US Airways a JOY to book with!
Dec 6, 2006, 8:03 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
Programs: BA bronze, Hertz pres circle, Marriott Platinum, hilton diamond
Posts: 2,537
US Airways a JOY to book with!
I have NEVER flown US or even tried to book something directly with them, but today, after approximately 3 hours of pulling my hair out over on UA dot bomb decided to have a little look, and I can say in comparrison, WOW!
The differences:
US lets me use a UK credit card when booking on its US site. UA won't, and when I try to price up the exact same flights on the UK site tries to charge me 4 times (no exaggeration $387 vs Ł650) more. This is a HUGE factor for me.
Live chat box, nice touch, didn't work with me though, but I didn't try again so I don't know how reliable it is. Which leads me to the next point: calling US, took me approximately 40 seconds to actually be speaking to someone, as opposed to yelling at stupid robot man with UA.
All in all I found the whole interface nice clear and simple. Well presented and laid out, with a view to making the whole ticket buying experience as painless as possible. ^
Whilst I'm sure that there are many gripes about it that someone looking for the first time won't encounter, just be thankfull that it isnt UA dot 'we dont want your business' dot bomb.
p.s. one question, a K class ticket is a higher class the W and V on US isnt it?
The differences:
US lets me use a UK credit card when booking on its US site. UA won't, and when I try to price up the exact same flights on the UK site tries to charge me 4 times (no exaggeration $387 vs Ł650) more. This is a HUGE factor for me.
Live chat box, nice touch, didn't work with me though, but I didn't try again so I don't know how reliable it is. Which leads me to the next point: calling US, took me approximately 40 seconds to actually be speaking to someone, as opposed to yelling at stupid robot man with UA.
All in all I found the whole interface nice clear and simple. Well presented and laid out, with a view to making the whole ticket buying experience as painless as possible. ^
Whilst I'm sure that there are many gripes about it that someone looking for the first time won't encounter, just be thankfull that it isnt UA dot 'we dont want your business' dot bomb.
p.s. one question, a K class ticket is a higher class the W and V on US isnt it?
Last edited by aceman; Dec 6, 2006 at 8:09 pm
Dec 6, 2006, 9:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PHL
Posts: 165
It's kind of unique to see someone who actually enjoyed using usairways.com, but everyone's experience is relative.
On the whole, I find it very usable, but there are definitely things about it which drive me crazy, OLCI for one...
On the whole, I find it very usable, but there are definitely things about it which drive me crazy, OLCI for one...
Dec 6, 2006, 9:20 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Southern California
Programs: US Airways,Hilton HHonors, Marriott, National
Posts: 1,341
I do think we forget that some other airlines have their issues too, of course the best site would be one that just works. Glad it did just that for the OP!
Dec 6, 2006, 9:22 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: So Fla & NYC
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA MM, BV LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 23,766
Nope. When K fares are available in a market, they appear to be promotional efforts to battle a Low Cost Carrier. You generally will not find them in most markets if no LCC is on the route.
Dec 7, 2006, 6:05 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: east coast
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 306
Not too often that this forum sees compliments on the new website 
I do agree with the OP, though, that United's website is a disaster when trying to do anything beyond a simple booking.
I do agree with the OP, though, that United's website is a disaster when trying to do anything beyond a simple booking.
Dec 7, 2006, 9:19 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ontario, CAN
Posts: 5,813
As a CDN trying to book departing Canada ... UA (new) and US are the WORST sites imaginable!!! UA Canada just kicks you out, US doesn't recognize provinces and rejects your credit card number! Two complete bumblef#cks!
Dec 7, 2006, 12:10 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: A menace to everything in the sky. Yes. Even birds.
Programs: Eh+ Rapid Rolleyes
Posts: 14,519
The OP hit on another fun customer service pet-peeve of mine: UA's "Mr. Robot Man". He actually works pretty well, unless you're in an area with a lot of background noise.
What kind of background noise you say? How about the customer service line in terminal A at IAD, with 300 other people all around you saying variations of cities and flight numbers.
I've actually found a pretty good hack to Mr. Robot Man that not only gets you to a US based res. center, but does it quickly!
I'm not going to post the actual hack on here as I don't want it to be abused. So, yes, I guess I'm just braggig. Sorry.
Good for the OP having a positive customer service experience with US. This just shows how much airlines need to invest in POS tools, like websites and customser service numbers. If US could capture every one of of .bomb's frustrated customers, they'd have a very successful business model.
What kind of background noise you say? How about the customer service line in terminal A at IAD, with 300 other people all around you saying variations of cities and flight numbers.
I've actually found a pretty good hack to Mr. Robot Man that not only gets you to a US based res. center, but does it quickly!
I'm not going to post the actual hack on here as I don't want it to be abused. So, yes, I guess I'm just braggig. Sorry.
Good for the OP having a positive customer service experience with US. This just shows how much airlines need to invest in POS tools, like websites and customser service numbers. If US could capture every one of of .bomb's frustrated customers, they'd have a very successful business model.
Dec 7, 2006, 1:02 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 27
Maybe I am just an easy customer that they can deal with (domestic US flights only) but I have never had any significant problems with usair.com.
Dec 7, 2006, 5:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Washington, DC (DCA)
Programs: UA, AA, AS, SPG.
Posts: 3,463
I'm not going to lie, before I read the OP I thought the title was sarcastic.
Dec 7, 2006, 6:23 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Liverpool, England
Posts: 1,080
I have NEVER flown US or even tried to book something directly with them, but today, after approximately 3 hours of pulling my hair out over on UA dot bomb decided to have a little look, and I can say in comparrison, WOW!
The differences:
US lets me use a UK credit card when booking on its US site. UA won't, and when I try to price up the exact same flights on the UK site tries to charge me 4 times (no exaggeration $387 vs Ł650) more. This is a HUGE factor for me.
Live chat box, nice touch, didn't work with me though, but I didn't try again so I don't know how reliable it is. Which leads me to the next point: calling US, took me approximately 40 seconds to actually be speaking to someone, as opposed to yelling at stupid robot man with UA.
All in all I found the whole interface nice clear and simple. Well presented and laid out, with a view to making the whole ticket buying experience as painless as possible. ^
Whilst I'm sure that there are many gripes about it that someone looking for the first time won't encounter, just be thankfull that it isnt UA dot 'we dont want your business' dot bomb.
p.s. one question, a K class ticket is a higher class the W and V on US isnt it?
The differences:
US lets me use a UK credit card when booking on its US site. UA won't, and when I try to price up the exact same flights on the UK site tries to charge me 4 times (no exaggeration $387 vs Ł650) more. This is a HUGE factor for me.
Live chat box, nice touch, didn't work with me though, but I didn't try again so I don't know how reliable it is. Which leads me to the next point: calling US, took me approximately 40 seconds to actually be speaking to someone, as opposed to yelling at stupid robot man with UA.
All in all I found the whole interface nice clear and simple. Well presented and laid out, with a view to making the whole ticket buying experience as painless as possible. ^
Whilst I'm sure that there are many gripes about it that someone looking for the first time won't encounter, just be thankfull that it isnt UA dot 'we dont want your business' dot bomb.
p.s. one question, a K class ticket is a higher class the W and V on US isnt it?
Dec 8, 2006, 2:40 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
...so I'm mousing around the website, looking for an award flight to LGW.
They've said you can do pay/upgrade on the website, bit there's no obvious way to do that.
Then I try to book all-miles Envoy, flexible dates, and the little calendar shows up. I click on a couple of dates, and the little thing says "65,000 miles" or even "40,000 miles". OK. So I click further and it tells me it's 120,000 miles. What? Seems to be no correlation between the two pages.
And just what is "First". Do they mean I get First Class on the domestic leg? Like I'd care about that!
Probably have to do it on the phone, just like the old days.
They've said you can do pay/upgrade on the website, bit there's no obvious way to do that.
Then I try to book all-miles Envoy, flexible dates, and the little calendar shows up. I click on a couple of dates, and the little thing says "65,000 miles" or even "40,000 miles". OK. So I click further and it tells me it's 120,000 miles. What? Seems to be no correlation between the two pages.
And just what is "First". Do they mean I get First Class on the domestic leg? Like I'd care about that!
Probably have to do it on the phone, just like the old days.
Dec 10, 2006, 11:37 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,004
Dec 10, 2006, 2:07 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 106
Wow! Don't ever compliment US! You will bring out the Philadelphia Boo-Birds!
Phildelphia sports fans were so bad that they actually booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game.
And they boo US every chance as well.
Bear in mind that US/HP is trying to be Southwest with some business class seats. Don't expect Continental or even United full service.
But, I admit, US does have the worst website of the major US carriers. Even the old America West site was better. How did that happen?
Phildelphia sports fans were so bad that they actually booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game.
And they boo US every chance as well.
Bear in mind that US/HP is trying to be Southwest with some business class seats. Don't expect Continental or even United full service.
But, I admit, US does have the worst website of the major US carriers. Even the old America West site was better. How did that happen?
Dec 10, 2006, 6:45 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Liverpool, England
Posts: 1,080
Wow! Don't ever compliment US! You will bring out the Philadelphia Boo-Birds!
Phildelphia sports fans were so bad that they actually booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game.
And they boo US every chance as well.
Bear in mind that US/HP is trying to be Southwest with some business class seats. Don't expect Continental or even United full service.
But, I admit, US does have the worst website of the major US carriers. Even the old America West site was better. How did that happen?
Phildelphia sports fans were so bad that they actually booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game.
And they boo US every chance as well.
Bear in mind that US/HP is trying to be Southwest with some business class seats. Don't expect Continental or even United full service.
But, I admit, US does have the worst website of the major US carriers. Even the old America West site was better. How did that happen?
Thank you for linking the actions of meat-headed sports fans with a measured discussion on the future of US Airways. Most helpful.