America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - Phoenix - Chaos Check In

Just the other day, HP comped me to Gold Elite Status because of my Platinum status on AA.

Two incidents prior to my flight today (#6351 - PHX-ELP) are of great concern and is making me rethink my shifting of business to HP. I arrived at the airport just about 2 hours prior to my flight's departure. ALL lines (First Class, regular and E-ticket) were incredibly long. I chose the E-ticket line. It snaked all around. While HP agents were doing their best to keep order, clearly the facility was not designed to handle this type of capacity. I asked one of the agents why the lines are so long (took me nearly an hour on an E-ticket line to get my boarding pass). She told me that this is the time when most of the HP flights depart PHX. If that is the case, someone should tell the people who schedule the flights that the building cannot handle the volume of people who are on those flights. I have logged over 1 million miles on AA. I have never seen problems like that unless there were major weather related delays.

When I finally retrieved my boarding pass, it did not identify me as an elite member (I wanted it for priority boarding). I asked the agent. She said it was not in the computer. It does appear on HP's website. Why don't the two computers talk to each other?

Not a good way to start a relationship! Has anyone else experienced PHX over crowded?

Other than perhaps Thanksgiving weekend, this is absolute peak season in PHX and the busiest for air travel. Baseball spring training ends today and people are leaving this weekend in droves. I'm not surprised today was a disaster at the airport. Tomorrow may be as well.

As for your boarding pass, are you sure your Flight Fund number was in this specific reservation? I've never had a problem with the system as long as my Flight Fund number was in the record. I book almost all of my travel via HP's web site and have never had such an issue.

You can do web check in or use the kiosks and there should be no line - then just drop off your luggage. Did you consider that? Only international flights have to go through conventional check-in. I was in PHX for an international flight on HP and people were in line who refused to use the kiosks - in fact most were. Finally they pulled the international flight pax to a separate line.

Good to hear your comp went through. I also had a problem with my status showing on my boarding pass after my status change. I went to the gate and asked the agent to delete my number and reenter it to see if that would display status. When it didn't, he just wrote "SILVER" on my BP and let me board with teh rest of the elites. My second flight later that week printed out correctly.

You can do web check in or use the kiosks and there should be no line - then just drop off your luggage. Did you consider that?

I only had carry on and DID use the kiosks. It took me nearly an hour to get TO a kiosk. THAT's insanity. And the only reason I did not use web check-in was because I didn't have access to a printer in Phoenix.

I only had carry on and DID use the kiosks. It took me nearly an hour to get TO a kiosk. THAT's insanity. And the only reason I did not use web check-in was because I didn't have access to a printer in Phoenix.

I hope I do not regret saying this, but there are kiosks upstairs before the "A" checkpoint. Actually, I think there are 4 there... never had a wait.... so that may be a good place to go if you jsut need a boarding pass and you have no checked luggage....

I have been traveling weekly from California to PHX.. and trust me.. this is the worst month.... but it will get better.

I hope I do not regret saying this, but there are kiosks upstairs before the "A" checkpoint. Actually, I think there are 4 there... never had a wait.... so that may be a good place to go if you jsut need a boarding pass and you have no checked luggage....

I have been traveling weekly from California to PHX.. and trust me.. this is the worst month.... but it will get better.

I second this suggestion! Never seen a line upstairs!

I hope I do not regret saying this, but there are kiosks upstairs before the "A" checkpoint. Actually, I think there are 4 there... never had a wait.... so that may be a good place to go if you jsut need a boarding pass and you have no checked luggage....


Yes. I saw them AFTER retrieving my boarding pass downstairs. NO ONE was using the 4 kiosks upstairs. Great secret! I'll be back in Phoenix next month and will be sure to use them, no matter how short (or long) the downstairs line is. Thanks.

Sorry to hijack the thread but a friend had a similar horrible experience with America West there awhile back. It took him 2 hours to get boarding pass and through security, by then, the aircraft had departed. :(


Yes. I saw them AFTER retrieving my boarding pass downstairs. NO ONE was using the 4 kiosks upstairs. Great secret! I'll be back in Phoenix next month and will be sure to use them, no matter how short (or long) the downstairs line is. Thanks.

Yes, there are kiosks upstairs at LAS (just before the security checkpoint). They are the common-use, airport-owned kiosks. There are more downstairs as well.

Bless you, I'll be on the look out for those kiosks on my upcoming trip.


Yes, there are kiosks upstairs at LAS (just before the security checkpoint). They are the common-use, airport-owned kiosks. There are more downstairs as well.

Hp is extremly busy this weekend and monday.

I flew out of PHX T-4 last night. "A" gate security line was a zoo and the first class/elite line was not operating because "he didn't show up for work" according to the HP employee working the regular line. Very bad form for such a busy weekend.

I never would have made my flight in the regular line so I walked "to the "B" side. Completely empty -- truly not a single person in line with three lanes open. No communication between the two lines -- no one at the "A" side suggesting people go down to the empty "B" side. Unbelievable.

I flew out of PHX T-4 last night. "A" gate security line was a zoo and the first class/elite line was not operating because "he didn't show up for work" according to the HP employee working the regular line. Very bad form for such a busy weekend.

I never would have made my flight in the regular line so I walked "to the "B" side. Completely empty -- truly not a single person in line with three lanes open. No communication between the two lines -- no one at the "A" side suggesting people go down to the empty "B" side. Unbelievable.


Isn't it amazing? A is almost usually a zoo (at least in my experience) but B is seldom in use. I think using the regular line in B is faster than the elite line in A.

You'd figure they'd let folks in A know that B is an available option, but sadly, no.

Theoretically, could one wade through the mass of WN passengers at the newly constructed D checkpoint and take the moving walkway all the way around? It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes, although once I was bored and timed walking from D to the farthest A concourse at a brisk 22 minutes and change.

/Spends way too much time in PHX

Isn't it amazing? A is almost usually a zoo (at least in my experience) but B is seldom in use. I think using the regular line in B is faster than the elite line in A.

You'd figure they'd let folks in A know that B is an available option, but sadly, no.

Theoretically, could one wade through the mass of WN passengers at the newly constructed D checkpoint and take the moving walkway all the way around? It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes, although once I was bored and timed walking from D to the farthest A concourse at a brisk 22 minutes and change.

/Spends way too much time in PHX

B is a great option if elite is closed on A..... but I usually (got lucky) get through the elite line pretty quickly.... I still do not understand why they only have to lines in A working.. they need to really open up more lines....

As an elite member you could have checked in using the F line. Did you try that?

appears so. The OP stated "ALL lines (First Class, regular and E-ticket) were incredibly long"

Bob

appears so. The OP stated "ALL lines (First Class, regular and E-ticket) were incredibly long"

Bob

That seems very odd. I've never waited more than 10 minutes.

And HP has spoken on this issue...sort of. So I still don't have an answer why the volume at PHX exceeds the facilities handling capabilities.

Thank you for contacting America West Airlines. We appreciate and welcome
all inquiries, concerns, and compliments, as your feedback is important to
us.

In order to respond appropriately to your e-mail, I have forwarded your
correspondence to our Executive Offices for handling and response. As their
office is extremely busy at this time, we appreciate your patience. You
should hear from an Executive Liaison within 10-14 business days. If you
prefer, you may call the Executive Area at 480-693-0800, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F.

Thank you again, for choosing America West Airlines.

...As their office is extremely busy at this time, we appreciate your patience. You should hear from an Executive Liaison within 10-14 business days. If you prefer, you may call the Executive Area at 480-693-0800, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F.

Thank you again, for choosing America West Airlines.

TRANSLATION: A lot of people complain about our sub-standard product-- it takes a long time to sift through all of the complaints that we decide not to blow off with a form letter.

TRANSLATION: A lot of people complain about our sub-standard product-- it takes a long time to sift through all of the complaints that we decide not to blow off with a form letter.


I totally disagree with your TRANSLATION:

Actually, this is a Phoenix-based carrier that has incredible volume during Spring Break, Spring Training, and good golf season. Therefore, there are some volume issues. The only problem I see, is the inability of the carrier to let people know that more time is needed during March.

I have been very happy with America West overall.

I use the upstairs kiosks and go through B, total wait of 5 mins at worst.

I also need the exercise and the 8MPH walk to A 25 and beyond gets my heart rate up.

Similar issue this last Sunday, however this time it was due to problems with the web-check in. I did need to check baggage so I couldn't go upstairs...I checked in on the web at home (major cause of the problem I had) and when I finally snaked to the front of the e-tkt line I was unable to access the kiosk (message stated no seats available on this flight) fortunately I had an hour to flight time at this point still. However by the time I was able to navigate my way through the customer service line to the right of this area I only had 10 minutes to spare...turns out a number of us in this line had the same problem, when we checked in online somehow our reservation seemed to be invisible not only to the kiosk but to the lovely (and quite frustrated agents) at the customer service desk. They ended up having to put me on the next flight, upgraded me to FC and I walked away with a smile. But if it had been the last flight of the day I would've had problems as I had an 8:00 a.m. appt with a priority customer at my destination the next day.

Alls well that ends well, but I have to agree there are some issues related to volume and systems at least in Phoenix. However customer service is 2nd to none. Yes I wrote a letter, but not to complain about the situation...every airline can have these problems...I wrote to compliment them on the smiles and service I received through a frustrating situation.