Wow, Rotten Cust Service Getting Worse?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Arizona USA
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Wow, Rotten Cust Service Getting Worse?
My wife just finished a call into the NC call center to try to book award travel to SYD 330 days out. Huh, no surprise that there are plenty of award seats available through NZ, QF, UA but none provided to US through Star Alliance or the ending Qantas agreement. I knew that I am stuck with the 750,000+ DM miles and will never be able to use them to go to Oz, but it is grating.
She placed the call on speaker so I could hear the tone of the CSR's speech about why there are award seats available but none for US. This CSR was just down right nasty and it was obvious that she didn't like to work, and if forced to, really hated working for US.
I hardly ever call an airline, it seems that what I need to do is possible over the Net. The two or three times I've called US over the past year have been met with CSRs who clearly haven't been trained and communicated with about merger changes. However, I haven't crossed paths with a nasty CSR. Is this the latest change to US? I'd prefer an offshored, clueless but pleasant CSR to what my wife just had to put up with.
She placed the call on speaker so I could hear the tone of the CSR's speech about why there are award seats available but none for US. This CSR was just down right nasty and it was obvious that she didn't like to work, and if forced to, really hated working for US.
I hardly ever call an airline, it seems that what I need to do is possible over the Net. The two or three times I've called US over the past year have been met with CSRs who clearly haven't been trained and communicated with about merger changes. However, I haven't crossed paths with a nasty CSR. Is this the latest change to US? I'd prefer an offshored, clueless but pleasant CSR to what my wife just had to put up with.
#2
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Posts: 2,300
Sorry to hear about the unfriendly CSR. You might follow FT rule #1... if you get a bad agent or don't get a satisfactory answer... hang up and call again. I've found most of the Int'l agents to be very friendly and if you are polite most will work pretty hard to get what you want.
#3
Original Poster
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dukeman, got your PM.
The main problem seems that when you're trying to book int'l award travel, you end up getting stuck with the DM Gold (or whatever level you are) CSRs how don't appear to be trained to understand award availability. I log directly into Shares and SABRE and the seats are there, but whatever US is using in their call centers for DM agents appears to be dumbed down. Perhaps the Int'l group can understand availability better, but we've not been able to get through to them.
The main problem seems that when you're trying to book int'l award travel, you end up getting stuck with the DM Gold (or whatever level you are) CSRs how don't appear to be trained to understand award availability. I log directly into Shares and SABRE and the seats are there, but whatever US is using in their call centers for DM agents appears to be dumbed down. Perhaps the Int'l group can understand availability better, but we've not been able to get through to them.
#5
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PHL
Posts: 165
#6
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold,MR Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 2,300
US Airways and Qantas have confirmed that their codeshare and frequent flyer program will end on February 28, 2007. The last day to ticket award travel on Qantas is February 28, 2007. The last day to travel on an award ticket is January 31, 2008.
#7
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My wife just finished a call into the NC call center to try to book award travel to SYD 330 days out. Huh, no surprise that there are plenty of award seats available through NZ, QF, UA but none provided to US through Star Alliance or the ending Qantas agreement. I knew that I am stuck with the 750,000+ DM miles and will never be able to use them to go to Oz, but it is grating.
She placed the call on speaker so I could hear the tone of the CSR's speech about why there are award seats available but none for US. This CSR was just down right nasty and it was obvious that she didn't like to work, and if forced to, really hated working for US.
I hardly ever call an airline, it seems that what I need to do is possible over the Net. The two or three times I've called US over the past year have been met with CSRs who clearly haven't been trained and communicated with about merger changes. However, I haven't crossed paths with a nasty CSR. Is this the latest change to US? I'd prefer an offshored, clueless but pleasant CSR to what my wife just had to put up with.
She placed the call on speaker so I could hear the tone of the CSR's speech about why there are award seats available but none for US. This CSR was just down right nasty and it was obvious that she didn't like to work, and if forced to, really hated working for US.
I hardly ever call an airline, it seems that what I need to do is possible over the Net. The two or three times I've called US over the past year have been met with CSRs who clearly haven't been trained and communicated with about merger changes. However, I haven't crossed paths with a nasty CSR. Is this the latest change to US? I'd prefer an offshored, clueless but pleasant CSR to what my wife just had to put up with.
Frankly, I'd have to say you got a terrible CSR, and US Airways has many of those. However, there are still some really nice ones too. In November 2006, I booked a 160,000 first class award to Sydney using my Dividend Miles. The extremely helpful agent even got me First Class on Singapore Airlines. Also, in December of the same year, I was able to find a Business Class award, again using DM, this time a combination of ANA, Asiana, and Thai.
#8
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,449
Frankly, I'd have to say you got a terrible CSR, and US Airways has many of those. However, there are still some really nice ones too. In November 2006, I booked a 160,000 first class award to Sydney using my Dividend Miles. The extremely helpful agent even got me First Class on Singapore Airlines. Also, in December of the same year, I was able to find a Business Class award, again using DM, this time a combination of ANA, Asiana, and Thai.
#9
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
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1) Singapore - 9.5
2) ANA - 9.0
3) Thai - 8.0
4) Asiana - 8.0
#10
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FIRST CLASS
1. Singapore
2. All Nippon Airways
3. Thai
4. Asiana (This airline still has very old flat bed seats in F)
BUSINESS CLASS
1. All Nippon Airways
2. Singapore
3. Thai
4. Asiana
#11
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I second the high rating for ANA in Business. It was really a fabulous flight. Now I did fly Thai about six years ago but back then the difference in IFE and Comfort level was stunning between ANA and Thai. Thai was very old style business. Food on Thai was great but ANA still won.
#12
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I second the high rating for ANA in Business. It was really a fabulous flight. Now I did fly Thai about six years ago but back then the difference in IFE and Comfort level was stunning between ANA and Thai. Thai was very old style business. Food on Thai was great but ANA still won.
#13
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To the OP - definitely a case of hang-up and call back. I've been able to successfully use my DM to go to all the "in" destinations during peak travel times with very little problems.
Yeah, you have to be a little flexible, and yeah, you have to have some patience, and book way in advance (which it sounds like you were doing) but for all the ways US falters, imho their ease of booking awards is stellar. Referenece, if you will CO's nONEpass.
King - if you have the chance to fly business or first on TG, SQ, ANA, or Asiana - do it. Although I'll warn you, it'll reduce your love of US.
Yeah, you have to be a little flexible, and yeah, you have to have some patience, and book way in advance (which it sounds like you were doing) but for all the ways US falters, imho their ease of booking awards is stellar. Referenece, if you will CO's nONEpass.
King - if you have the chance to fly business or first on TG, SQ, ANA, or Asiana - do it. Although I'll warn you, it'll reduce your love of US.
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Arizona USA
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OK folks, here's where the rubber hits the road.
The "hang up and call back" suggestion is just plane solid human waste. Yes, thank you, that's what has worked for you. However I am of the mind that we're paying stupid, lazy Americans for their jobs if that's the correct approach. Would you join me in kissing off all pretense and firing their arses? Many of you whined about bringing these calls "back to the USA" but my experience is that I would prefer to have a Filipino or Mexican over what I've been having to deal with.
OK. Got that out of the way. Some here seem to be of the Socialist persuasion and feel that we should be happy with uninformed people that don't want to work hard for their customers. (Warbo, please jump in with your normal nasty American bit... Just waiting for you.).
I asked John Reistrup/Director of DM for help, but it appears that US is being blackballed by the Star Alliance and he doesn't want to comment.
AZ Travels the World, this gets to the heart of what's not working at US. They seem to be making everyone (had to think of a nicer way to say it...) put out to the point where they are not part of the team. So please don't move the thread. IMHO, it appears that US is not being completely truthful about their Star Alliance program membership. As much as I hate lawyers (sorry if you're one, but tough luck unless you're a prosecutor), I have approached Terry Goddard/Atty Gen'l of AZ to see if he's willing to look into it. I recognize that this is a bit of "bite your nose off..." for an AZ Atty Gen'l, but there couldn't be better timing than when US is going after DL. Somebody needs to make the airlines come clean on award travel. If you're not welcome for Premium award travel to ASPAC, then you need to include that extra bit in your Ts&Cs and highlight the change to your current FFs.
The "hang up and call back" suggestion is just plane solid human waste. Yes, thank you, that's what has worked for you. However I am of the mind that we're paying stupid, lazy Americans for their jobs if that's the correct approach. Would you join me in kissing off all pretense and firing their arses? Many of you whined about bringing these calls "back to the USA" but my experience is that I would prefer to have a Filipino or Mexican over what I've been having to deal with.
OK. Got that out of the way. Some here seem to be of the Socialist persuasion and feel that we should be happy with uninformed people that don't want to work hard for their customers. (Warbo, please jump in with your normal nasty American bit... Just waiting for you.).
I asked John Reistrup/Director of DM for help, but it appears that US is being blackballed by the Star Alliance and he doesn't want to comment.
AZ Travels the World, this gets to the heart of what's not working at US. They seem to be making everyone (had to think of a nicer way to say it...) put out to the point where they are not part of the team. So please don't move the thread. IMHO, it appears that US is not being completely truthful about their Star Alliance program membership. As much as I hate lawyers (sorry if you're one, but tough luck unless you're a prosecutor), I have approached Terry Goddard/Atty Gen'l of AZ to see if he's willing to look into it. I recognize that this is a bit of "bite your nose off..." for an AZ Atty Gen'l, but there couldn't be better timing than when US is going after DL. Somebody needs to make the airlines come clean on award travel. If you're not welcome for Premium award travel to ASPAC, then you need to include that extra bit in your Ts&Cs and highlight the change to your current FFs.
#15
Join Date: Aug 2004
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