The EWR Experience
 

Somehow I've managed to mostly avoid the dubious charms of CO's New Jersey hub. Oh, I fly through it with some frequency, but usually manage to circumvent any potential unpleasantness by avoiding interaction with humans wherever possible.

Today, however, that was not an option as I am confirmed on the last EWR-CLE departure of the day, but wrapped up my business a bit early and would like to get home sooner if I can. What followed was this interaction:

smg77: Hello, I'm booked on the 8pm flight to Cleveland, but would like to leave earlier. Could you please add me to the standby list? (I already knew by this point that the flight had no availability.)

GA: It's overbooked.

smg77: Would you mind adding me to the standby list anyway in case that changes?

GA: There's a $50 fee for that.

smg77: Actually, I thought there was no longer a fee for platinums for tickets booked since October 1, which is when I bought mine.

GA: I don't know about that. Go to the service center.

smg77: Could you please just add me to the standby list?

GA: Go to the service center.

smg77: Thanks, you were a lot of help.

GA: [grumble]

Went to the PC where they added me to the standby list in about a minute -- no mention of a fee. I'm #1 on the list.

I'm sure there's no point in complaining about this lazy, rude, uninformed gate agent, but come on CO -- New Jersey's unemployment rate is 9.8% -- do you really need to scrape the bottom of the barrel with guys like this?

I agree.. the mentality in Newark is like no where else on earth
 

Having worked in the city of Newark for 20+ years I can tell you that there is definitely a Newark attitude. Try asking for something different, not listed on the menu, at McDonald's. You will be met with an attitude that is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Even in my job, try asking a clerk to do his/her job..Good luck with that. All you get is attitude on top of attitude and it is so aggravating. Newark is an entity unto itself. There is nowhere in the USA like it. I'm glad I don't have to work in Newark any longer, but if I did-- I would act like I used to. I would be as outspoken as the person speaking to me. I would demand he/she does their job. And then I would walk away when nothing got done and complain to my friends/coworkers/ or my spouse. But nothing has changed nor will it ever change. Newark is what it is, Newark. Nuff said.

I've had this exact same conversation.

I have to laugh at you people. Newark is like any other big city. It is full of nice people as well as A$$es. Its a shame that anyone would characterize any city by a few hundred people let alone one GA. I have flown all over this world, including EWR and CLE and have met idiots in both cities as well as quite nice people. People are peolpe wherever you find them. I bet right now she is probably saying the same thing about you and CLE to her co-workers. We need to be a little more tolerant of each other and maybe the airport will be a nicer place.

Every once in a while the Newark attitude works in your favor (though very rarely). I was flying AUS-EWR-BDL several years ago, and when I got to EWR, the BDL flight was delayed about 3 hours due to thunderstorms. I went up to customer service and asked them if they would delete the EWR-BDL and BDL-EWR segments from my ticket and I'd just rent a car in EWR. The woman said that she would check with her supervisor. She called him, and he said not to do it. The woman then promptly told him that she was going to do it anyway and made the change for me...


Of course, she didn't do the change right and when I didn't show up for the BDL-EWR segment they cancelled my EWR-AUS segment, but that is a different story.

I think you should send a note to CO via the customer care portion of co.com. The more details you have (which counter, what the agent looked like, etc.), the better. CO can't fix what they don't know about. A surly attitude is certainly unwanted, but not knowing the policies is unacceptable.

On the other hand, I think it's just as important to send CO a note when agents in EWR or elsewhere (or FAs, etc.) do their job well. While I have had some less than stellar agents in EWR, I have had quite a few who were professional, friendly, and used common sense. CO needs to know about those folks as well.

was the ticket PURCHASED after Oct 1? Technically the wording says that.... (looks you may have by your wording, but just to be clear)

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.5.0.138 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I bought the ticket October 1.

It gets better. After clearing standby and getting my boarding pass in the PC, I head to the gate. During boarding my name is announced by the same GA. He asks for my boarding pass then tells me that I need to pay the fee. When I tell him again the rules have changed, he calls someone to check who says the fee is $25. I pay under protest because I want to go home. Of course by the time this is resolved, there's no room left for bags and mine gets checked.

That sucks. Only problems I've had at EWR was circling around the airport waiting to land due to ATC holds :(

I had the complete opposite experience in ORD yesterday going to EWR. Was on the 340pm flight got to the airport at 2pm with the 1228pm and 220pm still there, all flights were delayed. I asked to be put on standby for the 220pm (didn't know the 1228 didn't leave yet). So at this point I was informed about the 1228pm flight, told that there is no way I was gonna make it since there are too many people on standby but that I would be added anyway. At the same time I was confirmed on the 220pm in an exit row and put on the EUA upgrade list and there was never any mention of a fee (I am Gold). Ended up not making the 1228pm but did make the 220pm which did leave full at 345pm and I made it back home at my originally scheduled time.

take it up with OPSC on the phone for refund, and to get some new training out to the people that don't read their updates. don't mess with wecare, go right to OPSC.

Doesn't surprise me at all. This is how CO trains their GA's. I say vote with your wallets from now on. Go to a better airline where you will be treated with respect.

^, well said

Having lived in many locations I can confidently say, in my personal experience, there is much more of an "attitude" in the NYC metro-area.

To put this in perspective however, I had a surprisingly wonderful experience with CO Express in EWR on Tuesday night (which I wrote to CO CustoCare about) and last night I got rough treatment from a phone agent in SLC trying to rebook a flight that had been canceled. Go figure. Bizarro week or something.

Hey all!

I'm a NW refugee who used to fly CO quite a bit when full mileage was given. I'm back and still catching up with the new CO. (Thanks for the status match CO!)

So what is OPSC? Is there a consolidated list of terms commonly used on this board somewhere. My admittedly cursory search was not very successful.

Thanks!

OnePass Service Center,

Post #3 under the CO FAQ:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/6719115-post3.html