US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Don't turn your backs on these guys

Even though I have moved most of my flying to CAL now (even though its tougher to get an upgrade and no Intl SWU's- but they did match my status @ US , making me a platinum elite ), my friends wanted to go on a golf outing to HHH so I was forced to (attempt to) fly US again. CAL is light years ahead of US in running an airline, which is ultimately what it is all about.

So I booked 4 tickets through the website, and then called the desk to list myself and one of my companions on the upgrade queue. I then got confused because under "my reservations" on the website there was one reservation code with only my other two traveling companions listed, and the email I received listed another reservation code with myself and the companion I was trying to upgrade (virtually there showed the same thing).

However, tonight, when reviewing my credit card activity, I saw that I was charged for 6 tickets rather than 4. I called the preferred desk and they said there was nothing they could do, that I had to call revenue accounting during normal business hours. the guy I talked to went on a ramble stating he never used the web site because it was so unreliable, and that if you had to call them in San Salvador they were unresponsive and absolutely useless. A nice testimonial coming from an employee, but I tried to point out that the problem undoubtedly stemmed from the preferred desk and not the website, but he would have none of that.

Anyway, I work during "normal business hours", so I don't really relish having to stay on the phone for hours trying to fix this snafu. How come these "mistakes" never involve underbilling, do I sense a pattern?

Dispute the charge with you CC company. Then call US.

Clue is right on. Then call or e-mail Consumer Affairs. Some of the folks in IT are responsive and my be able to correct it. I have a contact there, who gets things done.

The IT folks aren't so bad it's just that they are trying to play catch up ball with no money and little in the way of hardware upgrades. Knowing what I know about web sites from my own employer and what things cost I'm amazed the US website EVER works and it has gotten better over time.

Bottom line is Stay on them like Joe Frazier did when he was Heavyweight Champ.

I don't think one should have to be "on them" to fix their own mistakes. As the original poster stated he works during normal business hours, much like the rest of us and we shouldn't have to chase down people in Consumer Affairs, IT or anywhere else in the organization.

In a "perfect world" you are correct.

BUT IMO if you don't put the heat on you get trampled by at best indifference at worst outright fraud.

Most companies make honest mistakes and are legitimate. BUT how do you make that determination? If a company is in dire financial straits and has cut people left and right isn't it prudent to get your issue resovled right away?

Given the sad state of some organizations customer service I take the position that a company is trying to rip me off and work backwards from there. That way I am almost always pleasantly surprised when not only to they honor my request but in many cases go beyond and offer a "Goodwill Gesture" like say in the above incident a upgrade or two might be in order since the individual would need to be properly compensated for their time in resolving a situation created by his vendor of choice making a mistake, honest or otherwise. The only way IMO companies learn from their mistakes is if there is a financial penalty.