US Airways Needs Better Customer Relations

I have worked for an airline for several years and let me lay it down
for you. Now that you, the paying customer, travel for the bottom
dollar customer service is down. We live in the age of the "lov-fare"
carriers in which all of the legacy carriers must compete with to stay
in business. Now something has to be reduced....hmm, maybe the number
one cost for ailines: LABOR. You now have ticketing agents that are
working for the bottom dollar and is no longer a career position.
Constant turnover and lack of experience will result in poor customer
service. Point made, don't expect champagne when you are paying for
cheap wine. It now costs more to drive than it does to fly. So if
you don't like the service that airline's now provide....DRIVE!

As a person that takes 3-4 flights a week I want to point out
something to you.

The past couple of years the airlines have taken the attitude that
they are allowing you to be on their plane(s). They no longer see you
as a paying customer.

Aside from all the good points made below, the absolute WORST airline
in the US to get any satisfaction out of is US Airways.

I discourage people from booking them whenever I can.

They all pretty much suck nowadays, but US Air is the worst.

I agree that this was certainly inconvenient, and I doubt I would have
been thrilled in your shoes either. Here's the thing, though. While
the airline employees could possibly have done a better job of keeping
you and your fellow passengers informed, they were doing the best they
could to get you on your way. Just imagine how hard this was for the
people behind you in line who waited even longer to have fewer options
as available flights filled up and left.

As far as the phone rep you spoke with, flight numbers are
standardized. The 9 a.m. flight from Dallas to Los Angeles (for
example) is always going to have the same flight number, barring
special circumstances. So it does sound like you probably mixed up
the number. Not that I blame you, it can be tough to keep all this
stuff straight especially when traveling alone, but I can see where it
would make it difficult for the rep to find your flight. Of course,
he should have been able to take your departure and arrival times and
places and figure it out.

One more point. Mechanical issues on planes are no joke. While a
problem with the lights may seem minor, they can point to a larger
electrical problem which you do NOT want to have manifest itself while
you're at cruising altitude! I'm sorry that you went through all this
headache, but I'm glad to hear that you made it to your destination
safe and sound!

You booked your tickets via cheaptickets.com, it's actually amazing
that the airline rebooked for you at all. It is actually something
that could have been dealt with by cheaptickets and not by the
airport, since you didnt directly pay them.

I went to US Airways.com and they say a flight from LAX to Charlotte
NC is 1 hour and 21 minutes. If your flight left at 1:50p, it was
suppose to get there at 3:11. And your connecting flight left at
4:40pm. It seems to me that you did not leave enough time in your
schedule, perhaps next time sort your choices by SCHEDULE and not by
PRICE so much. I always leave a 3-4 hour gap in layovers to prevent
this from happening.

IF you had gotten on the flight without lights operating you would
have wanted a free ticket for that too.

You were probably a lot angrier then as you are now, but I can still
tell it in your letter. Delays are going to happen, you have to be
smart and plan on them. I have always found that being calm and cool
about things is the best approach. I's sure they get plenty of people
like you throwing a fit. They are more likely to accomodate customers
that have a complaint but are rational, calm, and are not screaming.

Next time, leave more time for a longer layover, it wont get any
better.

You don't get complimentary tickets or a free upgrade for airline
delays. At most, you'll get a small voucher with many restrictions.
The bottom line is you got from point A to point B. Would you rather
fly in a plane that was not mechanically sound?

You don't deserve anything free. Everyone deals with delays at some
point. Airline remain competitive by not giving away free flights at
the drop of a hat.

When you think about it, it is really quite rude to ask everyone along
the way if they are going to give you something. If someone offers
something, fine. But they didn't, because you didn't deserve it.

What a novel idea

"Please be sure to remain competitive" Which Commercial
Airline gives complementary tickets for delays? I shudder to think
what a plane ticket would cost the if they did!

They're remaining competitive by ensuring an unsafe plane doesn't put
people's lives in peril, they're remaining competetive by offering
tickets through third party websites to ensure all seats are full
because of the cost of fuel etc.

If you want customer service, it's better to have a travel agent plan
and book the flight, and even then, there are no guarantees.

It's sad that the state of the airlines has me thinking that a 6-10
hour delay from VA to CA is actually not too bad! But expecting a free
ticket for that (relatively) minor inconvenience is a bit much. Try
to scale it back a little, and you might get more from them.

"Seeing as this was my first time flying alone,"

"I have flown before and other airlines have given me
complimentary tickets"

I can only assume that you've flown a good deal, but always with
someone else.

When you've flown with others, have they handled everything? Or have
you been the one front-and-center?

I've flown quite a bit. With family, with coworkers, with a group, by
myself. I've flow US Airways, Delta, Northwest, Continental, JetBlue,
Southwest, Independence, United, AirTran, Air France, British Airways,
Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, American, ATA, and a variety of regional
carriers... and not once have I been given a free ticket for anything
short of being involuntarily bumped. And given my hatred of the
airline industry, I negotiate hard.

They inconvenienced you and it sounds like they were confused and
perhaps a bit rude. But none of this amounts to a free ticket.