Booked a short notice award ticket for this week-- (death in my wife's family)

PHL-FRA, MUC-PHL

Of course, Envoy is pretty empty, but they won't give an envoy seat.

That's fine, I book it, and pay the $5 phone booking fee because the website is such crap that you can't book open jaw awards on it.

Get the confirmation- I didn't ask for seat assignment on the call.

With about 100 empty seats, they put my wife in 20F on the 333 to FRA-- possibly the worst TA seat that exists in the entire fleet. Next to someone.

There are entire rows empty, and they put her next to someone in the "A/V box under the seat, does not recline because you're in front of the exit row" seat.

Changed it on checkin.

What a pain these guys are. I am going down to US4 next year-- and that only to avoid the blackout dates so I can burn my last 400,000

Ugh.

Booked a short notice award ticket for this week-- (death in my wife's family)

PHL-FRA, MUC-PHL

Of course, Envoy is pretty empty, but they won't give an envoy seat.

That's fine, I book it, and pay the $5 phone booking fee because the website is such crap that you can't book open jaw awards on it.

Get the confirmation- I didn't ask for seat assignment on the call.

With about 100 empty seats, they put my wife in 20F on the 333 to FRA-- possibly the worst TA seat that exists in the entire fleet. Next to someone.

There are entire rows empty, and they put her next to someone in the "A/V box under the seat, does not recline because you're in front of the exit row" seat.

Changed it on checkin.

What a pain these guys are. I am going down to US4 next year-- and that only to avoid the blackout dates so I can burn my last 400,000

Ugh.

Let's see: You got an award seat on short notice (sounds GOOD to me). You didn't ask for a seat assignment (sounds SILLY to me) and then complain that the computer made a bad assignment (like the computer really knows which seat your wife prefers).

Because of these two issues, these guys are "a pain" and you're going to fly them much less from now on.:confused:

Good grief!!!

Booked a short notice award ticket for this week-- (death in my wife's family)

PHL-FRA, MUC-PHL

Of course, Envoy is pretty empty, but they won't give an envoy seat.

That's fine, I book it, and pay the $5 phone booking fee because the website is such crap that you can't book open jaw awards on it.

Get the confirmation- I didn't ask for seat assignment on the call.

With about 100 empty seats, they put my wife in 20F on the 333 to FRA-- possibly the worst TA seat that exists in the entire fleet. Next to someone.

There are entire rows empty, and they put her next to someone in the "A/V box under the seat, does not recline because you're in front of the exit row" seat.

Changed it on checkin.

What a pain these guys are. I am going down to US4 next year-- and that only to avoid the blackout dates so I can burn my last 400,000

Ugh.

hang on a minute here.. you got a last minute award seat, which can be difficult, but you got one. Great. You didn't bother to request a seat when you made the reservation, which you should have done. 20F is at least an aisle seat, better than the middle. Then, on finding the automatically assigned seat to be 'undesirable', it was changed at checkin. What, exactly, is your problem?? Please explain as many of us are, I'm sure, confused.

With 100 empty seats...You could just have moved around...the FAs would not have minded and if Envoy was Empty...You could have asked the GA kindly if it was possible for you and the missus to have an OP'up ;)...

Warbo is pretty accurate in his inquisition ;)

I've posted my frustrations with the DM program in the past. So, flying less with US has nothing to do with this experience.

I haven't contacted anyone there in about 6 months

It's just amazing that when I do have to contact them, they disappoint by missing little things you notice that you don't have to deal with other providers.

I'm PP-- seat 20F should be blocked in the system and NEVER given to a preferred-- it's the worst seat on the entire US Airways TA fleet.

I'm a high rev customer, and I care about the details.

I know I should just go "thank my stars" I got a short notice seat and shut up. That's a different question. I paid the asking price for it, so who cares?

Ask the customer to pay for phone service, after requiring the customer to call because of a limited system, put a preferred customer in a obviously hideous seat (are we really arguing that that is OK?)

Most service industries measure "first contact resolution". In this case, it took me two and cost me $5 for the priveledge. What would have been so wrong with making sure a preferred customer was happy with their seat assignment before getting off the call? Others do it.....

Seems like the US board thinks I should say "Thank you sir, may I have another"

ytjk, you have a good point.

Here is a suggestion that will carry some weight, and I'd prefer not to get into why.

Send a letter to John Reistrup (John_Reistrup@usairways.com) detailing your experience. My suggestion is to stay away from getting too emotional and stick with the facts. Adding a comment of "this is what really honked me off" is OK.

Don't walk away mad, make a difference.

Kev