Customer Service Question/Advice? (US Airways)

[Shortline Bus]

Hey Guys. I know this could be in the airline thread but this is more of a customer service question/advice I could use.

 

 

I just returned to the NY area today (1/4/11)a day later than planned from visiting my family for the holidays in Southern Calif. My airline was US Airways. My flight was cancelled on Monday Night (1/2/11)in San Diego due to really bad overnight fog. We had just started boarding for the flight an 'red eye' for Philadelphia when our flight was cancelled. I was going to transfer in Philly (US airways 'east coast hub')for shuttle to LGA.

 

I was able to call the next morning on Tuesday and get a flight (they waived the $150 rebooking fee)to Phoenix then a transfer to a flight to JFK.

However my brother in law or sister could not drive me to the airport since they were busy with work or had other plans. Thus I had to pay a $40 taxi fare.

 

Not to mention i am 6-ft 5inches tall 220 pounds in a middle seat and my long legs being in the way of 2 people. There was no room even to switch to any other seat is our NY-bound flight was filled to capacity.

 

So Guys I am thinking of making a complaint to US Airways. Not so much for my safety but how they cancelled at the 'last minute' my flight when I and other passengers were already at the airport due to the fog.

Do i have any chance of getting some type of voucher for a future flight at least $100. Any advice is apperciated. Thanks

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I would say that it doesn't hurt to take it up with them. They may offer you a discount on your next flight or something.

 

On a side note, if you paid with a credit card, I would also check with them to see if they offer any credits. I have a Platinum AMEX card which offers an excellent program for Airline Fee costs incurred accidentally and I also have concierge service so I can get free food and such while traveling at no cost. It's all on AMEX. :cool: They sent me an e-mail a few days ago stating the following:

 

"Dear XXXXX,

 

To take advantage of the $200 Airline Fee Credit benefit on your Platinum Card®, you’ll need to enroll and select an airline. This benefit gives you up to $200 a year in statement credits for airline incidental fees such as checked baggage and in-flight food and beverage."

 

So in sum you never know. :tup: You reminded me that I have to enroll for this though, but that's very simple. I have until the end of the month to do so.

 

 

I wish I had this card years ago. I had a terrible experience when flying back to the States from Europe. I had a flight (Alitalia) leaving from Rome (Italy) for a connection (Lufthansa) in Frankfurt (Germany) and the flight in Rome was delayed due to mechanical failure. I was assured that the flight in Frankfurt would be held for me and the other passengers that needed the connection, but that was a lie. I complained to Lufthansa and was told that the flight I missed around 16:00 was the last flight of the day to New York. :mad: They said they couldn't hold the flight because it would delay it from making all of its other trips ontime to and from Europe and the States. B) I was stuck there overnight and then another lie was told... We were told we could get a hotel for the night and the airline would pay for it. Well some folks did that and were not reimbursed. Me, I had spent my last Euros in Rome, so I had no more money left on me and my mom was sending me a cab once I reached New York (JFK airport) to get home. To say I was annoyed is putting it mildly. I slept in the airport in Frankfurt overnight and the next morning after talking with some of the workers in the airport about being stranded overnight because of the mishap, they directed me to what was a little church or something inside the airport (I know strange... :eek:) and a nice old German lady there offered me some breakfast, fresh bread with marmalade and such and other goodies at no cost, which held me until my flight that morning w/Lufthansa. Had I had an AMEX card then, boy I would've so filed a complaint to be reimbursed for that hassle. :mad:

[MHV9218]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Shortline Bus]

Definitely complain, and if they're half decent they'll give you a voucher.

 

That a real shame right there, sounds awful. If it's me, I do what I always do, I write a scathing letter to the company's top dog and it almost always works. Probably an intern reading it, but if I ever get ripped off or cheated I write to the top and it works, so I'd recommend doing that.

 

I had a flight years ago where we sat for six hours on the runway until they finally cancelled the flight when the thing broke down on takeoff. It was horrible, completely horrible, but after complaining I got Delta to book me into a hotel for free (it was an extra night) and I got a $300 voucher, which was very significant. Always complain as high up as you can go!

 

 

Thanks for advice MHV and VG8:tup:. Hey it's only 50 cents to lose so i will send a old school postal letter to the 'top dog' at US airways and see what happens. I would be happy with at least some form of voucher which I think I deserve.

And I am not one of those customers that calls/emails transit services like the New York Greyhound or these discount airlines like US Airways, Jetblue and Southwest every day either.

 

Any other "Stories' of cancelled flights/delayed trips, etc.:eek:

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Thanks for advice MHV and VG8:tup:. Hey it's only 50 cents to lose so i will send a old school postal letter to the 'top dog' at US airways and see what happens. I would be happy with at least some form of voucher which I think I deserve.

And I am not one of those customers that calls/emails transit services like the New York Greyhound or these discount airlines like US Airways, Jetblue and Southwest every day either.

 

Any other "Stories' of cancelled flights/delayed trips, etc.:eek:

 

You could save the .50 cents and just write an e-mail...

[Shortline Bus]

You could save the .50 cents and just write an e-mail...

 

True. However based on my experience writing 1-2x a year to the (MTA)directly to the NYCT President or Chairmen office it more 'personal' and more likely to get a succeful reply from the company's 'top dog' offices. Not saying email is bad but when writing online for a complaint, the person replying is probably at best a middle level manager who less likely to give a voucher.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

True. However based on my experience writing 1-2x a year to the (MTA)directly to the NYCT President or Chairmen office it more 'personal' and more likely to get a succeful reply from the company's 'top dog' offices. Not saying email is bad but when writing online for a complaint, the person replying is probably at best a middle level manager who less likely to give a voucher.

 

There's some truth to that.

[Shortline Bus]

There's some truth to that.

 

If i was making a complaint on something else i.e rude flight attendant, bad tasting snacks(what food on airlines anymore lol/)etc. then email is the best bet here. For something like trying to get a voucher from that rough experience couple of days ago then IMO i am better off writing to the headquarters.

 

PS. I got the address for US airways in Phoenix but anyone know who the President/CEO or as MHV would say the TOP DOG?:confused:

[QM1to6Ave]

If i was making a complaint on something else i.e rude flight attendant, bad tasting snacks(what food on airlines anymore lol/)etc. then email is the best bet here. For something like trying to get a voucher from that rough experience couple of days ago then IMO i am better off writing to the headquarters.

 

PS. I got the address for US airways in Phoenix but anyone know who the President/CEO or as MHV would say the TOP DOG?:confused:

 

Companies really respond to complaints on twitter. It is the one use for that stupid site. I have heard of a lot of people that get the attention of airlines by complaining on twitter. If you have an account, I would say use that.

[Shortline Bus]

Companies really respond to complaints on twitter. It is the one use for that stupid site. I have heard of a lot of people that get the attention of airlines by complaining on twitter. If you have an account, I would say use that.

 

Thanks QM1. I just found the name of the CEO/President of US airways and will send his office a letter on the truly great expereince (not! B)) on my trip home the other day. Also I send a copy to their general office to see what happens.

[QM1to6Ave]

Good luck! I hope they do something for you, though I would not count on a full refund.

[Tokkemon]

I'm thoroughly confused as to what you need to complain about. There was fog that canceled your flight right? That's not the airline's fault. Are you complaining because you had to go back to the airport a second time to get on a separate flight back home? Wouldn't that be normal if a weather phenomenon like fog or snow cancels flights?

[Shortline Bus]

I'm thoroughly confused as to what you need to complain about. There was fog that canceled your flight right? That's not the airline's fault. Are you complaining because you had to go back to the airport a second time to get on a separate flight back home? Wouldn't that be normal if a weather phenomenon like fog or snow cancels flights?

 

Tokkemon I am more upset at the fact US airways cancelled when were on basically about to board on the plane to take off. Sure they did the right call if the pilot felt our safety was at risk. However they could have done a much better job.

 

There was a fog warning for that night throughtout the day in San Diego that was announced that afternoon. So IMO they could have called or email me before I arrived at the airport to cancel. Plus my family and I called before the flight and was told it was going to depart. That the point.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Yeah young man. B)

[Trainmaster5]

I've had USair jerk me around a few times while trying to fly from Fayetteville, NC to LGA. Once I had a ticket for a 2:20 pm flight from Fay. I arrived at the airport at 12:30 pm, returned my rental car, checked in, and was in the waiting area before 1 pm. At 2 pm the display said my flight would leave at 2:45 instead. At 2:30 the time was reposted to 3:20 pm. Finally at 3 pm a USair plane arrived and we angry passengers prepared to board. Unfortunately THIS plane was for passengers with tickets for the flight scheduled to leave Fayetteville an hour after mine so we had to wait for that plane to leave before we were allowed to board our (late) plane. We actually followed the other plane to Charlotte and disembarked at the adjacent gate. Naturally all of us missed our connecting flights while those people on our scheduled follower made theirs. Luckily for me a nice USair attendant heard about our problem and she gave me and another person a slip of paper with a name and address of some big shot at USair. I wrote to the person and 2 weeks later I got a reply with an apology AND a roundtrip voucher for my next flight to FAY. I think what got him was that I was extremely courteous in the letter and explained that my baggage got to Charlotte and LGA before I did and I wasn't happy being treated WORSE than my own luggage. Sometimes it helps to throw those zingers in the letter. My advice is to write customer service and see what happens. It can't hurt.

[theaveragejoe]

Rule is when you travel out of State/Province always travel with travel insurance that will cover you for these kinds of out of pocket expenses. Also if you have a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) check to see if its one of the travel cards with this kind of insurance on the card for no extra cost to you.

[BZGuy]

Tokkemon I am more upset at the fact US airways cancelled when were on basically about to board on the plane to take off. Sure they did the right call if the pilot felt our safety was at risk. However they could have done a much better job.

 

There was a fog warning for that night throughtout the day in San Diego that was announced that afternoon. So IMO they could have called or email me before I arrived at the airport to cancel. Plus my family and I called before the flight and was told it was going to depart. That the point.

 

I used be a Operations Agent for USAir at Bradley Intl (Windsor Locks,CT).

 

This is probably happened. Your flight probably had a captain who just upgraded to the left seat. They can't do zero-zero takeoffs until they have 150 hours of command time. It would have came up when the crew checked in. They might have tried to find another crew but at that time of night it's hard to find another crew for a red eye. It happens all the time with the SAN,SEA,PDX,SFO and SJC flights. It sucks and I would complain.....you never know you may get something good out of it.

[Shortline Bus]

Hey guys.

 

An update. I just got a phone call from someone in the President's office of US Airways. If you missed my story please read it at start of this thread.

 

Well I got back a $100 voucher towards the purchase of my next flight anywhere in the US valid for 1 full year. I was told normally US airways does not give credit for flights cancelled due to the weather. However i got the voucher since the airport crew in San Diego did a crappy job waiting until we had started to board the plane to inform the passengers.

 

I was hoping for at at least $200 for a free 1-way flight but at least I got something back.

 

Again to MHV, B-Z Guy, Averagejoe and trainmaster thanks for your advice in this matter.:tup:

[MHV9218]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters