journalist212

After I posted on another thread complaining about US's ineptitude, and failure to respond to customer complaints I received plenty of responses. Mostly from US apologists saying I should email US one last time. Well, I did, a week ago.
I mentioned the issues I've had, and also requested a status match (to my top tier on AA.) A week went by and after another email... I just got the following: (which was inaccurate... i didn't email about my account):


------------------
Thank you for your email regarding your Dividend Miles account.

Due to the volume of email received recently, we have been unable to address
your concerns as quickly as we would like. However, we are working diligently
in order to respond to your request as soon as possible. You may expect a
response from us within the next seven days.

Dividend Miles Service Center

-----------
I had previously gotten this response to other complaints and requests, never receiving an accurate follow-up. Once, I complained about a problem, I got a personal response saying it was being forwarded to another department and I should expect a response (that was 2 months ago)... still nothing.

US should be embarrassed. To all of you apologists who think a quick fire-sale will save the company let this be a lesson to you.... the company is already dead. If the management can't seem to figure out how to keep a customer commitment, try to steal high revenue flyers from the competition, etc, they might as well start painting the SW logo on the gates now.

I hope they learned their lesson. Too bad it was at the expense of many innocent employees (except for the many incompetant, rude, and useless g/a, t/a, and f/a'si've met along the way.)

Or maybe I'm wrong and my complaint is sitting with the pile of bags at PHL.

CPRich

Never mind

otralot

I think you are on target here. Yes all airlines screw up but what the fans of US don't get is if they want their airline to survive it must undergo more than just improvement in its financial health.

When CO went from worst to first (they were bankrupcty at the time), they overhauled the entire airline not just the fare structure. They put a premium on customer service.

Those that are cheering the fare sales don't understand that you can't fare sale your way to better financials, customer service, reduced lost luggage, etc. In fact, fare sales are a mark of desperation. But lets say the sale is successgul and people fly US and have a bad experience?

Since most other airlines are matching they will probably go back from whence they came...

abeflyer

It's been years since CO was in bankruptcy. When they were in I remember customer service was a disaster and I vowed at the time never to fly them again. Their changeover did not take six months, but was over a number of years. I broke my own word and have flown them since. Without doubt are a first class outfit. I think you are asking too much for an airline to restructure its finances and transform itself into a low cost carrier AND improve customer service at the same time.

NOW if in a year they don't have their customer service act together, I think the comments are justified. I think before then it is unrealistic of any company to turn it around on a dime. Let's pick up this discussion a year from now.

otralot

I didn't mean to imply it had to happen overnight. We know Rome wasn't built in a day. It's just there must be some concurrent efforts thate are noticable. For example, I've flown DL a couple of times in the last month, Not an airline I fly a lot or that I am particularly loyal to. But I must say I've seen some improvements. On one flight were we had a major mechanical, the pilot came out of the cockpit when we arrive at the gate and said he was personally going to find a GA for our gate, he would make announcements every 15 minutes, and would instruct the GA to begin seeking alternate flights for anyone who might want to see what their options were.

That's taking a negative and making a positive. I felt like someone was in charge and was going to be sure I was served. I actually did get a rapid rebook--in the club (using my CO club membership). All told that made an impression and I am likely to fly DL in the future if price and schedule are tempting.

After my experience on US Air last weekend--couldn't even get through to the 800# to find out what flight I had been rebooked on after a cancellation (thats how i ended up on DL on my own nickel), I am unlikely to us US.

Jumpgate

journalist212, I'm going to make the same points I made for your last post.

First of all, I'm not a US apologist, and there is no excuse for what happened over christmas nor for neglecting their customer service. However, the previous post about CO and it's transformation is very relevant. They were TERRIBLE during their bankrupcies, and now they are enviable.

I remember US when it was amazing, and I'm rooting for the potential that it will be there again. They are on shaky ground, but I'm in it for the long haul. US has a good product, nice planes, a solid route network, and has treated and continues to treat me very well.

If CO's core customer base back in the day took your advice and just ditched them, do you think they'd still be around and be of such high quality?

My point is, US Airways HAS a core customer, and we are it.

I understand that you don't like US and you've made that very clear. Nobody is forcing you to like them nor fly them.

But we like US, and we fly US. Yes, they are having problems, but we're the people who want to see them through it, and not hold it against them. They are down now, but instead of kicking them while they're down, we're trying to help them up.

sassamanlaw

How dare you interrupt this rant with a reasoned and eloquent rejoinder. Jeez, the nerve of some people.

All kidding aside, I think that was well said and heartily concur.

UAwatcher

Unfortunately, the efforts of its current fan base will be insufficient to save the airline - like CO and other carriers that have come back from the brink, US must be able to attract additional customers/revenue with favorably competitive levels of customer service. The bottom line is that US has abandoned nearly every pretense of offering a product/experience befitting a full-service airline - until this changes, US can hope for no more than to survive by begging mercy from the ATSB and its creditors/lessors.

planeluvr

Yet, you start another thread about the same subject. I was with you concerning your valid concerns but to start another thread about how bad something is makes you seem vindictive. They may well hang it up and life will still go on.

cedric

What email address did you send your concerns to? Your complaints should go to Customer Solutions and your status match request should go to Dividend Miles.

journalist212

i am sorry you feel that way, but the other thread was closed, and i was unable to publish my update (re: letter back from US). That is the reason why I posted here. As you know, it was an on-going dialog, and certain posters dared me to write a letter and post the response. So I did... here.
The question is: why was the other thread closed?

the helping them up line was great sentiment.. and kudos.. but isn't part of helping them up being brutally honest. If you care, shouldn't you be upset and take personal offense when they break commitments? Shouldn't you be more upset at them than the person posting honest feedback here.

To refer to one of the other smart posters here, US needs to put a "premium" on customer service. Until they do, then all of these fare sales, and our discussions for that matter are just academic.

Dont call me Shirley

[QUOTE=journalist212]i am sorry you feel that way, but the other thread was closed, and i was unable to publish my update (re: letter back from US). That is the reason why I posted here. As you know, it was an on-going dialog, and certain posters dared me to write a letter and post the response. So I did... here.



I was one the posters who challenged (I wouldn't say "dared) you to send a comment to US consumer affairs regarding the company's (according to you) lack of response to your previous comments. IIRC, I did ask you (in the spirit of keeping things honest) to post both your communication to US as well as the repsonse, along with a timeline.

How much time elapsed until you received your (admittedly canned, but a response nevertheless) response indicating they would get back you? And how did your comment read?

If you'll stick by the "rules" in my challenge and someone from Ms Deborah Thompson's office does not respond in timely manner, I'll eat my shoes. (figuratively speaking, with all due respect to Tucker Carlson)



[from Cedric]
What email address did you send your concerns to? Your complaints should go to Customer Solutions and your status match request should go to Dividend Miles.


Good point, Cedric.

journalist212?

stevekoe

As you are complaining about how bad the airline is, why would you want a status match? Is that simply just to make sure that you sit up front for the one flight that you booked on their fare sale? Geee...hard to believe that US isn't rushing to answer your complaint letter.

It has been my experience that fliers on airlines with whom they do not have status generally receive the short end of the stick when it comes to customer service. I had a situation on DL about a year ago in which I was severely inconvenienced, cost me real extra dollars out of pocket, and DL was directly responsible for the cause of this situation. I wrote a complaint and received the standard "who cares? we're Delta" letter. Nothing -- not even a few token miles for my account. Similar situation happens last year to a friend of mine -- same airline, same circumstances, almost the same letter -- they got a voucher for the out of pocket expenses and 10,000 miles. The difference - they were a Gold elite flier -- and I was a nobody.

The bottom line is that an airline with whom you have no status does not need to cater to you. You are not the high rev traveler that they need to get them out of financial straits -- or, at least you don't appear as such to them.

otralot

Wow, I couldn't disagree with this more. This attitude is part of the problem. No airline in America can actually afford to lose a customer. A better business model would be to assume that every screw up is an opportunity to prove what a good airline you are.

Appearances can be deceiving...The fact is I am high rev customer just not on your airline at the present. Now I've bought a ticket on your airline maybe for price, schedule or some other reason. Why waste the opportunity to win me over.

A couple of years ago, I got bumped off a NW flight to UA and got lousy service on UA including since I was a late booked pax I was told I might not get a meal. You'd think the airline might be thinking this guy just got sent to us because his flight was canceled he must be miffed at that other airline lets treat him right. You got it. I have only flow UA once since that time.

No instead they take the attitude of your just passing through and since we don't know you--no status with us--we can just treat you like a one off pax.

Bad business sense.

Better business sense treat every pax as potential status flyer. Few things are worse for airline then bad word of mouth. Everyone talks about travel nightmares why would you want your name associated with that?

phillyd2

Yeah right. Is anybody here willing to pay a premium for better service? Of course not. We all want to go to Heaven without dying.