Rebelyell

I would like to send the following letter to USAir. Any suggestions on who to mail it to so that it might actually be read? Also, any suggestions for additional information, or other editing changes that should be made?

Thank you!

Dear USAirways:

I recently took advantage of a fare sale to travel from St. Louis to Belize City. We had a great time, and are grateful to you for the opportunity to make this trip at a reduced price. I have a complaint about one employee. I am not asking for compensation of any kind. I just want you to be aware of this situation.

Date: July 2, 2005
Flight: 1198, Belize City to Charlotte, departing 1:35p.m., arriving 6:47 p.m.

I was on the July 2, 2005 flight from Belize City to Charlotte. I couldn�t find any place in the airport to exchange Belize money for American money, so I bought a $100 bottle of Scotch at the duty free store. When I boarded I placed my purchase in the overhead bin and talked to a steward who was stationed in the back of the plane. We laughed about my purchase and talked about Belize in general. He was based out of Pittsburg, and was a very affable fellow.

After landing, we were among the last to get off the plane, as we were sitting on the next-to-last row (row 20). We went down the escalator towards customs when I realized I had left my bottle of $100 scotch on the plane. I ran up the down escalator and back to the plane, where the entire flight crew was coming up the ramp. I explained my problem, and was urged to hurry before the door was shut. Then the pilot (or perhaps co-pilot or navigator; I really don�t know the difference, so I�ll call him the pilot) suggested that he join me.

On our arrival at the plane, we were greeted by the Wicked Witch of the West, a 40-something, overweight flight attendant who informed us that the plane was a secure area and that we couldn�t some aboard. I understand that. She then told us she would look for the package, and I gave her my row number.

This woman acted as if I was forcing her to give up her life savings by requiring her to walk to the back of the plane. She returned to tell me there was nothing there. The pilot then turned to me and said, �Where exactly were you sitting? Sometimes it�s easy to forget seat numbers.� I explained that our row was one row in front of the back row of seats, and Wicked Witch stomped back to check again. She again returned, stomp-stomp-stomp, to inform me that there were no bags on the plane.

By this time I was a bit irritated, and I politely inquired about what the process was to file a police report. Wicked Witch told me to just go to the baggage claim area and perhaps I would see someone carrying my bottle of scotch. I made it clear that I would be filing a police report.

As I walked up the gangway the entire flight crew was standing there to see if I had found my package. The steward from Pittsburg literally looked stunned when I told him that she said the bottle wasn�t on the plane. After all, he had seen me put it there!

About this time, Wicked Witch called up the gangway, asking what color bag my purchase was in. I told her I had no idea, and was yelled at for not knowing what color bag my stuff was in. Quote: �How can you not know what color bag it is?� (I did not answer, but I don�t know what color any shopping bag is. It just holds my stuff.)

Wicked Witch then handed my a bag, telling me that it was above row 15. The pilot walked out with me, and told me in jest, �I think you just got spanked!� I laughed, as did the other crew members. But it was a nervous laugh by all, and I think the flight crew was embarrassed to see a customer treated in such a fashion.

A stewardess, who had been in the front of the plane, approached me a few minutes later, just before we went through customs, and said, �I am sooooo sorry! I�m embarrassed that she would treat a customer like that. If it makes you feel any better, she was really mean to me, too.�

There are two points that I would make in conclusion. First, it seems to me that you have an employee who is not happy in her work. She is abusive not only to customers, but to other employees. This woman needs her freedom!

Second, I find it interesting that my $100 bottle of scotch appeared only after I said I would be filing a police report. There are certain inferences which can be drawn here; surely I don�t have to put it on a soda cracker and feed it to you.

Many times, customer complaints are hard to verify. In this case, the incident was witnessed by the entire flight crew. They all seemed appalled. I ask that you investigate this incident, and act accordingly.

As I said before, I seek no compensation. I only wish your airline well. Because of geography, USAir isn�t my first or second choice of airlines, but overall you do a fine job, and I look forward to flying your airline again.

ClueByFour

I'd remove the part about the soda cracker, and perhaps change steward and stewardess to "flight attendant." Other than that, I see no problem with it.

I also find it curious that the bottle showed after you mentioned a police report. I also wonder what type of employee has the stones to question a pilot on an aircraft, but that's tangental (at best) to your letter.

Rebelyell

The pilot was very nice. He seemed very reluctant to challenge this woman, but she was not willing to refuse his request. When he asked me to describe where I was sitting, he was essentially telling her to look again, without saying so. I am very grateful for his help -- had he not been along, I'm sure I would be scotch-less!

KitKat

I'd remove the Wicked Witch of the West comment and replace it with something else, it doesn't sound good to make a complaint abut being treated rudely and then act in the same manner, though I absolutely understand your intent with calling her that. Something more diplomatic is in order when you're wanting to be taken seriously.

Added- I reread through again and noticed you dropped the h in Pittsburgh.

marcelin

I think you should also drop the "40-something, overweight" remark, or say that your only reason for including it is to identify the employee.

deelmakur

Save your brreath. Firstly, they won't do anything. Secondly, since you got your booze, they really won't do anything A couple of years ago, at New Haven, CT, I was in a rush to make an Express flight to Philly. After I got to PHL, I could not find a rather expensive gold pen that had been an Anniversary gift, and which I had put in my hand luggage so it wouldn't set off the screening device. I was able to get the phone number of the New Haven airport, and managed to get the TSA supervisor. I had a brief conversation, also mentioning intending to make a police report. The next day, I got a message to call the USAirways supervisor at New Haven, not TSA. She informed me they had "found" the missing pen on the floor of the aircraft, when it made a return trip to New Haven. Only one problem. It was a Saturday, and on that day of the week, the aircraft did not return, because there was no late flight. She offered to keep it for me, but I said "no thanks", gave her my FedEx account number, and had it sent. I was so annoyed by the event (as well, nobody ever offered to cover the shipping cost), that I called consumer affairs, if for no other reason, than to discusss the bizarre experience.They listened politely, then, after determining I got the pen back, basically sggested I drop the whole thing. Good luck.

EnvoyBoy

First, I'd tone down the letter, as noted by others. Stick to the facts and be professional. Personal attacks and name-calling will only lose you credibility. That said, send the letter.

I had a nice conversation with DeborahThompson at Roachfest about writing letters about employees. Basically, she said that nice letters were great for morale and employee/supervisor relationships but, due to union rules, if the employee is junior enough to be furloughed, then they will be, no matter how many wonderful letters in their file. Union rules are union rules.

Negative letters, however, can help in removing a really, really poor employee, as seems your case. As a matter of fact, such letters help the Airline in negotiations with the union when trying to get such people to retire early or otherwise move along, no matter what the vehicle.

No matter the outcome, your letter is filed with the supervisor and a copy goes to the FA. You can at least take some comfort in knowing that the FA will see your letter and will know they've been called on their poor behavior. If she was smart, she should be expecting this. Anyone willing to file a police report would certainly be willing to contact Consumer Affairs.

Finally (how did this get so long?), write and don't call. Then the actual letter is on file and no one can question what you actually said to an agent when you called, and it relieves any chance of misreading what was implied or inferred.

FAs go largely unsupervised and the only way for the airline to know about the stars as well as the deadwood is for us to tell them.

ibrandsguest

Save your time and just fly another airline from now on. Let your wallet speak for you.

EnvoyBoy

If you switch airlines everytime some employee provides poor service, you're going to end up with membership in a dozen loyalty programs, none of which will have enough miles to get you beyond the borders of mainland United States. With thousands of employees, one cannot realistically expect consistent and high quality service, no matter what the industry. Certainly sounds like the OP ran into enough great employees to keep his business.

That said, still write the letter. If you are going to let your wallet speak for you, your righteous indignation becomes lost if nobody knows why you took your business elsewhere. Give your wallet voice. <personification/off>

Rebelyell

I will follow the advice and tone things down a bit.

And yes, execpt for this one employee, I thought the airline employees did a great job. For example, while I was just outside of the baggage claim area in St. Louis (another leg), a stewardess came up to me and asked if my son had left his gameboy on the plane (he hadn't). I went around to some of the other parents and told them a gameboy had been found, and just as we were leaving an announcement was made over the PA system, and a family rushed upstairs to get their child's toy.

It was as if this one employee was going out of her way to be mean and unhelpful, and I feel I am doing the airline a favor by letting them know.