I certainly have and (unfortunately) expect to again.
While I've had many run-ins with customer service, there are two resolutions which stick out in my mind.
[ Warning: Long rants below: ]
The first was on a UAL flight about 3 years ago from STL-DEN-SNA. Boarded the first flight and waited... half hour later they announced a mechanical issue. We spent a good 4 hours on the plan, no a/c (you know the drill) just waiting. They finally let us off for about 30 minutes then back on for another 45. During that time 2 other flights left for DEN, both were light. Finally made it to DEN and the last flight of the night to SNA was sitting there but they wouldn't let us board. Another delay on a flight to LAX and a shuttle ride later, I made it home. Under 5 hour trip that took over 12. My letter to CSR ended up with a fairly well crafted and almost personal sounding apology with a good accompanying offer – not a great resolution but a resolution. For better or worse I still primarily fly United.
My second interesting incident was fairly similar but with a much better ending... I was scheduled on the last Alaska flight out from OAK to SNA which should be all of 80 minutes. The flight was delayed at it's previous terminal and late to leave. SNA has a hard close every night at 11. No flights make it in after 11. Of course the OAK ground crew told us we'd make it fine... even as they kept pushing the time back. Finally they informed us we had to board a plane completely in under 15 minutes, which we did. Full flight, everyone on and secured in 15 minutes (all flights should board like we did). Another 45 minutes on the ground and they told us we'd been bumped (it was nearly 11 already) to LAX. We get to LAX and the "representatives" that are suppose to be "waiting" are a few gates over chatting. They have virtually no info and no directions to where our "shuttle" busses will be. Most of the PAX make it to baggage where there is no one. Finally myself and another passenger head over to Alaska baggage claim area to get someone out. The “supervisor” there tells us we’re all suppose to wait to get our bags and then the busses will come. Of course this is an 80 minute flight on a Sunday, so virtually no one has bags, but when that’s pointed out she shrugs. We also mentioned that many passengers had headed towards cabs when the busses failed to show – she says she’s going to make an announcement (in the baggage claim area only of course) and it’s their fault if they don’t hear it. That was that.
Another 20 minutes and busses show up with a few customer service reps to help get us to them. By this point at least a third of the pax have left the group, some with alternative transportation and some simply got lost. The last bus had barely a soul on it. When we arrived at SNA the airport was about as dead as you can get. The cabs they promised would be waiting for people? There was 1, for 30 people and if you’ve never been to SNA, let me tell you, there are not a lot of late night cabs in the area. I spent another 20 minutes waiting for the long term shuttle driver to show up. Finally a sheriff, as in someone charged with protecting our airports and citizens, forced an employee parking lot shuttle driver to take me and another pax to our cars.
Silly thing is, I could have driven from OAK to SNA in less time
This time rather than writing to customer service I wrote to a few VPs at Alaska. I didn’t expect any response from them, just a customer service letter saying they were “forwarded” my message and $50 off a future full fare flight that I’d never normally book. Boy was I surprised when I got a voicemail a week later from one of Alaska’s Executive Vice Presidents. When we spoke a few days later he gave me a very nice personal apology and flat out stated that Alaska was aware there were areas they could do better in. No denying it, no excuses, just an apology and a promise to forward my letter on to the Vice President in charge of airport services. Whether it did something or not directly it sure got heard and heard by the right people. They sent me a certificate a few days later but frankly the money wasn’t the goal and not of concern. I was, and still am, amazed that he took the time to read and respond to my letter given that I wrote it under no company name and with no particular status on his airline other than having made 21k in flights in the past year.
The call was ended with a promise to follow up again in 5 or 6 months to see if my experience with Alaska has improved. Not a call back from someone in customer service but from him. I had left my plane certain I’d never use Alaska again, unless I was literally going to Alaska, now I’m booked twice more this year and a vocal advocate of them everywhere – not because their perfect but because I know they’re willing to at least listen. It’s amazing how a simple phone call can change so much.
I don’t consider myself someone who complains over minor details but if something goes far enough South I like to be heard by whoever wants to list. 30 minutes (generally in flight) to get my point out and some sort of compensation seems worth it to me and after all, if we don’t speak up, can we really expect the corporate offices to know there is something they need to fix?