Thanks CO; DirectTV preview runs out in F early in SuperBowl and no fix given
#16
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,628
What's so stupid here (beyond the fact that F passengers should ever have to pay) is that other airlines have a way for FAs to activate the system on a per-passenger basis. I think it was Virgin America I flew with once and as a non-F passenger with a pre-paid entertainment option, the FA slid a credit-card-like object through the reader and activated the system for me.
I'm waiting for a credit card reader on the oxygen masks; I always thought Ryanair would be first, but now I'm not so sure.
I'm waiting for a credit card reader on the oxygen masks; I always thought Ryanair would be first, but now I'm not so sure.
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,417
sometimes NO means NO. She said she couldn't comp it, he said she tried to fix it, and no she couldn't fix it. So now you want her to discuss with her crew what else she can do, even though she has ben trained on the system, and probably had this problem many times, as if we the PAX know more about operating it than she does.
I'm certain after the "cabin suggested she use her own card" she was completely over the outrageous suggestions being offered to her and repeated cry from customers to try some other method of fixing which her training has told her won't work anyway.
NO MEANS NO.
Somewhere in this forum, a FA has posted the picture of the FA controls for the system. Basically it's ON or OFF, no manner to go in and allow a particular station to reboot or comp. that's the limitation of the hardware on CO planes which does vary from other airlines, NOT of the FA.
Write to CO Customer care, they are the ONLY ONES who can accommodate this. The flight attendant herself should not be chosen to be you bank, unless she's the one you all paid your fares to initially.
NO MEANS NO.
I'm certain after the "cabin suggested she use her own card" she was completely over the outrageous suggestions being offered to her and repeated cry from customers to try some other method of fixing which her training has told her won't work anyway.
NO MEANS NO.
Somewhere in this forum, a FA has posted the picture of the FA controls for the system. Basically it's ON or OFF, no manner to go in and allow a particular station to reboot or comp. that's the limitation of the hardware on CO planes which does vary from other airlines, NOT of the FA.
Write to CO Customer care, they are the ONLY ONES who can accommodate this. The flight attendant herself should not be chosen to be you bank, unless she's the one you all paid your fares to initially.
NO MEANS NO.
Surely it's not too much to expect that in a service industry there should be a Plan B when things don't work to keep the customer engaged if not totally happy. I'm not the type who fishes for compensation ever so don't expect when something goes wrong I automatically get a windfall but wasn't seeing the FA or the crew even trying to find another way to ease the frustration of an ill-timed tech glitch. Just MHO and YMMV.
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
What's so stupid here (beyond the fact that F passengers should ever have to pay) is that other airlines have a way for FAs to activate the system on a per-passenger basis. I think it was Virgin America I flew with once and as a non-F passenger with a pre-paid entertainment option, the FA slid a credit-card-like object through the reader and activated the system for me.
Now there were two theories on why this is in the other thread if you find it -- one is that CO "dumbed down" the interface to restrict what the FA can do (this is my theory because it matches CO's tendencies to over-rely on automation and to tie the hands of its employees). The other theory was that CO's system is newer and more modern and as such has a more simple interface with just a few buttons -- ON, OFF, or FREE. The usual suspects came up with that one.
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,008
This is ridiculous! The DirecTV refund page is STILL NOT WORKING! I've tried 3 different browsers and two different computers - each and every time it hangs on the Number of Times Card Swiped box with a "please enter a number" error.
It's been almost 4 weeks - why isn't this fixed??
It's been almost 4 weeks - why isn't this fixed??
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
This is ridiculous! The DirecTV refund page is STILL NOT WORKING! I've tried 3 different browsers and two different computers - each and every time it hangs on the Number of Times Card Swiped box with a "please enter a number" error.
It's been almost 4 weeks - why isn't this fixed??
It's been almost 4 weeks - why isn't this fixed??
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
The airline runs great when everything's running smoothly. They've focused for years on optimizing their operation for the best case scenario that when thing go wrong they fall flat on their face. Service hiccups is not something they're good at handling.
#22
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
The technical difficulty is unfortunate.. but what's shocking is that the OP refused to pay $6 to watch the super bowl! I surely would have..and then dealt with it later.
#23
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Various tier levels of frequent flyer/hotel plans received for bellyaching about minor flaws in the service I received.
Posts: 610
Well if that's the case, it's a bad business decision on CO's part: high numbers of chargebacks result in an increase in processing fees from credit card processors.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
But it wouldn't be a chargeback. CC companies won't charge back $6. They have to investigate the claim before charging back in order to be fair to both the customer and the merchant. That costs them money, so most CC companies will just eat it if it's under ~$15 or so.
#25
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BUF/YYZ/LAS/LHR/ or waiting at EWR or CLE!
Programs: United 1K, CO Pres Club,AMEX Plat, Nexus
Posts: 74
#26
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 3,169
Its SIX dollars. anyone would have paid 5 times that in chips and beer to watch it at home.
The ONLY arguement should have been the tact of the FA.
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
I dunno, it's so common that FAs have the ability to change/reset settings that I can see how the reaction to the FA would be that she's incorrect or being lazy.
I agree that after some attempts with the FA, giving up and paying $6, then fighting later would have been prudent. But it's so difficult to believe that the FA can't do something for the F cabin, that I can see how a customer would think the FA is the problem, not the infrastructure (or lack thereof).
CO really set their staff up to fail here without giving them any tools or ability to reset seats or comp on an individual basis. Did they really think any system would work so flawlessly that they wouldn't need to empower the crew with a local override of some sort? Or is it that CO simply doesn't trust its employees to exercise reasonable judgment in these situations, they'd much rather disappoint their F customers and make them go through extra effort to get made whole?
#28
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Central NJ (Usually EWR but sometimes PHL)
Programs: UA-1K w/2MM & lifetime U-Club; Marriott-Lifetime Titanium; IHG-Diamond; National-Exec. Elite
Posts: 2,553
I remember seeing a post from a FA a while back about onboard crew controls for the DirecTV system. The only option they have is to comp the whole plane (which might not have been a bad idea during the superbowl) but I believe that has to be done from the cockpit and it's the captain's call.
The problem that was described sounds like a software/hardware glitch in the system itself that could only be fixed by comping the whole plane (or perhaps resetting the system which would have screwed the people in Y who had already paid).
I agree with channa that CO would do themselves a favor by having more onboard tools that allow them to react proactively to situations like this.
If this ship has this problem on other flights, then I certainly hope someone reports the problem so it can be repaired.
The problem that was described sounds like a software/hardware glitch in the system itself that could only be fixed by comping the whole plane (or perhaps resetting the system which would have screwed the people in Y who had already paid).
I agree with channa that CO would do themselves a favor by having more onboard tools that allow them to react proactively to situations like this.
If this ship has this problem on other flights, then I certainly hope someone reports the problem so it can be repaired.
#29
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: EWR
Programs: Cattle Class
Posts: 556
Reading some comments I feel, that some believe, that OP is the one to blame. Why should passenger pay and then go to co.com and request the payment back? CO is the one who should make sure, that service that is promised is delivered (free DTV in this case).
Statements, that FAs cannot do much is just an excuse. They could make it free for everyone if no other options were available.
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Francisco/Tel Aviv/YYZ
Programs: CO 1K-MM
Posts: 10,757
WEll, if it were me I'd dispute the whole ticket charge, not just the $6... since CO won't see that.. the issue has far more to do with CO's can't do culture than anything else.
They don't empower their people to rebook people, they don't empower them to comp drinks (in fact they make them enter in the cert #s for thsoe drinkie chits as if a 50c bottle of booze is a bottle of oxy..), they let them push FREE for the whole plane but they better be prepared to face the consequences of $quandering CO's money.
What would be the harm in giving the pursers a "credit card" that actuates a screen?
They don't empower their people to rebook people, they don't empower them to comp drinks (in fact they make them enter in the cert #s for thsoe drinkie chits as if a 50c bottle of booze is a bottle of oxy..), they let them push FREE for the whole plane but they better be prepared to face the consequences of $quandering CO's money.
What would be the harm in giving the pursers a "credit card" that actuates a screen?