Mitigating the "Use it or Loose it"
Sep 15, 2002 | 8:46 am
#16
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 40,075
They're desperate and they have lost touch with the fact that they are competing with "lowfare" airlines and not with each other.
I say "lowfare" because those airlines aren't necessarily bad in service and one (AirTran) has a pleasent business class. All have reasonable policies, are profitable, and growing like weeds.
The railroads didn't understand they were competing with trucks and planes to move freight. The full service airlines don't seem to understand that they are killing themselves.
I say "lowfare" because those airlines aren't necessarily bad in service and one (AirTran) has a pleasent business class. All have reasonable policies, are profitable, and growing like weeds.
The railroads didn't understand they were competing with trucks and planes to move freight. The full service airlines don't seem to understand that they are killing themselves.
Sep 15, 2002 | 9:00 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,916
Last year my partner and I had expensive tickets LAX-TLV. They were something like $1800 (because one segment, CDG-TLV was in C). They were non-refundable, and because of the rising Middle East tension, my partner decided not to go.
I said to UA, "I understand this is non-refundable. I also understand that I can apply it toward another, higher fare. Seeing that the ticket is so expensive, would you be willing to offer incremental travel voouchers, minus whatever penalties."
United's initial answer was, "no."
But after speaking with Customer serivice a few times, a good samaritan offered the refund.
I was very pleased. UA went out of its way that time, because they saw reason in my request.
I said to UA, "I understand this is non-refundable. I also understand that I can apply it toward another, higher fare. Seeing that the ticket is so expensive, would you be willing to offer incremental travel voouchers, minus whatever penalties."
United's initial answer was, "no."
But after speaking with Customer serivice a few times, a good samaritan offered the refund.
I was very pleased. UA went out of its way that time, because they saw reason in my request.
