Fliers Getting Silence From Airlines Turn to Twitter
 

Have you angry Tweeted at an airline?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel...itter/4368629/

No, not personally - although I do keep tabs on my twitter account on the go.

It's also going to Facebook as shown by many upset, angry & unhappy JetBlue customers trying unsuccessfully to get thru to the company's telephone lines and/or online websites - which apparently were not up for the challenges. It's like giving top-tiered or elite flyers access to "private" members-only telephone #'s to call, leaving the majority in the "polar vortex"

It's fine if your smartphone and/or tablet have WiFi or mobile data access and it's not running low on battery - some of the bigger screen devices are known to run out in less than a day with usage.

For the occassional, infrequent & casual non-seasoned travelers, that's not a viable option to them. Going to Twitter and/or FB, etc. is not a substitute for basic customer services, like opening up additional telephone lines and having them answered instead of putting everyone on hold & dropping calls like flies while transferring ...

Arrrh, I forget it is all about the "squeaky wheels" or is it ?

I have on two occasions.

1) At BWI, there were zero ticketing/check-in US Airways agents working the preferred line and only one other US Airways employee checking in bags for a line of 50+. I waited in line with a few other elites for at least 15mins till we got service.

2) Being denied access to the Lufthansa business lounge in Munich last weekend because apparently my US Airways Chairman card was nothing more than a baggage tag. Also the lady did not believe my status as a *A gold applied there. I was embarrassed in front of the line behind me. Angrily tweeted US Airways, Star Alliance, and Lufthansa a big ... for the disrespect I received.

I have been using @DeltaAssist since about last year. In the beginning, the representatives were very good and could often help with issues that would take too long over the phone or things that arose while in-flight. Their service has declined significantly, though - the last three times I have contacted them, they have either been unable to help with a relatively simple request, or the response took long enough that the issue was solved through another means.

I have tweeted to United and Marriott and gotten responses from both. Once I tweeted to UA when I saw a passenger miss his connection on the last flight out of Houston to MIA because a gate agent closed the doors early. He was connecting on a delayed United flight and made it to get the gate like 15 before it was scheduled to depart. He was pretty livid. My understanding was they didn't close until 10 minutes before departure time.

I tweeted @AmericanAir a while back when I had a flight on a Friday and my doctor told me on that Monday not to fly or i'd put myself at risk. They graciously waived the change fee.

Pretty much 90% of my twitter usage is used to communicate either problems or compliments to various companies and that includes airlines. Coming to think of it, when it comes to tweets relating to airlines they're mostly of the positive kind.

Not to go too OT, but your understanding is incorrect - UA requires you to be at the gate 15 minutes prior to departure (though pre-merger, it was 10). That's the point where they are able to offload/give away the seat.

Now not giving a little leeway for those late arriving pax from connecting flights, particularly when its the last flight of the night, that's a different debate.

Thanks for the correction. I'll remember that if I'm ever in the same situation as that guy. I didn't talk to him and I'm a little foggy on the details since it was a few months ago. He may have been there 10 or 15 minutes I'm not sure. I'm sure he got a free night's stay in Houston and a load of award miles for his trouble. :D

Had an issue with an over-charge post-checkout at a hotel. No response to two emails. Tweeted the hotel and "corporate" and within 15 minutes everything was resolved very satisfactorily.