SHE isn't whining, why should
you?

If anyone deserves to be bumped to first class, it was her and the
rest of that platoon.

Perspective - it's all about perspective.

I have a question for you. If you wanted to travel first class, then
why didn't you buy first class tickets in the first place?

You should be glad that you and your new husband are STILL ALIVE! What
if your plane had gone down because of that engine going out? I'm sure
that this was not the way that you wanted to spend your honeymoon, but
it sounds like you will always have memories of it that you will
probably never forget. Maybe you could take a 2nd honeymoon later on
to make up for your miserable first one? On my wedding day our car
broke down on the highway on our way to Lake Tahoe, NV (where we were
getting married) and there was a horrible head-on collision right in
front of us. Our best-man was a paramedic and was able to save several
lives, but the horrible images of that day still haunt me...and it has
been 11 years.What I'm getting at is that at least you and your
husband were safe....by the way...congratulations.

Congrats on your marriage.

Did you acually purchase first class tickets or expect to be bumped up
because you were on your honeymoon? And the fact that the plane on
your return trip lost an engine is hardly the airline's fault - -
cancelled flights and lost luggage are a fact of life when traveling
and there is no way that the airline can be expected to treat you
special because you are on your honeymoom.

They got you from point A to point B which is what you paid for, so I
don't see where they should refund your money.

I like the commenters who so nicely remind you to keep your priorities
straight, to not sweat the small stuff. Because I just wanted to tell
you to get the heck over yourself already. But I won't.

Of course, congratulations on your wedding. As a bride-to-be myself
(next Saturday!!!) I wish you nothing but the best, and hope you are
able to look back on your honeymoon fondly in spite of its
inconveniences.

At the end of the day, though, that's really what they were. With the
exception of your pilot's extraordinary heroism in getting you safely
to the ground in emergency circumstances, not one thing you describe
rises much above the level of commonplace occurrences. It's too bad
your luggage was lost, but at least you were already home. It would
have been cool if you had gotten free upgrades to first, but at least
you still got where you were going. San Francisco is a wonderful
city; I bet you had a great time.

Again, as an almost newlywed myself, I feel blessed every day knowing
that in a few short days I will be married to the man of my dreams.
I'm excited for the big party, pretty dress, and long vacation, but
mostly I'm excited to start my life as a good man's wife. Good luck
to you and your husband, and please don't sweat the small stuff. :)

As Chris M said, a well-written letter. I understand what happened
and I understand what you want as far as compensation. I just don't
think what happened was all that bad or that what you're asking for is
reasonable.

Also: congratulations on your recent marriage. I hope that it is a
joyful one.

But look at it this way: they may have lost the opportunity to make
lifelong customers of you by bumping you up to first class, but they
also lost the opportunity to make lifelong customers by letting the
plane you were on crash.

And while you spent a great deal of money on your honeymoon, you
should have spent a little more of it on the airline tickets if you
wanted to fly first class.

Down the road, your honeymoon will probably be memorable because of
who you spent it with rather than where you sat in an airplane. And
that would be true even if you had gotten bumped.

The rest of you have stated it already so well. First of all, I will
say that it is a fairly well written letter, just not realistic or
fair.
I agree that either there was a mis-understanding or the travel agent
did a poor job at explaining the First Class voucher. I suppose it is
because I typically do not fly this airline, but I do fly extensively
for work and pleasure, in all classes on the plane, and I have never
heard of a First Class voucher.

As someone else said, if you wanted to be gauanteed seats in First
Class, you should have paid the money. I would be willing to bet that
First Class was full, as it often is, on most or all of your flights.
I would further be willing to bet that all of those people either paid
the extra cash to sit there, or were frequent fliers of the airline
who got a free bump. Their free bump will come before yours, sorry.
They have shown a history of supporting that airline and providing it
with profits. You have said that this is your first flight with
them.

Anyways, you did not mention if your luggage has since been found, but
I would guess it has. I HATE when an airline loses my luggage, but I
usually have it back hours later or at most within 12-24 hours.

You paid the airline (via your travel agent) to get you safely from
point A to point B. They did that. You paid them for coach seats, the
provided that. The only thing they did wrong was lose your luggage and
airlines have very specific guidelines for the handling of or
compensation for lost luggage.

Your travel agent did you a disservice in getting your hopes up about
being upgraded to first class. Upgrades to first class are usually
offered first to the airlines frequent flyers, then to people willing
to pay for the upgrade and then, if they happen to have seats
available to people who may have some sort of voucher for the upgrade.
Even if they did, chances are you and your new husband would not have
been able to sit together.

On any given day there are tons of honeymooners flying and the
airlines just can't accomodate them all with free upgrades. And asking
for a refund of your money just makes you look greedy.

Why should the airline bump you to first class because you were going
on your honeymoon? That's great for you, but believe me, you were not
the only newlyweds ever to fly with them by far. Nor did it make you
any more important than anyone else flying with them that day.

As for the loss of an engine, why not simply be grateful that they got
you down safely instead of being angry that you were delayed? You're
lucky you had a good pilot - your trip could have been a REAL
nightmare instead of what I would guess was a lovely vacation with
your new husband, with one inconvenient delay at the end of the trip.
Try to have a little perspective.

Well, I would have to say that you still got a memorable trip there
and back, especially with the engine issues :D

Sometimes, it's better to just crack open a bottle of wine, enjoy it
with the hubby and rejoice that you are alive and together, lost
luggage not withstanding.

First, congratulations on your marriage! I'm sure this story will end
up being a tale your children and grandchilden will enjoy.

Unfortunately, I think your travel agent got your expectations up with
no real cause. I think it's mostly in the movies that airlines bump
"honeymooners" because I flew to a few locations when I got married
and no one really cared then either. We didn't get some super suite
or free champage or a fantastic basket of fruit either, but that
didn't take away from the fact that I was on my first vacation as Mrs.
so and so.

I think you should praise the airline for hiring pilots who can land a
plane safely with an engine out and thank God that you are both OK.

I think asking for a refund of your money is both unreasonable and
childish. They did in fact get you to where you were going in the
end, no? Or did you have to pay to use another airline (I didn't get
that from the way your wrote the letter, but that would be the only
way I could see a legitimate claim to a refund)

Losing your luggage is indeed a MAJOR inconvenience. I would hope
they eventually found it and if not, I hope they have coverage for
your lost items (you'll never get the value of what was in fact lost,
the limit varies, but some airlines cap it at $500/bag). Did you have
to stay over night at the airport and they didn't get you a voucher
for a hotel? Did you not get a comp or meal voucher? if the answer
is no, then the amount of money (within reason, not 5star
accommodations or surf and turf for dinner) spent on those items would
be reasonable to request IMO.

I think your travel agent did you a real disserves getting you all
worked up thinking they "owe" you an upgrade. That is her/his fault
and not the airline's though.

Try making some reasonable requests and re-writing the letter if you
didn't get hotel/meal vouchers and you had to buy certain items from
your luggage that you needed while it was still missing. Keep in
mind, that you should always pack a change of clothes and keep
valuable items in your CARRY ON.

Good luck.

Um, wow. It's been a while since I've been completely bumfuzzled by a
letter. Wow. Abby, do you expect all the lights to turn green as you
approach, so you don't have to wait at the red light with the rest of
us peons? What about the toilet roll dispenser? Do you put on a fresh
roll when you run out or do you expect it to magically refill itself
so you won't be inconvenienced?

They got you home safely, even if it was 10 hours late and without
your luggage. Be glad you made it home with your new hubby, luggage
can be replaced but lives cannot.

Why should they bump you up? Amazing.

I understand that was an exciting time in your life, but that does not
ENTITLE you to any special privileges. I take exception to the
following statement "Though we explicitly stated at the ticket
counters that it was our honeymoon, not once did any of your agents
take the opportunity to make lifelong customers of us and bump us up.
In the end, our travel agent obtained four useless pieces of paper."
There is very little brand or company loyalty anymore especially in
Airline traveling unless you have a frequent flyer miles with a
company, most people travel with the company that they can get the
best fare with, as well as route selection.

Things like this happen everyday and just because "Essentially, we
spent a great deal of money on our honeymoon to make this the most
memorable time in our lives. We expected to be treated like first
class travelers. Instead, we were treated as if our business was not
appreciated.", does not mean that you are anymore special than anyone
else.

Are you any relation to Princess Shannon from a few weeks ago??? She
thought she was special too.

While your honeymoon is the glory of your lifetime, it is not
celebrated throughout the airline industry as such and your
expectations may have been set too high. They may apologize for the
delays, however these delays happen to many people all the time and
most people are not compensated for them.

Congratulations on your new marriage and I do hope things are going
better for you now.

You have valid points about the lengthy delay and lost luggage.

However, to expect special treatment just because you are on your
honeymoon is, ummmm, ridiculous. Do you know how many "special"
honeymooners the airlines would have to accomodate daily? Give me a
break. Although your wedding is certainly special to you, it isn't a
reason for the rest of the world to give you special treatment. It is
nice when folks do extend special treatment, but it is not a right you
gain simply by getting married.

Your letter is also unclear about the first class issue. At one point
you state that you had first class vouchers, but then complain that
the airlines wouldn't bump you up. Did you have first class tickets
or not? If you did and didn't get first class seats you certainly
have a valid point. However, if you just requested free upgrades and
didn't get them, that's just too bad. Either first class was sold out
or the extra seats went to the frequent fliers for whom upgrades are a
privledge granted for the money they spend with the airlines. Your
honeymoon status would cut no mustard with anyone if there were
preferred passengers in line for upgrades.

Airlines are in no way required to "bump" you because it is your
honeymoon. Sometimes they will do it as a courtesy. A courtesy
meaning a favor, help or offering generosity... to be nice. Also it
must have been scary when one of the engines went out but they did
what they had to do inorder to get you on the ground safely.
Mechanical malfunctions happen and they suck but they are a part of
the industry. It sucks that you had to sit in the airport for 10
hours but what were they supposed to do about that? Even more
prevelant in the airline industry than delays is lost luggage. As a
matter of fact there was a story on the news about lost luggage just
today... I don't remember exactly what the story said. I'm curious if
they managed to find your luggage?

At the end of the day you got there and back safely. Therefore they
did their job. Personally I've never flown so I don't know the terms
& conditions that you agree too when you fly but I'm sure they would
offer a voucher for the lost luggage if they haven't found it. Even
if they have found it they may offer a small voucher for your
inconvenience but you would need to call and speak to them about
that.

Congrats on the marriage. I wish you the best.

You want your money back?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA