<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by steves:
To TomBascom - I have 4 trips booked until Feb. Why give up the miles/great fares/better than Southwest service?</font>
SWA service is pretty darned good -- just a week or so ago I missed my SWA flight because my US connection was (very) late. The SWA ticket agent didn't even blink -- she just very smoothly put me on the next flight, smiled and thanked me. Along with studying their customer service etc the big arlines might want to take a look at the computer systems that SWA "doesn't have". They seem to be pretty well designed.
Because I can actually
use a SWA award?
Because SWA fares really are pretty good? And there's
no chance that I'll
ever be asked to pay four figures to buy up a SWA ticket due to a last minute change?
Plus SWA actually likes me if I buy a cheap ticket... they celebrate people getting good deals.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">To allay your fears - which I personally think are unnecessary- book with a credit card (does anyone do it any other way?).</font>
I do. I just don't want to have to deal with more than a small number of tickets when it happens. It's a pain in the butt.
BTW -- for those of you with Corporate AMEX cards. Stop using them -- in the event of a refund situation the refund will be sent back to the sponsoring company. And if your company goes belly up between now and then the creditors will get the check. You'll never shake it loose. Even though
you paid the bill and never got reimbursed.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I had tix on Eastern when they went out and it was no problem getting the credit put back in my account. One quick call to the credit card company.</font>
I'm more worried about what will happen with e-tickets and awards. Will they be honored by someone? How? That seems likely to be a really ugly affair. I don't think there has been a major airline failure since the advent of e-tickets so this could get really interesting.
Now that paper tickets cost money the "just get paper tickets" strategy isn't at all attractive.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I think USAirways will clear out excess costs during bankruptcy and come out smaller, with lower costs, and partner with another carrier (UAL?). The government won't give them such a hassle about networking with other carriers this time around and we may see a better business in the end, with more choices for frequent flyers who will then want to continue flying them. At least that is my hope - I'd hate to see 35,000 people out of work and I don't think it is necessary. </font>
I hope you're right.