Trip Reports - #4: PHL-LAX-SIN : Surviving USScareways

After a very long day and night of unpacking, laundry, repacking, and making sure not to forget my passport again, I was up at the crack after two hours sleep to start a long day of lines, airports, and molestation. The first flight was to Los Angeles on USAir. Security lines were reasonably short and I was at the gate a little early. It’s rare that I ever go into terminals B or C so I had a short look around before stated boarding time arrived . . . and passed. So I waited patiently. And waited. And waited. The testy gate agents refused to let the lounge full of increasingly irritated passengers know what was happening with the plane. Word to service people with people waiting. If there is a delay or a problem, let the group know. People tend to get less antsy if they have the comfort of knowing what is happening in a situation. But letting people know of problems isn’t in the contract so screw us. Let us wait. Finally, we began boarding about an hour and a half late and left soon after. Turned out the delay was caused by a problem that was reported on the inbound flight that necessitated rebooting the plane’s computer system.

The flight was functional and I slept most of the way. I had no interest in whatever culinary creation USAir could concoct so I skipped breakfast and snoozed to make up for my lost beauty sleep. God knows I need it. The flight attendants were nice enough and just let me be. Later they brought baskets of bad-for-you snack foods to munch on. Actually, to their credit, they brought the basket through multiple times. For inexplicable reasons, the flight seemed to take forever but we managed to make it to LAX without the freshly rebooted computer system rerouting us to Mexico. This is my third USAir flight this year and I have been very neutral to unimpressed with the overall experience. The inflight magazine had a funny section in which the CEO answered questions submitted by pax, most of which could be paraphrased as, “why does your airline stink so much?” Each answer could be paraphrased as either, “get over it, you lowly passenger” or “uh . . . whoops.”

My three hour connection turned into a one hour connection which included my having to change terminals and reenter security in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). I have had times in which security alone has taken over an hour if unlucky enough to hit on the departure times of the Asian flights. After convincing the airport parking bus driver, who looked stunningly like Ray Charles, to take me to TBIT, I was soon on my way to security. Incidentally, it’s a bit disconcerting to see Ray Charles driving a bus, but he at least seemed to see me so I assumed it would be okay. Security was short and, other than a two-foot tall Chinese man pushing me out of the way, the experience was uneventful. I felt vindicated that he was pulled for a secondary.

Past Episodes:

#1: Intro, PHL-LAX-LHR-DXB, Dubai (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409654)
#2 : London : The Flumps (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=412328)
#3 : London : The Great Navigator (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=412333)

The testy gate agents refused to let the lounge full of increasingly irritated passengers know what was happening with the plane. Word to service people with people waiting. If there is a delay or a problem, let the group know. People tend to get less antsy if they have the comfort of knowing what is happening in a situation. But letting people know of problems isn’t in the contract so screw us.

Actually, it is. US Airways' "Customer Commitment" Item #2 reads:

Commitment #2

US Airways is committed to providing you with the most current information available in the event of a flight delay, cancellation or diversion.

On most days very few of our flights are cancelled. However, due to weather, Air Traffic Control and other circumstances, some flights may not be on schedule. On days when there are major weather problems, the number of flights affected mounts considerably. When there is a cancellation or a delay, we recognize that our customers expect and deserve timely and reliable information. Whenever there is a delay or similar inconvenience, we will give you the best information we have regarding the duration and cause. As you know, weather and other circumstances may change rapidly. We will keep you posted on such changes and developments as we learn about them.

We Commit:

To provide you with the most current information available to us regarding delays, cancellations or diversions regularly via announcements in the gate area and/or flight information displays in the airport or via announcements onboard the aircraft.

To provide you with the most current information on an aircraft en route to your destination or connecting city when it is placed in an Air Traffic Control holding pattern. Announcements will be made regularly until the aircraft is released from the holding pattern.

To attempt to reach you at the telephone number(s) you provided when you made your reservation when we have sufficient notice of a delay or cancellation. It is important that you provide your travel agent or US Airways all contact telephone numbers where you can be reached before and during your trip.

To provide options if you are affected by delays, cancellations or diversions and to communicate these options in a clear and concise manner. Our policy on delays, cancellations or diversion is available at the US Airways web site usairways.com and from US Airways agents (please see Appendix I). Our policy provides affected customers with specific amenities to fit their situations, including, under appropriate circumstances, alternative transportation, accommodations, meals and prepaid telephone cards.

To provide regular travel and weather advisories on the US Airways web site usairways.com.

The inflight magazine had a funny section in which the CEO answered questions submitted by pax, most of which could be paraphrased as, “why does your airline stink so much?” Each answer could be paraphrased as either, “get over it, you lowly passenger” or “uh . . . whoops.”

Ahh yes, the infamous "Your Turn" column, known in these parts as the "Your Fault" column. Suprising, several FTers have met the author (Managing Director of Corporate and Consumer Affairs, not the CEO), and have indicated that she is one of the most dedicated and committed US managers and is a delight to deal with. You can always view the most recent version of Your Fault at http://www.attachemag.com/dialogue.htm