GWU ESIA STUDENT

When it comes to DH's service I have found that their younger FAs tend to be excellent, the older ones are hit or miss. The gate agents in IAD tend to have very very poor English skills which can make it very hard to deal with them. (Before I get flamed for this I am bilingual and can understand two languages above the ones I speak.) However the supervisor level employees in IAD tend to be very good.

Ankebello

I was concerned with Independece Air shutting down for business when I saw this subject. Thankfully, it's still around to keep some good prices in place.

IADMCO

The question is how quickly they are spending their cash reserves...

GodOSpoons

Uh. What did you expect for a $58 RT ticket? That drives an airline to low wages and, thus, turnover. Learn to pack light, gate check or carry-on and kick back for a flight that now costs 1/4 of what it used to cost out of IAD.

Timothy

BigBeerBelly

And yet FLYI is still the third best domestic airline according to T&L magazine. Tell me why UAL did not get this award?

BBB

777lvr

It seems like Iair needs an employee overhaul. The customer service component is lacking tremendously.

paidemt

Last week I was on a flight out of GSO to MCO, with 7 other family members. The flight was cancelled due to a broken plane and our only option was to take a almost 2 hour van trip to Charlotte and eventually arrive at MCO 5 hours late. This meant the rental car counter would be closed and we would have to wait all night at the airport for a car. Throughout our entire bad experience the Indy Air employees were very helpful and happy to assist us. At IAD, the staff made sure several of our party made an earlier flight in order to make the rental car connection. Maybe some locations have poor employees but everyone we met at the 4 airports went the extra mile to help us. I have flown with the majors and had planes break also. It happens to everyone. This was my first flight on Indy and would still fly with them again.

seanp7

Well it's not surprising that these experiences are occuring at IAD - the airport sucks.

I flew BNA to IAD regularly for the first 6 months this year and the Independence Air staff in Nashville are EXCELLENT. Very professional, happy, fun-loving - it was refreshing to see.

It's a shame the Dulles staff are in disarray.

UAL_Rulez

UAL didn't get the "third best domestic airline" award because it isn't.
Link? What were the criteria? How could an all-CRJ regional carrier with no F, horrible ontime performance, etc. win any legitimate "best" of anything award.

vatraveler

You sound jealous.

spampurse

He has CRJ envy. Its not the size of your plane that matters, its how you fly them.

flygirl2004

Here is the link:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worl...rlinesdomestic

They point out themselves that for the FIRST time, a major has not made the list, so they are certainly eligible.

It is strictly a reader's poll, so having a CRJ fleet or any other "business" related facts or figures are not taken into account. The bottom line is that passengers love the product, and they have spoken up about it. One can obviously tell by the list that the six majors are not delivering what the flying public wants out of an airline.

vatraveler

I take it all back. Flights to/from GSO this weekend were excellent.

Experienced a hold on the tarmac Friday for about 45 minutes (typical IAD thunderstorms), but the pilot kept us updated and allowed everyone to get up and move around and use their cell phones. Flight attendant passed out bottled water.

Subsequent 37-minute flight included friendly service with:

choice of beverage (including very good Arizona green tea)
snack basket (Sun Chips, granola bar, or pretzels - offered to look for cookies in the galley if anyone wanted those instead)
hot towel (actually hot, too)
mints

On UA or US Express, you are lucky to get a beverage.

I really hope FLYi survives. Return flight yesterday was completely full as far as I could tell. First time on Independence (probably my 20th or so flight with them) that we've boarded by rows. Everyone seemed very pleased with the plane and the service.

SB_Travlr

Have to say, I've flown IA out of BDL a number of times, and have been favorably impressed by the friendly and competent staff there. For the prices we paid, no complaints.

Love that AZ green tea. First time we had it the FA announced he would be bringing it round, and it sounded as if he said "Arizona icecream tea" -- sure had us wondering what that might be!