As much as I hate to admit it, there are times when I'm just down-right furious at an airline employee working a gate or ticket counter. This is very different from times when I'm mad at the airline itself, or flight crews. When I've absolutely had it with a ticket or gate agent, I've discovered there is something I can do to get immediate satisfaction. And yes, as the title indicates, it's pretty darn petty.

I ask for a complete copy of their airline's contract of carriage. Legally, they have to give it to me.

It's very long, and at most airlines, it's stored in a lot of separate records -- upwards of 30. So, they have to print the index, and then individually pull up and print out all of the other sections by PNR. It usually takes the agent between 15 and 25 minutes to do it -- durring which time they can't do anything else.

Yes, it's petty, but sometimes it's the only way.

Also -- you'd be amazed at some of the stuff in there that the airlines promise to do. It's definitely a worthwhile read...

Have you ever been concerned that some unflattering information may end up in your record with the airline. Many have reported on this site of seeing information that the airline has placed on their permanent record.

I would be concerned that by venting on the one agent I am going to have trouble down the road. Just my two cents.

I understand your need to vent....but, I hope that there is no one in line behind you (I'd be pretty peeved if you did that while I was waiting behind you).

Also, wouldn't a more suitable approach simply be to get his/her name and position, and write a nasty letter? I know that takes time, but it could be done while en route on your laptop while the thoughts and details are still fresh. The employee will more than certainly at least have to answer for the problem, and a pattern of poor behavior will lead to either rehabilitation of the attitude, or to disciplinary action.

My two cents!

I think the odds are greatly against this. I think most if not virtually all complaint letters get a response and the complaint does not go further than a Customer Service/Relations rep.

That said, I don't agree with tying up the gate agent!

In a humorous vein, for evidence that a complaint letter does not change a rep's behavior, not only has koko not been able to get the IAD 1K center folks to help him, they may start throwing darts at his picture now that Oz planted the idea.

...As you can see from my UserName, I have had a bit of experience in this area.....I was also a ticket agent, and spent 6 1/2 years in passenger service with an airline which will remain unnamed....

Sure you are going to hack off the agent, but what possible good will this do but to get your blood pressure down a bit!...He will just laugh about it when he goes to the break room and tells his co-workers about it... You are doing no good going this route at all, and just hurting yourself in the short and long-run.

A very good-natured passenger of mine laughingly told me one day (obviously a VERY FF)...."There are 3 people in this world you don't want to P--- Off!....-Judges, Traffic Cops, and Airline Gate/Ticket Agents"....You don't know how right he was! Granted, this incident probably won't be written up by the airline employee, but I know for a fact, that the airline I worked for had a file of "Chronic Complainers" and other people that gave them trouble....I have been told that some FF'ers were told "Thank you for your business, but from now on please take your business elsewhere".....

Just keep in mind, especially in this day and time, when the customer is treated with contempt and arrogance by the agents (not all of course), your worse course would be to be to do something to make them make you 'Persona non-grata' with the airline.

It CAN happen and does....I am grateful that I have been on the other side of the fence, behind the counter, and can see pretty much exactly what the agent is dealing with....I have walked in those shoes, and although I get hacked off a LOT of times, too, now as a fare-paying passenger, that really makes me back off and have a bit of compassion and understanding!

I worked my way through University working as a ticket and gate agent in SFO.

I think you should follow the advice of rrz518. Every letter that was sent to customer service or the CEO made its way to SFO if the station was mentioned.

Every letter that mentioned an agent's name was sent to SFO after a response was sent to the PAX. The letters were placed in the agent's file, good or bad and the agents were rewarded or reprimanded. They were also posted in the break room under good or bad letters. The letters that mentioned agents names in a negative context had the agents name blacked out. The positive letters kept the agents name readable.

Don't forget you can send positive letters as well.

By the way, I never once received a negative letter and every other month or so I received a positive letter from a PAX.

Having once worked in reservations prior to customer service, I can assure you if someone is a real jerk we put notes in the PNR. Thinks like..
Mr/Ms so-and-so was advised such-and-such
(rules, changes, penalties, fees etc)
at least xxx times and was nasty and irate, was given to a supervisor for further clarification etc....The outcome is then noted by the supvr in the PNR.
I felt this was a courtesy to the next agent that had to deal with this thick-headed moron who was going to call back a hundred times until he/she got the answer THEY wanted.
The only drawback is if such a moron is rude enough to lean over and look onto the computer at the ticket counter or gate and see the remarks - this might (but not likely) get the reservationist in trouble for putting in the remarks.
In any case, he/she moron is extremely rude and out of line for stepping into space they don't belong in (on the other side of the counter/gate)

2Many. As much as I sympathise, I am just afraid that you may score an own goal. I rather agree that if you fall upon someone really poisonous, and really spiteful who knows what they might write about you in your record. You will probably never know for certain. Can I make a suggestion? What I do is to go to a free desk (a rareity), or to the Club whether I am entitled to it or not, and ask who the duty Manager is, and get him paged if there is time, or at least an email address if there is not. It deals with the situation while it is still hot. I have even had operational upgrades as a result. You admit that it is petty,which is honest. Let me tell you I had an insufferable check-in person who decided to make a big deal about my carry on, on a Club Class flight to Faro. She insisted that it was to be checked, I told her that it would not.The case had been perfectly fine on the flight the day before. I lost patience when she said "You are not going to throw a tantrum over this are you, Sir?" I replied that should I throw a tantrum, Gatwick would stop to watch. I declined to check in, and took my ticket away. I went and asked to see the Terminal Manager. He came and I related the story, he immediately instructed his staff to check me in, and gave me my Boarding Passes. He evidently had received complaints about her attitude before. I am not saying that it always worked, but I could see no point in continuing the discussion. I do not throw Tantrums (is that the correct plural, should it be Tantra?) as then you have totally lost the deal. I am not using this as a forum to show off, or to whinge about some poor treatment, I am merely offering an alternative to your strategy. Go to the top, after the others have had their chance to put matters right.

(YOu should have seen what else was taken on that plane as cabin baggage! Ah well, two wrongs never made a right!)

I'd have to agree w/ rrz518 here. If it is you and only you in line, great and good for you. The last time I tried this I was told I could get their 'terms' if I wanted to take the next flight b/c they didn't know where it was. Anyway, if I'm behind you I'll take it personally and not be snickering at your prank. Unless it's Vegas and there's a slot w/in arms reach that is.

Tantra as in Kama Sutra? I should say that all of Gatwick would stop to watch

CHeers,

birdstrike

Even when my emotions rage inside, I achieve enormous dividends at the front counter and gate with a smile, cheerful demeanor, patience, and polite questions. This approach also helps me keep my own blood pressure in check.

I sort of like the idea mentioned, with the print out, just for the sake of having never read the print out, it would make good reading on the plane. However, I would probably wait for a quiet time to ask for such a print out, or maybe ask that it is printed out and I would pick it up a few days later on the return.

I seldome get mad at gate agents or counter staff (however at ASA, there is no other options many times if you want to get to where you are going.) Normally, I just silently take names and write letters to govt agencies that insure the people are dealt with.

I had a very bad experience in gatwick several years ago. The AA staff were very unfriendly and wrong in what they did. I even got the business card from the duty manager who even admitted that even though I was correct, she was unwilling to do anything about it. Becuase I made such a fuss to no avail, I have avoided flying AA into or out of Gatwick since then.

Just the thought that they might remeber me (not very likely) and single me out for more misdeeds becuase of my past encounters is enough to fly another airline if I have to fly into Gatwick.

On a related note, I have often thought that many frequent flyers and some of the gate agents and ticket agents that deal with us should take conflict management courses. There are many methods to resolve conflicts effectively, and ways to defuse situations quickly. These disputes usually boil down to a fairly insignificant thing in the grand scheme of the world.

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[This message has been edited by zrs70 (edited 03-15-2001).]