US Airways Customer Relations
Nov 10, 2009, 1:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 103
US Airways Customer Relations
Is there a phone number to call for recourse on a cancelled flight, or is email the only solution ? We tried the email route and are unhappy with the response. Who can we call now ?
Nov 10, 2009, 1:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
For me, if the first response via email doesn't rectify the situation from my view, I respond to that email. Usually the second response is sufficient.
Someone else may chime in with a number to call. Also, if you don't mind sharing details of your canceled flight and what the initial customer service response was, we may be able to provide more guidance of what you can expect, what you should receive, etc.
Someone else may chime in with a number to call. Also, if you don't mind sharing details of your canceled flight and what the initial customer service response was, we may be able to provide more guidance of what you can expect, what you should receive, etc.
Nov 10, 2009, 1:53 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PWM, BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat+++
Posts: 850
You also need to tell us what you ask for in compensation and what you got. US Airways will not usually reimburse cash. They may compensate you in a voucher or miles, but not cash. If you want to try for cash, then you would need to send them an actual letter with receipts - and that may not even do it. Address is on website.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Nov 10, 2009, 2:32 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 103
Thank you for all your responses. Here's what happened -
My husband was scheduled to fly out of lga to roa. Flight was cancelled (due to maintenance) shortly after boarding. He was rerouted to gso, rented a car and drove 3 hours to catch his meeting. Out of pocket 170 on car rental.
His ticket was not cheap 457 each way. We've thought about flying him to gso on several occasions since the airfare is usually 235 but opted out given the drive.
Wrote a complaint via website, response was 175 in travel voucher to cover rental car. Tried to call customer relations, but got answer that there is no longer a call center for customer relations.
At a minimum, the out of pocket car rental should be reimbursed along with the difference in fare.
Suggestions ?
My husband was scheduled to fly out of lga to roa. Flight was cancelled (due to maintenance) shortly after boarding. He was rerouted to gso, rented a car and drove 3 hours to catch his meeting. Out of pocket 170 on car rental.
His ticket was not cheap 457 each way. We've thought about flying him to gso on several occasions since the airfare is usually 235 but opted out given the drive.
Wrote a complaint via website, response was 175 in travel voucher to cover rental car. Tried to call customer relations, but got answer that there is no longer a call center for customer relations.
At a minimum, the out of pocket car rental should be reimbursed along with the difference in fare.
Suggestions ?
Nov 10, 2009, 2:58 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Their initial response would have been to rebook him on the next LGA>ROA flight. Since that wasnt acceptable to him, he decided to have them reroute them into GSO instead. It sounds like your husband agreed to the USAirways reaccomodation.
In this case, I don't think US owes any reimbursement, and honestly, the $175 in travel voucher is more than adequate.
If he was worried about the rental car reimbursement, why didnt he ask for said compensation at the time of rebooking? Why wait and complain after the fact.
And sorry, i'm not trying to be argumentative here. Just feel that people demand compensation that is not deserved way too often. The Contract of Carriage details exactly when compensation is deserved. This is above and beyond the CoC.
In this case, I don't think US owes any reimbursement, and honestly, the $175 in travel voucher is more than adequate.
If he was worried about the rental car reimbursement, why didnt he ask for said compensation at the time of rebooking? Why wait and complain after the fact.
And sorry, i'm not trying to be argumentative here. Just feel that people demand compensation that is not deserved way too often. The Contract of Carriage details exactly when compensation is deserved. This is above and beyond the CoC.
Nov 10, 2009, 3:06 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 103
He could not get on another LGA-ROA itinerary, all booked up already. The only option was GSO and he did ask for compensation before getting on the plane. They kept telling him to ask when he got there. When he got to GSO, they told him that his only recourse was the web complaint form.
I'm wondering if he pocketed his LGA-ROA ticket and booked a new ticket LGA-GSO would he have gotten a reimbursement for the difference ? Couldn't someone have explained that to him at the time ? If the fare to GSO was greater by a factor of two, I'm sure someone would have asked him to pay the difference! I think asking a reimbursement for the difference is simply fair.
I'm wondering if he pocketed his LGA-ROA ticket and booked a new ticket LGA-GSO would he have gotten a reimbursement for the difference ? Couldn't someone have explained that to him at the time ? If the fare to GSO was greater by a factor of two, I'm sure someone would have asked him to pay the difference! I think asking a reimbursement for the difference is simply fair.
Nov 10, 2009, 3:36 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
He could not get on another LGA-ROA itinerary, all booked up already. The only option was GSO and he did ask for compensation before getting on the plane. They kept telling him to ask when he got there. When he got to GSO, they told him that his only recourse was the web complaint form.
I'm wondering if he pocketed his LGA-ROA ticket and booked a new ticket LGA-GSO would he have gotten a reimbursement for the difference ? Couldn't someone have explained that to him at the time ? If the fare to GSO was greater by a factor of two, I'm sure someone would have asked him to pay the difference! I think asking a reimbursement for the difference is simply fair.
I'm wondering if he pocketed his LGA-ROA ticket and booked a new ticket LGA-GSO would he have gotten a reimbursement for the difference ? Couldn't someone have explained that to him at the time ? If the fare to GSO was greater by a factor of two, I'm sure someone would have asked him to pay the difference! I think asking a reimbursement for the difference is simply fair.
The point is US was only responsible for either getting your husband to ROA at some point, albeit late, possibly with some voucher and/or bonus miles due to the MX cancellation, or to cancel and refund the ticket if it was indeed MX. Instead he was offered a routing to GSO which he accepted, and later got a voucher to make up for the car rental. The most I would ask for now is courtesy bonus miles.
I agree that cancelled flights are frustrating. I agree that the miscommunication / passing the buck of where to go for compensation by US employees at LGA and GSO is wrong. I too would prefer reimbursement for the car rental instead of a future travel voucher. However I don't think you'll have any success in getting that and at a minimum you'd need to write a letter and send in itemized receipts.
Nov 10, 2009, 3:52 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 1,304
I disagree with those who suggest that a future travel voucher is sufficient compensation for being misled by agents of the airline. If they misled him to believe that US would arrange for ground transportation in GSO, and he accepted a routing to GSO in reliance on this, then I think they owe cash over the barrel to cover the rental car. And I'm fairly confident that a small claims court would agree. I don't think that he would be owed the difference in fare, however, because as I understand your recitation, he did accept the idea that he would be routed to GSO and ground transport would be arranged, he simply didn't know that he was going to have to pay for it.
I would respond with another email to refuse the future travel voucher and demand a reimbursement. If the email gets nowhere, ask that someone call you to discuss.
If they want to add a travel voucher on top of the reimbursement to make up for lost good will, that's their decision, but IMO they owe you cash.
Nov 10, 2009, 4:54 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 103
There are a few things that really bother me about the experience.
The gate agents were not helpful in explaining various options and ramifications to taking the GSO flight. They were deceitful in telling my husband that reimbursement for a rental car would not be an issue. They preyed on the fact that he had to make the flight and had limited options.
US's impersonal approach to customer service and their website only recourse for complaints.
A future travel voucher is not reimbursement for out of pocket car rental expense due to their canceling a flight.
In short, flights get canceled and agents make mistakes, but it's at that point that customer relations has the opportunity to come up big. They can choose at that point to maintain or lose a customer with a fair and sometimes good will gesture.
My experience has been that other airlines do not act with the same indifference. The entire thing leaves me wanting to avoid US in the future.
The gate agents were not helpful in explaining various options and ramifications to taking the GSO flight. They were deceitful in telling my husband that reimbursement for a rental car would not be an issue. They preyed on the fact that he had to make the flight and had limited options.
US's impersonal approach to customer service and their website only recourse for complaints.
A future travel voucher is not reimbursement for out of pocket car rental expense due to their canceling a flight.
In short, flights get canceled and agents make mistakes, but it's at that point that customer relations has the opportunity to come up big. They can choose at that point to maintain or lose a customer with a fair and sometimes good will gesture.
My experience has been that other airlines do not act with the same indifference. The entire thing leaves me wanting to avoid US in the future.
Last edited by whitedoor; Nov 10, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Nov 10, 2009, 6:03 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
There are a few things that really bother me about the experience.
The gate agents were not helpful in explaining various options and ramifications to taking the GSO flight. They were deceitful in telling my husband that reimbursement for a rental car would not be an issue. They preyed on the fact that he had to make the flight and had limited options.
US's impersonal approach to customer service and their website only recourse for complaints.
A future travel voucher is not reimbursement for out of pocket car rental expense due to their canceling a flight.
In short, flights get canceled and agents make mistakes, but it's at that point that customer relations has the opportunity to come up big. They can choose at that point to maintain or lose a customer with a fair and sometimes good will gesture.
My experience has been that other airlines do not act with the same indifference. The entire thing leaves me wanting to avoid US in the future.
The gate agents were not helpful in explaining various options and ramifications to taking the GSO flight. They were deceitful in telling my husband that reimbursement for a rental car would not be an issue. They preyed on the fact that he had to make the flight and had limited options.
US's impersonal approach to customer service and their website only recourse for complaints.
A future travel voucher is not reimbursement for out of pocket car rental expense due to their canceling a flight.
In short, flights get canceled and agents make mistakes, but it's at that point that customer relations has the opportunity to come up big. They can choose at that point to maintain or lose a customer with a fair and sometimes good will gesture.
My experience has been that other airlines do not act with the same indifference. The entire thing leaves me wanting to avoid US in the future.
Beth
Nov 10, 2009, 6:09 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: On the Road
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles, Southwest Rapid Rewards
Posts: 486
US Airways
You should detail your complaint to the address below and provide 14 days for reimbursement prior to filing in Small Claims Court. If an airport agent promised ground transportation, then they must provide it physically or reimburse for such. Provide dates/times/names of employees (if known).
Stephen L. Johnson
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
US Airways, Inc.
111 W. Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281
Stephen L. Johnson
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
US Airways, Inc.
111 W. Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281
Nov 11, 2009, 9:53 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
This is crazy. Compensation, Small Claims Court, General Counsel, being mis-led by US Gate Agents??
Where in the OP's message did it say that the airline promised Ground Transportation at GSO?
He voluntarily took a different flight after his original was cancelled.
Where in the OP's message did it say that the airline promised Ground Transportation at GSO?
He voluntarily took a different flight after his original was cancelled.
Nov 11, 2009, 1:54 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
Here is where the OP says it,
I do believe that the customer should be compensated for the rental car since he could not be re-accommodated to ROA in time for his meeting and because the cancellation was mechanical.
And the voucher seems fair for the inconvenience of having to drive two hours in a rental car to his final destination.
He could not get on another LGA-ROA itinerary, all booked up already. The only option was GSO and he did ask for compensation before getting on the plane. They kept telling him to ask when he got there. When he got to GSO, they told him that his only recourse was the web complaint form.
And the voucher seems fair for the inconvenience of having to drive two hours in a rental car to his final destination.