Booked in the morning from NYC to SEA. Checked the loads tonite. Everything is empty. Called and asked if I could stand by on a discount ticket, and was told management had sent down instructions that there are to be no exceptions. A thousand bucks plus the $100 change fee. Just tried to get out before the heavy rains. Not sure what they are trying to prove. With rolling cancellations, and all the other disruptions, you would think they could be flexible. Be warned. This is the current mentality. They didn't get any money (I will wait), but presumably someone thinks this is the way to build customer goodwill. Might have been able to talk them into it at the airport, but did not want to chance it.

You can't really blame them. They need to cash to survive. Customer goodwill means nothing if you go out of business.

I have a flight in a few weeks booked at 6:55am and now have unexpected work commitments that Saturday morning. I need to switch my flights to that afternoon and unless I want to chance standby, I am pretty much resigned to paying the $100 change fee, as lousy as it is....

das, my point was twofold. Firstly, they have gone inflexible at a time when they are not providing consistent service. Rolling cancellations (i.e. not operating flights every day, even though they are scheduled, as opposed to curtailing services as part of an overall reduction) are unfair. We can live with that, but it should be matched by extending that same flexibility to the customer. Secondly, I would gladly have paid the $100. In the old days, that would have done it. In this instance, they were demanding that in addition, I agree to a refare, which would have brought the ticket to nearly $2000...and the upshot is the flight I wanted to move to was empty....over 20 seats in F (I'm CP, and would have gotten one). I spoke to 3 people on the Chairman's line, and called consumer affairs in North Carolina. They all said the company had issued a "no exceptions" notice to employees earlier today. So I wait the 12 hours. Meantime they still don't get any more money, and I am obviously not very pleased with them. I think I'm a pretty good customer, having flown over 90,000 miles already this year, I just don't get it. Anyway we're having heavy rains, wind, and fog here in the East. More often than not, that means broken connections. All I was trying to do was dodge that bullet. It sure is curious marketing.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by deelmakur:
... which would have brought the ticket to nearly $2000... Meantime they still don't get any more money, and I am obviously not very pleased with them ... It sure is curious marketing. </font>

Nobody has any incentive to buy last minute $2,000 tickets. They need traffic badly -- this isn't the way to get it.

I would have gone to SFO earlier this week to deal with fallout from not going to LGW but the only way to get there was a $2,000+ ticket. I'd have probably paid $500 or $600 but not $2,000.

I'm not as eloquent or concise as DEELMAKUR...but I have a little input on this subject. Be patient with my rambling.

I realize it's early in the process, but I'm amazed at their lack of ability to think on their feet.

With DCA closed, my option to NYC is either Amtrak, or BWI. BWI-LGA flights are 2X+ the price of a shuttle (they use dash 8's). The loads are NON-EXISTENT. I have asked at several levels about a compromising price. The shuttle was as low as $220...the BWI-LGA fare is $489.50. Rather than re-price, they cancel or allow the planes to fly with 3 people. I spent a lot of time with pricing, ticket offices, etc.; Common sense would have said, "Hey, our shuttle is down, let's figure out how to keep the passengers".

Second, regarding upgrades. Before I was preferred, certain stations would let me upgrade by paying a segment fee...about $40 for what one coupon would do. I used to upgrade BWI-SFO for $120. Not bad for a non-preferred on a V fare. Not bad for the airline with no other preferreds flying, and 3 or 4 open seats in first. (Yes, there were that many open from time to time). Two friends of mine tried to do it the other day
from BWI-LAX. One, count it ONE, seat was occupied on a 757 in F. But rather than accept $240 in revenue, the gate agent "stuck to the rules". If the airline sold, on average, a $40 upgrade on every one of its 2600 daily departures, that's over $100K in revenue. I realize that not every flight has openings, that there isn't always this opportunity...but the point remains the same.

FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAXIMIZE REVENUE BY KEEPING PEOPLE FLYING....NOT BY STRINGENT RULES THAT KEEP PEOPLE AWAY.

[This message has been edited by shinbal (edited 09-21-2001).]

In reference to USAirways 'hard line' I complained about service on a flight prior to the tragic events. Katrina, the customer service rep was useless in providing assistance. The quote she made, "we generally don't compensate for rude service" was enlightening, neither do I. We have stood by while the UA/US issues dragged on and other issues. I had hoped US would continue, I doubt that is possible if their customer service has given up. I hope I am wrong and the situation improves.

Customer Service over there is an oxymoron. You call...they give you a reference number, then proceed to listen to you and then tell you they won't do anything. Doesn't matter what level of DM.They obviously keep track, so my guess is if you call often they probably mark you in the computer as a chronic complainer. The place is going to hell in a handbasket. Res agents are routinely monitored, and gigged for spending too much time. Many are scared of layoffs. Nobody will do anything. My guess is the company takes the pipe, goes 11, voids the union agreements, and piles on the RJ's.