G-BOAC

Well, it seems their 'service recovery' is as helpful as their JFK Station Manager ^ When I was at the hotel I obviously needed to grab some lunch the next day, but the hotel (actually, the downright rude miserable b!tches with awful attitudes on reception) said it was not covered. I called MAXjet to get some clarity and they weren't exactly, err, clued up on the phone! They said just e-mail CS with the details of what had happened. I wrote a short note outlining the details and the expense, and also being sure to praise the JFK Station Manager who I'm still impressed with. Today, this reply:

Which is, to say the least, far more than I expected to receive in response! ^ The reply was a bit slow (I'd forgotten about it actually!) but no wonder if they've had a slew of problems to deal with

I shall ask for more details on usage/time limits, etc. but I'm pretty chuffed! I wonder if I can use the tickets (assuming the flights depart ) to start a nice YUP or QUP run or something useful

In other news, no VS miles credit has appeared which doesn't surprise me as the flight doesn't 'exist' in their system of expected flights - no VS146 on the retro claim drop-down box, for example. Oh well, can't win them all It was worth a try!

Swanhunter

That really is service recovery! Very impressive indeed.

Couldn't you write to VS to claim the miles?

G-BOAC

LOL. I love FT I had convinced myself that would be "just too damn cheeky" and dropped all ideas of mentioning it or doing it, then someone suggests it unprompted. Now I may just have to!

Swanhunter

I do like being a bad influence. I've double dipped with BA and BD when the later cancelled their BOM route and really felt guilty about it. Triple miles too.

G-BOAC

You are a bad influence, but I have to thank you...not only should I now get some miles, but you've introduced me to the delights of dealing with a good airline CS department! OK, this is based on one contact/problem only I grant you, but it was a breath of fresh air to get a prompt, accurate, helpful, polite, detailed and USEFUL thread going with a real, intelligent human being! I don't think I've ever had that from 'AskBA' (i.e. I have to get on to the call centre to get to the good people). VS really are winning me over so far

dhoward

just fyi

received this last night:

Dear Valued Customer,

MAXjet Airways will announce today that it will temporarily suspend service for the winter season between Washington D.C. and London beginning January 16, 2007 and will resume service on May 24 with four weekly flights operating on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday. We have adjusted our schedule to concentrate aircraft capacity in the New York and Las Vegas markets where demand is strong. Beginning March 10, service between Las Vegas and London will increase to three weekly flights with the addition of a Saturday departure, conveniently timed for both leisure and business travelers. From New York, service operates six days a week.

We have begun the process of contacting you as your reservation falls between January 16th and May 23rd 2007.
If you haven't heard from us, you will very soon. Or, should you prefer to contact us directly regarding the re-protection options available to you, our reservations agents are accessible 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, toll free.

US - 1-888-I-FLYMAX (888-435-9629)

UK - 0800-023-4300

We apologize for the disruption this seasonal suspension may cause for your travel plans and appreciate your loyalty to MAXjet Airways.


Yours sincerely,

William D. Stockbridge
President and CEO
MAXjet Airways


option 1: full refund
option 2: maxjet to ny and connect to dc
option 3: vs upper class lhr-was

irmster

A little bizarre having recently announced an expansion to the IAD service. So now they will have 3 planes and only 2 routes - one of which is currently 2 days a week, increasing to 3. I can't see how this is viable- I would definitely not book on them again, even though my 1 MY flight was perfectly acceptable.

RAPC

It looks to me like they have done this due to the problems with their aging 767s which has meant that when one went out of action, there was a chaotic knock-on effect to services. Probably a tough business call to make, but if it means they can actually service two routes effectively rather than 3 badly in the short term then I think it is the right move.

I'm due to fly with them next month to New York and was getting a bit twitchy about their service issues for the past month or two. That said, it doesn't help passengers already booked in to Washington, especially those in the next few weeks. I hope they manage the process of dealing with refunds / re-routes properly.

Globaliser

Now, let me see: Cancel 4 IAD flights a week, add 1 LAS flight a week. "Concentrate"?

Are we going to open a book on whether IAD ever resumes?

Fraser

I'm beginning to see a potential strategy emerge here...

1) Book a full flexible Maxjet ticket whenever you need to go to NYC/LAS/IAD (ok maybe skip the latter for now, unless you can currently still book it )
2) Await for the schedule to go tits up, get rebooked on another airline in superior cabin for the price of Maxjet.
3) Cancel the fully flexible reservation on new airline and keep Maxjet miles..

It is almost as good news for your mileage balance as hearing a BA strike is upcoming

Oh and if you are planning on flying VS UC to IAD soon...book a MY ticket PDQ and get rebooked on VS before they pull IAD off the reservations system

leaveamessage

That was my first thought too...
Shame they havent got their sale fares running still.... Virgin UC for £599 would be pretty nice to try

G-BOAC

They may be having issues with planes going tech, but they ain't that stupid IAD is still on the site, but invalid dates are greyed out in the selector(s).

This is annoying. I have been invited to a wedding in MYR in May and the 'best' way to get there seems to be to get to IAD then hop on a direct UA connection. I was considering using the MY freebie to get there (MFU prices out at about 770 quid, ex-EU not great, don't want to burn 100K miles, etc., etc. I've looked at various options). I wonder if I chance it and send them a mail trying to book to IAD anyway, they may just oblige...

Fraser

What about connecting to UA at ORD? DL at ATL seems the obvious one to me if you are going for BA across the pond.

Roger

The 3x weekly STN-LAS shows in the dropdown boxes for October/November (when I have to be in LAS). Trying to book produces 'No flights are available on the dates you selected' for the Saturday dates I need. (Other days OK.)

G-BOAC

I think MY need a new slogan - "Always an adventure!". Or maybe they should get Forrest Gump as their spokesperson coz "You never know quite what you gonna get!"

Using my freebie ticket I thought I'd visit Washington since I've been to Vegas and JFK before. I deliberately booked it as close to the service resuming as I could in case I stood a chance of getting rebooked on VS again due to delays in it restarting or something No such luck, everything was running as planned according to their site. So I pitch up at STN at 12:30 today in good time and am asked if I know about today's aircraft change - uh-oh! A letter explains one plane is in maintenance and they've leased a 757which is "all first class" instead. All seats have been pre-assigned (no changes) based on the smaller plane (68 seats) by fare paid - uh-oh again, I'll be in the lavs! But never mind, I can't get checked in anyway. Someone is in my PNR. They don't know who and all the staff at STN they asked said 'not me'. But the lovely Aviance girl wouldn't give up and 40 mins later Worldspan had somehow unlocked it over the phone for her and she processed me. During this wait we were chatting and it turns out the 757 is leased from the Dallas Cowboys - their executive jet! The seatmap was the most complex I've seen with 8 different classes...all ending in 'first class' but clearly different leg room and seating styles the further back you went. The first 4 seats convert in to a bed! My BP was issued for 8C. One of the best seats as it turns out (well, from the map anyway) in something like 'Premium first class'. I'm not complaining. It's got a fax machine...handy I'm rather looking forward to my first trip on an executive jet now!

Hey-ho, never predictable with MY, that's for sure. Or maybe I'm just jinxed with them? Since my last visit here the champagne in the lounge has been downgraded to Cava I've decided to hit the Bombay as a result ^