WHY FLY AN AIRLINE YOU HATE???
 

I find some people on FT truly amazing. There are a very small, but very vocal number of FT's who seem to have an agenda against a certain airline. I have seen this with all the major Airline Forums, but most notably CO, NW,DL, UA and AA. My question is, if someone really dislikes an airline so much, why the HECK do they continue to fly them?? If you hate an airline, change to another one and quit the non-stop complaining. I feel FT is a great asset to the FF community. Using it as a forum to fulfill someone's personal vendetta against a particular airline seems like a waste of good computer space. IMHO http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Hell hath no fury like that of an elite frequent flyer in coach.

I am not real smart, but I can lift heavy things.

you raise a good point, but there are also people here who are true "road warriors" who have to get from one place to another and only one airline flies there. So it isn't entirely their choice to fly a particular airline - they are stuck with the airlines that fly where they need to go. AND so if the service or safety or whatever aren;t very good they are going to complain.

its the road warrior rule. "you have the right to complain"

I fly between New York and Washington a lot -- averaging maybe once a week. I use the Delta Shuttle because my primary employer has a very good contract fare. Starting from that core of business, it is natural to concentrate my flying on Delta.

But Delta has been disappointing me lately. Not so much since 9/11, but earlier. So I reduced my flying on Delta (to 154,000 base miles last year!) and started flying more on United, which treats me better.

Anyway, it would be going too far to say that I "hate" Delta; I'm just disappointed in their recent direction. I still have hope that they will reverse course, but that may be wishful thinking.

Bruce

Because you live in a city (or a country) where for quite a few destinations there is no other practical choice but to fly the airline you hate? YYZ-AC, MSP-NW, DTW-NW, CVG-DL, DEN-UA, etc, etc, etc...

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 01-03-2002).]

I don't hate US, which I fly most often, but even if I did hate them, I would probably still fly them a lot. I am in PHL, which means I can fly to about 5 or 6 destinations directly on AA, UA, DL, or NW. On the other hand, I can fly about 50-100 (don't know, never counted) destinations directly on US. So, I'd still be on their planes to get to a lot of these places. I imagine many others are in the same position.

Djlawman

And why should flyers (or any consumes) slink off to another supplier? Complaining to and about the one they want to use is the way to make improvements!

andrew

i think the essence of being a frequent flier is complaining. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Please do NOT get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with complaining. I have done my fair share since I have been on FT. In many cases, it is indeed the only way to start change. I am talking about the few people that never post anything unless it is very negative about a specific airline. They seem to have a personal crusade against the airline. They seem to literally hate a specific carrier. Those are the ones I don't understand.

If you cannot complain as an elite FF, why bother to get the elite status to begin with? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


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Hell hath no fury like that of an elite frequent flyer in coach.

I am not real smart, but I can lift heavy things.

[This message has been edited by Seth (edited 01-03-2002).]

great answer andrew. makes perfect sense to me. if people like us didn't complain, nothing would ever get fixed. and the fact that things do get changed makes it even more obvious that someone on the inside also saw the need!




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I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the rights of the people by the gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.

James Madison, 4th US president (1751-1836)

Sometimes its cheaper and easier to nag the "wife" rather than divorce her.

First guess: because you hate the other ones even more.

Second guess: because you resemble an immigrant east coast city family ("tough love" is the polite term, I believe).

Third guess: because you know there is a vast quantity of computer space -- venting is good for the soul.

Most of the true Delta-haters have in fact left, and only come back occasionally to taunt those of us who are still addicted. A few of us are in the early throes of Aviation Anonymous and are very vocal about the damage of our addictions. The rest are still trying to finagle a few hundred extra bonus miles here and there. Don't know so much about the other airlines....

Bruce, I like your term: "disappointed". That describes a lot of us.

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"Service" should be a noun, not a verb.
Delta Flyers' Guide

On the rare occasion that I have had something to complain about worth more than just casual griping I have taken my complaint directly to the airline's Customer Relations office and supplied them with a link to their specific forum at FlyerTalk. I've done this twice with UA.

There are some valuable customers posting here. In United's case, lots of Premier Execs and 1Ks. Not all of these posts are negative either. Most importantly, it's a great site for an airline to monitor to get a pulse on its most frequent flyers.

As for those that seem to have a vendetta, I've always felt that a valid complaint will stand on its own merit, even if it comes from one with "a vendetta". In any event, I often get more out of other poster's responses to the vendetta holder anyway, especially if their complaint is groundless, so I say let 'em post!

Besides, complaining on FT can have a real impact.

Over in the AA forum, there are multiple documented incidents where a complaint listed on FT led to action by the airline.

I'm turning the words around...
Why not fly the airline you love?
I think back to 1999 with tears in my eyes to the wonderful flights that I enjoyed on Legend Airlines out of DAL. I remember,
a. Thinking that the flight attendant was making a joke when she asked me if I wanted the lobster tail or the pasta,
b. Running out of the terminal, up the the sixth floor of the parking garage, driving my car down to floor one, and running inside (perhaps 10 minutes later) only to see a security person carrying my suitcase off to the locker area. Everyone had already got their bags and they thought I'd forgotton to collect my suitcase.
c. The internet connections in the waiting area,

Legend please come back. I miss you.

You have a good point, Seth. I tried that with a DL poster (not Lex Passenger), and I just gave up. This person is going to continue flying DL and ASA and post absolutely nothing but negative opinions. Fine. Vent indefinitely if that makes you feel better. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Here's my answer. The company is making me. I have no choice. AA is no longer on the approved list, and every flight reminds why I dislike UA so much. I have to suck it up if I want to stay employed.

Those who do nothing but complain here on FT (or alternatively in real life) quickly gain a reputation for being whiners and will ultimately not get much respect.  People will judge for themselves.

FewMiles..

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Well let's see. IF you are from DTW or DFW then you will have very limited choices if you don't fly AA or NW.

Seth:
the answer is simple:
I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE GOING NON-STOP.
I still have to go to work, though.

I asked in a letter to AA to come in and introduce competition to this market. that will get UA to put some more thought in their operations and pricing here. AA answered, thank you, "we are always evaluating new markets".
I had a discussion on the subjext with my Congressman. Being on the House transportation committee, he is at least aware of my concerns. (His pet peeve is NWA).

Seth....

Come over to the Air Canada board and read some of the posts there.

We are a very upset bunch and a few of us...myself included, are probably switching allegiances next year. I for one am very close to going to UAL...but am waiting to see what theirs and AC's 2002 FF program will be like before I move.

If we have a choice....we will take it. I truly feel sorry for those who do not.

Me complain about the airline I fly,......Naaahhh. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Come on - we all know that the only good airline is one that we don't have to fly; or that we only fly internationally, in first class, with no luggage.

Why live in a city you don't like?
Why work at a job you don't like?

Sometimes you have to do things you dont like. Sometimes you are lucky enough to be able to change them.

The less time a person spends on an airplane, the less he has to deal with the good and the bad of the airlines.

If I had my choice, PI for all my flights!

Because they're the only ones who serve your particular market. Not everyone lives in places like Chicago or LA or DC where you've got a hell of a lot of choices. If UAL pisses me off, I can just go with USAirways here, but if you're in Detroit, you don't have that choice.

Love and hate are pretty close to each other... I love my airline BA but am pretty good in complaining about them http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Sure you do. All major carriers fly into DTW. One may have to make a connection, but it may be worth it to some people.



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Hell hath no fury like that of an elite frequent flyer in coach.

I am not real smart, but I can lift heavy things.

Agreed Seth...there are alternatives if one wants to go out of the way. If I hated my airline that much...I WOULD go out of my way not to fly them. After all...that is what this thread is all about...hating your airline. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I thought this was what the thread was about - not hating airlines, but rather complaining about them to such an extent that, like the boy who'd cried wolf, the complaints lost their validity due to the perceived "vendetta" on the part of the poster.

We all know who those people are who seem to have a vendetta, and take most of their complaints with a grain of salt. I usually follow that with a beer chaser!

A valid complaint, or compliment for that matter, will stand (or fall) on it's own merit regardless of who presented it.

Very, Very well put Seat 2A. I could not have said it better myself!



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Hell hath no fury like that of an elite frequent flyer in coach.

I am not real smart, but I can lift heavy things.

To complain is good - it gets things out into the open. Now on having an agenda vs an airline - well - get a life.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Seth:
My question is, if someone really dislikes an airline so much, why the HECK do they continue to fly them??

And in the same vein, if one adds the phrase "ugh" when stating where he's from, why doesn't he move?

Sharing an experience here is useful because doing so achieves the objective of this bulletin board.

But incessantly assailing an airline rather than writing to and working directly with the airline to resolve the matter is just plain dumb.

Constructive criticism is a positive, not a negative. What many refer to as complaining, I do not. We are merely suggesting ways to improve the airlines that we fly.

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Of course constructive criticism is useful and even some whining can also be positive for change, but I do not believe that is whom Seth is referring to as such. I believe, and he for sure can correct me, that whom he refers to are those who feel this board is something other than a forum for the community of the board for maximizing our miles and our flying experience. Many of the above suggestions for properly posting and getting a resolution will never be read by those whom Seth is referring to.
As a few examples: (and in no way are the below meant to represent an individual - so if you see yourself please believe that it was purely unintentional and ignore)
• I/we were delayed for weather/deicing/mechanical or etc. etc. and this is the most outrageous event in over 10 years of elite flying with that airline that I have ever experienced in my life.
For sure you are in the right bulletin board and everyone here believes everything written by anyone and do not get excited when others find it hard to comprehend you are telling the truth
• I spend 10/25/100 k per year on this airline and they do not provide the service that xx/yy or zz do!
Well do not get excited when someone points out to you that your answer is in your complaint.
• What is the point of collecting miles on this airline when you can never get an award to where you want. I tried to get a free tix to hnl for next week and all of the next month and none were available.....
And what is the point of FT providing a FAQ and a search feature so that you can find out all of the best about redeeming that has already been posting.
• etc., etc., etc.

Now of course I may be the most gullible of all since as I approach the end of my second full year (the terrible twos) and begin my third. I have always believed from the beginning and still do that Randy provided this bulletin board for the maximizing of miles and that the majority of the community responded with also the maximizing of the flight experience along with the miles.
Yes, sometimes the complaints become overwhelming and it is hard to see why I ever left those other boards where the complaints are the norm but ultimately and for sure kudos to all those oldtimerz (ones without dates after registered) who came before me for laying the foundation down because like a plane in rough turbulence we always seem to get through it.

Final thought [This message has been edited by magic111 (edited 01-05-2002).]

I agree with Seth, Seat2A, & Magic. There is a difference between constructive, tangible, criticism vs. vendetta, whining, or just yelling 'THEY SUCK! THEY SUCK!' over & over.
Also, IF I hated an airline so badly, I would let it stick its nonstop(s) where the sun don't shine & choose to enjoy quality service on 2 flights of another airline. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
Has anyone here done so??

hmmm, well i HATE United, and i therefore NEVER fly them. how's that? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The only time I fly my hated Airline is on less than 7 days notice, Yes I have been guilty of complaining in Posts.

I dislike DL due to their LUser upgrade policies however I have voted with my butt (moving it over to a CO F/C seat).

If you are in a captive market, you may not know that conditions can be better. Peoples complaints are based on differences, once you get past the emotions you can lobby for change with the airline or move your business elsewhere . . . .

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"A Southwest line never gets longer, It only gets wider"