Tales from the Phone Reservations Line
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,057
Tales from the Phone Reservations Line
I am not exaggerating...this is almost word for word the call I just had trying to change a simple ticket a few weeks out from now. I called 1-800-428-4322. The language barrier seemed to get in the way too. You decide....
me: "I'd like to change flight 249 on xxx"
them: "yes...you'd like to change flight 247?"
me: "No, flight 249. on xxx"
them: "When would you like to travel?"
me: "I would like flight 233 on the same date"
them; "hold one moment please"
tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.... .tick....tock.....tick....tock.....
them "yes, flight 233?"
me: "yes. at 430pm"
them: "ok. flight 233 at 1130am?"
"NO. F-L-I-G-H-T 233 at FOUR THIRTY P-M"
them "one moment please"
tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.... .tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock... ..tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.. ...
them "thank you for calling USAirways. How may I help you?"
me: "Um....are you the one that was helping me change a flight?"
them: "oh, yes. flight 233 at 1130am?"
me: "NO...430pm."
them: "Yes, that's fine. Credit card number please"
me: "this is fare doesn't have any change fees"
them: "yes, but there is a $5 phone booking fee"
me: "but I have no way to change this WITHOUT calling you"
them "Yes sir. You can change it online"
me: "No, I can't. The booking wasn't made online"
them: "hold please"
tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.... .tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock... ..tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.. ...tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock. ....
them: "hello, that will be $5"
me: "you know what - please just leave it as is"
them: "ok. sank you fo cawling yousayer"
me: "I'd like to change flight 249 on xxx"
them: "yes...you'd like to change flight 247?"
me: "No, flight 249. on xxx"
them: "When would you like to travel?"
me: "I would like flight 233 on the same date"
them; "hold one moment please"
tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.... .tick....tock.....tick....tock.....
them "yes, flight 233?"
me: "yes. at 430pm"
them: "ok. flight 233 at 1130am?"
"NO. F-L-I-G-H-T 233 at FOUR THIRTY P-M"
them "one moment please"
tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.... .tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock... ..tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.. ...
them "thank you for calling USAirways. How may I help you?"
me: "Um....are you the one that was helping me change a flight?"
them: "oh, yes. flight 233 at 1130am?"
me: "NO...430pm."
them: "Yes, that's fine. Credit card number please"
me: "this is fare doesn't have any change fees"
them: "yes, but there is a $5 phone booking fee"
me: "but I have no way to change this WITHOUT calling you"
them "Yes sir. You can change it online"
me: "No, I can't. The booking wasn't made online"
them: "hold please"
tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.... .tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock... ..tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock.. ...tick....tock.....tick....tock.....tick....tock. ....
them: "hello, that will be $5"
me: "you know what - please just leave it as is"
them: "ok. sank you fo cawling yousayer"
#2
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: The First State, USA - Bonvoy Gold, Honors Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, IHG Gold - FWIW
Posts: 922
If the website behaves (I know that's a big IF), you should be able to make the ticket change online even though you didn't book it online. All you need is the 037- ticket number, or the credit card used for the booking, and it will pull up your reservation so that you can make the change to the segment you need.
See http://www.usairways.com/customers/t...etexchange.htm for info.
I've done it and it's worked. And from the sounds of it, the hassles of dealing with the finicky website might be better than dealing with outsourced Res.
See http://www.usairways.com/customers/t...etexchange.htm for info.
I've done it and it's worked. And from the sounds of it, the hassles of dealing with the finicky website might be better than dealing with outsourced Res.
Last edited by Arrzee; Sep 21, 2005 at 12:27 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,057
Thanks for that tip - I went to the link and was able to pull up the reservation and the system STILL wants a $5 fee!?!@ But it was a lot easier and quicker than calling them. I'd like the ability to exchange for a paid upgrade to F, as I"m on a full fare and F isn't that much more $$. Don't see a way of doing that, though.
#4
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: DL DM, United 1K, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by PHL
Thanks for that tip - I went to the link and was able to pull up the reservation and the system STILL wants a $5 fee!?!@ But it was a lot easier and quicker than calling them. I'd like the ability to exchange for a paid upgrade to F, as I"m on a full fare and F isn't that much more $$. Don't see a way of doing that, though.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,861
Originally Posted by Arrzee
If the website behaves (I know that's a big IF), you should be able to make the ticket change online even though you didn't book it online. All you need is the 037- ticket number, or the credit card used for the booking, and it will pull up your reservation so that you can make the change to the segment you need.
See http://www.usairways.com/customers/t...etexchange.htm for info.
I've done it and it's worked. And from the sounds of it, the hassles of dealing with the finicky website might be better than dealing with outsourced Res.
See http://www.usairways.com/customers/t...etexchange.htm for info.
I've done it and it's worked. And from the sounds of it, the hassles of dealing with the finicky website might be better than dealing with outsourced Res.
#6
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Chappaqua, NY Where's my Bubbly?
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; AA EXP
Posts: 894
I just got off the phone with US Reservations - ditto the experience above. It was extremely difficult to communicate with them - and language was not the only issue. I had to repeat my flight number and time about four times before they were able to find my reservation.
Then I called the CP line - and got a wonderful agent with no language or competency issues!
Where are US phone calls handled?
Then I called the CP line - and got a wonderful agent with no language or competency issues!
Where are US phone calls handled?
#7
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: ...way out in the weeds
Posts: 97
I recently had an experienced that mirrors what PHL and others have described. I was trying to change my dates of travel and tranfer the 20,000 miles I used to upgrade to the new travel dates - it was a nightmare to say the least. I spoke to, and I'm not kidding, 6 agents before I demanded to be transferred to a supervisor.
Last edited by SQ59; Sep 23, 2005 at 1:30 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 72
As an America West employee my advice is to call the America West reservation line starting 9/27 when the merger is official. Although if you have a customer related problem with an existing reservation call the regular USairways number, if booking a new reservation call America West res. number. America West does not outsource its reservation offices (PHX, RNO). Apparently my understand CEO Doug Parker does not like outsourcing. THey are looking into whether to continue operating overseas or not as my understanding US is getting a lot of complaints regarding the customer service from their outsource workforce. THe res. number for AWA is 1-800-235-9292
#11
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: PHX
Programs: HP/US
Posts: 250
Originally Posted by skyfly
As an America West employee my advice is to call the America West reservation line starting 9/27 when the merger is official. Although if you have a customer related problem with an existing reservation call the regular USairways number, if booking a new reservation call America West res. number. America West does not outsource its reservation offices (PHX, RNO). Apparently my understand CEO Doug Parker does not like outsourcing. THey are looking into whether to continue operating overseas or not as my understanding US is getting a lot of complaints regarding the customer service from their outsource workforce. THe res. number for AWA is 1-800-235-9292
In regards to MAKING a NEW reservation, absolutely HP can take care of that...if the flight you want has been loaded into the HP system. This is going to be a 7 week process as we merge. The HP agent could sell the itin as an interline ticket and since we can e-ticket all US flights now, we can issue the ticket once the flights come back confirmed.
To follow up on another question, US reservation centers are in Winston-Salem, Manila, San Salvador, Mexico City, Miami (I have also heard Ft Lauderdale) and Liverpool England. HP centers are in Phoenix and Reno.
Hope that helps.
#12
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: From: PWM
Programs: United GS, Fairmont Platinum,SPG LTPlat, Hilton Diamond, MarriottGold..like the rest of the world
Posts: 4,401
thanks for the laff
PHL --
Sorry you had such a runaround on the US res line. However, I have to tell you that reading your tale was one of the funniest things I've come across in a long time. So much so, that I forwarded it on to several of my road warrior pals who would appreciate it.
For those of us who travel far too often, this sort of nightmare tale rings true. Fortunately, at least for now, the elite lines don't have these issues.
Better luck next time.
Sorry you had such a runaround on the US res line. However, I have to tell you that reading your tale was one of the funniest things I've come across in a long time. So much so, that I forwarded it on to several of my road warrior pals who would appreciate it.
For those of us who travel far too often, this sort of nightmare tale rings true. Fortunately, at least for now, the elite lines don't have these issues.
Better luck next time.
#14
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU
Programs: TSA/INS/FBI Platinum (stopped last 12 of 13 int'l returns - the computer broke once)
Posts: 2,638
I had that conversation with an AAgent the other day, but in the other direction. I called the general line to redeem some AA miles with no status and got some great people on the phone -- based not 10 miles down the street here near RDU. When we finished making my very odd reservation to a city US doesn't fly to anymore, we talked about the difficulty in dealing with outsourced reservations and how I appreciated that I could understand her and we got the issue addressed quickly and efficiently.
She pointed out (quite correctly, as demonstrated here) that it doesn't save any money to outsource if the new people answering the phones can't take care of the customers at least as well as the original US-based agents. I told her I didn't have any problem paying the $15 per ticket fee to get these award seats since they'd found things that weren't available on the website and were so useful in trying other routings and partner airlines, even trying to get the other department to free seats when we were able to get all of the legs except one. (It took only two tries to get the flights I wanted, one call for the outbound and one call to adjust the return to a better day.)
Just one of those notes for people who just look at the direct dollar value of outsourcing, and not the extended impact to the customers and ultimately the bottom line.
She pointed out (quite correctly, as demonstrated here) that it doesn't save any money to outsource if the new people answering the phones can't take care of the customers at least as well as the original US-based agents. I told her I didn't have any problem paying the $15 per ticket fee to get these award seats since they'd found things that weren't available on the website and were so useful in trying other routings and partner airlines, even trying to get the other department to free seats when we were able to get all of the legs except one. (It took only two tries to get the flights I wanted, one call for the outbound and one call to adjust the return to a better day.)
Just one of those notes for people who just look at the direct dollar value of outsourcing, and not the extended impact to the customers and ultimately the bottom line.
#15
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: PHX
Programs: HP/US
Posts: 250
Originally Posted by StSebastian
I had that conversation with an AAgent the other day, but in the other direction. I called the general line to redeem some AA miles with no status and got some great people on the phone -- based not 10 miles down the street here near RDU. When we finished making my very odd reservation to a city US doesn't fly to anymore, we talked about the difficulty in dealing with outsourced reservations and how I appreciated that I could understand her and we got the issue addressed quickly and efficiently.
She pointed out (quite correctly, as demonstrated here) that it doesn't save any money to outsource if the new people answering the phones can't take care of the customers at least as well as the original US-based agents. I told her I didn't have any problem paying the $15 per ticket fee to get these award seats since they'd found things that weren't available on the website and were so useful in trying other routings and partner airlines, even trying to get the other department to free seats when we were able to get all of the legs except one. (It took only two tries to get the flights I wanted, one call for the outbound and one call to adjust the return to a better day.)
Just one of those notes for people who just look at the direct dollar value of outsourcing, and not the extended impact to the customers and ultimately the bottom line.
She pointed out (quite correctly, as demonstrated here) that it doesn't save any money to outsource if the new people answering the phones can't take care of the customers at least as well as the original US-based agents. I told her I didn't have any problem paying the $15 per ticket fee to get these award seats since they'd found things that weren't available on the website and were so useful in trying other routings and partner airlines, even trying to get the other department to free seats when we were able to get all of the legs except one. (It took only two tries to get the flights I wanted, one call for the outbound and one call to adjust the return to a better day.)
Just one of those notes for people who just look at the direct dollar value of outsourcing, and not the extended impact to the customers and ultimately the bottom line.