1. 83 Responses to “An open letter to Doug Parker CEO US Airways”

2. By David Cushman on Mar 16, 2007

   Nice one Alan – have you sent him a link?

3. By Dimitar Vesselinov on Mar 17, 2007

   Alan, I see a big business opportunity: rent a suit/dress all over the world!

4. By Alan moore on Mar 18, 2007

   Thanks Vlad

   That made me smile “-)

5. By Kirsti Thomas on Mar 22, 2007

   Nice letter. I was in a similar situation recently. Found out that US Airways has the worst loss-rate of any major carrier and that their Philly operation’s loss rate is 4 times that of the airline’s as a whole. I put up a website with my story (and info on US Air’s track record) at http://www.usairwayslostmycostume.com

6. By Alan moore on Mar 22, 2007

   Thanks Kirsti for stopping by

   I have read your story with great interest. Your research is comprehensive.

   I wish I could say “I am glad I am not the only one,” but the truth is that would be truly ironic.

   Alan Moore

7. By Charlene Sperduto on Mar 22, 2007

   Alan,

   I commend you for speaking up about this issue. USAirways expects it’s customers to follow there rules and regulations to be on time, amount of luggage to carry on, limited bev/food service flights, etc.

   What about our rules and regulations we ( customer ) expect the Airlines to follow?

   I would love to make a civil law suit against this company and heed warning to other airlines for such bad treatment and disrespect to it’s customer. Any thoughts?

   My experience with USAirways was similiar to yours, however, it’s been 12 days now and I still do not have my luggage since March 11, 2007. I traveled from Erie, Pa to St. Maarten on March 02, 2007 Via Philadelphia. Philly delayed our flight from landing and we missed our 9:30 a.m connection to SXM by 20 minutes. Now we had to incure a hotel fee since USAirways could not get us to our final destination until the next morning!. We had no luggage that evening also. I felt sorry for the passenger’s around me the following day. Once we arrived in SXM, come to find out our luggage made it on the flight the day before without it’s passengers!!! Is this a NEW standard of Home Land Security???

   On the return flights from SXM to Phl, onto ERI was Horrific. USAirways systems were down and we stood in line to check in for 4 hours, then we had handwritten boarding passes and luggage tickets to make our flight to Phl. This Aircraft of USAirways flight 1309 had NO IDEA who it’s passenger’s were, nor any type of seating assignments. If there was a tragedy, No Passenger’s families could have been called, nor would any of us be identified as confirmed passengers on this flight. Another Home Land Security standard???
   Since the flight was 2 hours late, and trying to get through Customs in PHL was USAirways Encore!
   No Luggage was sent from SXM. We continued to try and make our flight to Erie. We had 20 minutes to connect, and USAirways systems were down and could not print a boarding pass. They told us to try to just go through customs without one!!!! And continued to explain USAirways doesn’t care about its customer’s and neither did she!! ( Usairways employee ). I was flabbergasted.. Once we tried to get through customs, that wasn’t going to happen without a boarding pass. Customs sent us to an EXIT door outside of PHL terminal without checking our carry on luggage to boot??? ( That Home Land Sec. thing again!!) to catch an employee bus to our F Terminal to catch our plane. Once we got to our F terminal the USAirways counter still couldn’t print us a boarding pass and said we had to stay another night in PHL and fly to Erie the Next Day!!! Miss one day vacation on 03/02/07, then miss a day of work on 03/12/07..NO WAY. They were of no help for vouchers, ground transportation, or a cup of Java!! I requested a flight to Buffalo, NY to get within 1 hour of my residence, and asked for them to pay a one way rental for me to get me home by 2:30 a.m. They wrote up a ground transportaion voucher, but did not include any denomination amount and the rental car agency would not accept this!! How convenient for USAirways AGAIN! We incured another fee that night to get home.

   Now it’s been 12 days and no luggage. Numerous calls to the Central Baggage Claim area, and Online tracking daily. I am still faxing my request for vouchers, baggage, and compensation daily, but no responses!! Not even a email to confirm they received my email or fax.

   I just got a call from a Freight Co. in Montreal, Canada and said they have no idea why they have my luggage in CARGO?? Asked for assistance from me, and have a USAirways rep. to give the ok to mail my luggage to me!. My local Airport has done this for me, only to tell me the luggage had to go through Phl again to be routed to ERIE. I went last night to claim my baggage. GUESS What??? STILL no luggage!

   I’m Livid. I would love to call USAIRWAYS on this one legally. I just don’t know if it’s worth it.

   Maybe more people will read this and make it known that it’s unacceptable to be taken advantage of by the Airlines.

   When I pay for my ticket I expect the flight to be safe, within a respectable time, and my luggage to stay in Passenger Baggage area. If I wanted to pay for CARGO I would…

   Thanks for letting me vent, and maybe something good will come of this??? Probably traveling on another airline!!

   Charlene Sperduto
   Erie PA.

8. By Tomi T Ahonen on Mar 22, 2007

   Hi Charlene and Kirsti

   First, what a horrible experience for you Charlene. Secondly, thank you for posting on it, we need to hear this, US Airways needs to hear this. And Kirsti, a very good initiative to track the bad news. You are in reality offering a service not only to travellers but also to US Airways itself.

   Onto specifically Charlene your long comment. My immediate feelings are utter shock and disbelief; how is it possible that today – in America of all places, the birthplace of marketing – can a major national airline be so anti-customer.

   I think there is perhaps even bigger lessons here. I think some companies are simply not suited for modern market competition in the 21st century. If this kind of behaviour is consistent, forms a pattern, then the company really does not deserve to continue to operate. They do deserve to lose customer loyalty, get bad word-of-mouth as ever more occasions like these are discussed online, and then to go out of business.

   I have not yet gone to Kirsti’s site (am today in Slovenia and only briefly online now at the hotel before our evening happening, where I am of course one of the honoured guests ha-ha) but my gut feeling is that this is a really bad apple that somehow has managed to survive a bit too long. If that is the attitude of the “customer service” at US Airways, then really things are systematically bad.

   Yes, something needs to be done. But the first step in fixing any problem, is acknowledging that there is a problem. And perhaps more noise needs to be made about US Airways.

   Charlene and Kirsti – I’ll write to both of you also offline. Thank you for posting.

   PS Alan – I’m with you of course on this, and I feel for you. Its not all sunshine and martinis in the globetrotting author-consultant biz, right? We need to enjoy the good trips, to then have the mental strength to get through the occasional bad trips…

   Tomi Ahonen

9. By Kirsti Thomas on Mar 23, 2007

   On the seredipitous side of things, I’m an academic librarian at an institution with a business school (although what US university doesn’t have one, eh?). I was intrigued by the premise of your book, and will let our business librarian know about it. Here’s to engaging with your community. Cheers!

10. By Alan moore on Mar 23, 2007

    Dear Kirsti,

    All purchases welcome! Maybe we could drop by and sign it for you?

11. By Edward L Torchia on Mar 23, 2007

    Details from two very unhappy travelers and Flight # US 1838
    March 20th, 2007

    I am writing this because I am so angry that I would not be able to talk to a person in your company without becoming emotionally frustrated and I am afraid that I would not be able to explain how screwed up your entire Orlando based organization handled our problems that were created by your team in Orlando. Before I begin, let me make myself perfectly clear, we did not have a weather related problem on March 17th, 2007.
    Our story, which I would gladly send to the newspapers, begins when we entered the U.S. Airways baggage line at 2:00 PM to catch Flight # US 1838, set to fly at 5:45 PM. These tickets were purchased at 10:10 AM on 12/20/06 Confirmation # FMA0RU.
    What follows is the chronological order of events to demonstrate several points of failure within your organization:

    1. On March 17th we attempted to call your customer service line at 10:00 AM to confirm our flight scheduled to leave that evening, we were unable to confirm since your customer service option on your 800 line would turn to busy, this happened not less than six times, I have the record of these attempts on my cell phone.
    2. Celeste Boehm, one of the two unhappy travelers, went into the Orlando airport at 1:00 and asked a U. S Airways representative if our flight was going to take off since we had heard about the problems that your company was experiencing. She was advised that the plane was on schedule.
    3. We dropped of the rental vehicle and preceded to join the outside baggage line, at that point was well over 500 people, still not a problem since we arrived in enough time for our flight.
    4. When we finally got to the baggage claim person, we were advised that flight # US 1838 had been cancelled some time ago? And that U.S. Airways no longer had that flight, he advised us he would go into the terminal and let us know what to do. The next thing that happened was that he came out with instructions to call your #800 customer service line to get advice to what our next steps should be, we advised him this was totally unacceptable and he told us we may have to wait until Wednesday the 21st of March to fly back to Pittsburgh.
    5. We then went into the terminal to discuss this matter with someone in a supervisory capacity to help us, one of your agents directed us to talk with ?Audrea? we were told that she may be able to help us. After a lengthy discussion (over 1 hour) and several different options were discussed, it was determined that no alternative plan of action could be taken, even when we asked if other airlines were available that traveled to Pittsburgh from Orlando (We were lied to and told no other option existed) I am categorizing this as the FIRST LIE.
    6. Audrea advised us that U.S. Airways & Air Tran were the only Airlines that flew directly to Pittsburgh. She said that U.S. Airways would be willing to give us a check for $200.00 to rent a car and drive back to Pittsburgh. She further stated that she knew it would only cost us $185.00 to rent the car. I am categorizing this as the SECOND LIE. I checked on the pricing with National Car Rental , they priced it out as $251.00 plus taxes and insurance.
    7. After a long walk from Terminal A back to Terminal B, I confronted Audrea and asked to speak with her manager, she referenced me to Julie Gordon, who told me that she is the highest ranked Manager at U.S. Airways in Orlando, I am not sure if this is another lie, I will tell you if this is an example of your best and brightest, you have got more problems than I care to think about! She would not let me finish a sentence without interrupting me she would not listen to the problems I had encountered since I got there, nor would she offer any resolutions.
    8. After attempting several times to at least get her name, I decided that I would be better served by walking away, my associate, Celeste Boehm decided to try and see if she could do any better, was able to get her to agree with giving us 2 rooms for the evening at the Clarion (Flea Bitten Hotel) near the Terminal and also she gave us a U.S. Airways voucher for $10.00 a piece to eat at a restaurant of our choice as long as it was within the Orlando Airport. I do not know how $10.00 was arrived at but I dare anyone to find a dinner that would only cost you $10.00 WITHIN THE AIRPORT, another sad case of a CEO who has never walked a mile in a traveler?s footsteps!!!!
    9. At 11:30 PM that night at the Clarion I telephoned your wonderful customer service phone # and was told by an automated voice that I may experience a 20 minute wait time, which turned out to be a 7 hour, 37 minute, 46 second wait time. I finally hung up around 8:00 AM. ANOTHER LIE, 3rd by my count!!!
    10. After making arrangements to fly back to Pittsburgh, through the wonderful SOUTWEST AIRLINES for Monday the 19th, we had to go back to your miserable counter and get another Hotel Voucher and food vouchers, I will say if you had one bright spot in this entire mess it was an associate named ?Brandi Edmunds?, she was a big help, however, I must tell you that Steve Glim, another supervisor who I had the pleasure of meeting that day is about the rudest individual I have seen for some time, when he was addressing a young guy who was also experiencing some of that wonderful, ?CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT PHILOSOPHY? at U.S. Airways, he advised him that at least he got moved to the front of the line to which the young person advised him that ?YOU CREATED THE LINE?. How terrible that your company would have someone in a Managerial Situation deal with real live in person customers. You really need some customer sensitive training in Orlando, not my problem, YOURS!!!!

    Anyway, let me get to my point, I need refunded for Flight # 1838 from Orlando to Pittsburgh on March 17th, I have two tickets that are $195.80 a piece, I had to charge $202.00 a piece to get a flight back on Monday the 19th via Southwest Airlines. So I am looking for Credit on my credit card for $391.60.
    I want you to know that I am an Executive Vice President and COO of Denovus Corporation and when I bill my clients, we bill $440.00 an hour, so you can imagine how upset I was that two of the top ranking individuals in this company had a possibility of not getting back to work until possibly Wednesday the 21st.
    In closing, let me tell you that I will be glad to forward this on to any publication I can think of along with that I can e-mail this document to at a minimum, Fox News, CNN, CBS, NBC or any other news station that would probably love to hear a horror story about the way people (other human beings) are treated when a company such as yours chooses to treat YOUR CUSTOMERS!!! Check my mileage account, I know I am not one of your biggest customers, you were however, the only one that I was choosing to do my traveling, until now!!!
    Yours truly,
    Edward L Torchia
    PS. I have never been so angry that I would actually take the time to write something like this, but, now that I have I would be more than happy to forward this document to ANYONE!!!!!

12. By Alan moore on Mar 23, 2007

    Dear Edward. You add to the sad litany of how a business is failing in the modern world. Thanks for posting

13. By Nancy Mangione on Mar 27, 2007

    Confirmation EEVLWR date issued 12/11/2006 for travel March 22, 2007 and returning March 26, 2007
    I booked this flight to Bermuda for my family
    NancyL Mangione
    GaryL Dennis
    GaryJRL Dennis
    EmilyM Dennis
    ShelbyL Dennis
    to attend my sisters wedding in Bermuda, we arrived at Reagan Airport in Washington DC at 5:45 a.m. for the 7:40 departure, I did the web check in and had no problems we boarded and the problems began we had to wait on the Tarmac for 2 hours, we were scheduled to land in Philadelphia at 8:31 our connecting flight out of Philadelphia flight 1131 was scheduled to depart at 9:40. While waiting on the Tarmac at Reagan airport we were informed by the steward or captain over the PA that there was an ice storm in Philadelphia that was the reason for the delay, no other information forthcoming. We arrived in Philadelphia, where we were told by the US Airways rep that they were holding the connecting flight 1131 to Bermuda we proceeded to run from the C terminal to the A terminal to find that the flight had left 10 minutes prior and the US Airways counter representative told us he could not help us he was closing and “he had somewhere else to be” and we would have to go all the way back to the A terminal ticket counter to reticket us. We arrived at the main ticketing counter in Terminal A where there was 1 US Air ticket representative working and approximately 35 people in front of us, When 2 other representatives finally opened their desks to assist they were very rude to the passengers in front of us, if 2 people were traveling together they would only let 1 go to the counter. When we were finally assisted around 1:30-2:00 p.m. we were told there was not another flight until Friday March 23, 2007 morning at 9:40. No apologies and 2 $5.00 meal tickets for 5 people, because they could not provide us lodging at the Marriott we could not even use those. So not only did I have $750.00 in charges for the resort in Bermuda, that we were unable to use on Thursday night, there is a non refundable deposit for cancellations within 21 days of arrival, I had to pay an additional 139.00 for a room at the Philadelphia Marriott plus taxes and extra cost associated with feeding my kids, husband and myself in addition we were told by the shuttle driver to the Marriott that there had been no storm at all it was sunny and 55-60 degrees. THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. My children and I could not understand why we were lied to by the captain/steward on the flight about the ice and then lied to by the rep that the connecting plane was waiting for us. On Friday March 23, 2007 we arrived at the Philadelphia airport for our 9:40 flight to Bermuda we boarded, an lo and behold we were delayed again on the Tarmac, this time it had to do something with the weight distribution of the luggage in the plane this delay was over 2 Hours, so now we have lost at least a day and a half of our long weekend in Bermuda, due to US Airways. As I was sitting on the Tarmac and waiting to take off for Bermuda I read the March 2007 US Airways magazine. There was a article written by Doug Parker Chairman and CEO of US Airways on page 12 the next to the last paragraph in that article stated that we might have noticed improvements with Philadelphia, I again looked at the date March 2007 and I was sitting in Philadelphia on both Mrch 22 and 23 and did not notice any improvements with service, customer service or increase in people to assist you.
    As I stated at the beginning this weekend was to spend with my sister and to witness her wedding all in all from everyone attending her wedding there were 14 of us on this flight my group contained 5. My mother on Sunday was bumped off the flight returning from Bermuda and she was treated much better in Bermuda she was upgraded to first class, given a night stay at Grotta Bay and 2 free round trip tickets for herself to anywhere in North or Latin America to use at anytime. I had a family of 5 and was offered nothing in Philadelphia. I think if I was Mr. Doug Parker I would retract his article about the service in Philadelphia. Clearly he has not traveled through Philadelphia lately.
    It will be nice to hear if US Airways is truly committed to customer service and satisfaction for my family’s loss of time and considerable amount of money on what was to be a true family extended weekend in paradise that was cut short by a 1/3 because of the lack of service and honesty provided by US Airways representatives flight personnel and customer service agents in Philadelphia. I also sent this email to US Airways complaints on March 27th I will update if I ever get a response at 9:54 a.m here is the confirmation from that:

    “Thank you for contacting Customer Relations
    This will acknowledge receipt of your correspondence to the Customer Relations Department. Please be assured your comments and concerns are very important to us, and we are working diligently to provide a personal and professional response to every email we receive. However, our current response time is higher than we would like. We would ask for your patience and understanding. Please know that we will respond as quickly as possible.
    Again, if your question or comment is about an upcoming trip, an unused ticket, or your Dividend Miles account, please call our Reservations Department at 1-800-428-4322. If your correspondence is regarding delayed, lost or damaged baggage, please select the link to our Central Baggage Resolution Office for information on how to contact that department directly.
    Thank you. We appreciate your business.”

14. By a us airways worker on Mar 30, 2007

    Bitch bitch bitch , do you think the guy stadning at the counter behind taco bell cares when you bitch at him? well neither do we , and in some cases the guy at taco bell is making MORE money than we are , because we are so low paid we dont have time for your prbblems , we have our own , like how are we going to pay our rent etc …

15. By Art from FFOCUS on Mar 30, 2007

    All,

    I am the co chair of FFOCUS (Frequent Fliers Organized and Committed to US Airways Success), a customer advocacy group organized to communicate with US Airways on behalf of its high level frequent fliers. We have recently expanded our member base by 30% or more, based on the incidents similar to those described here.

    I was in Tempe, AZ this week, meeting with senior US management, and relayed other stories similar to those here. While they were apologetic and provided meager explanations for what has happened over the past few weeks, I know this unto itself won’t fix the problem.

    With your permission I would like to share this link with my contact in the executive office of US–if nothing else it might increase awareness of an already ugly problem.

    Feel free to email me at the address indicated herein if you have questions or more comments.

    We are a customer advocacy group–there is power in numbers–

    Thanks
    Art

16. By P. Silveira on Mar 30, 2007

    March 30, 2007

    Attempted fraudlent charges by US Air?
    You decide. Passenger purchased round ticket (SFO – MAD). Return date was rescheduled. US Air quoted a charge of $712.00 for this change. I agreed to paying the $712.00. The charges were described as $200.00 penalty and $512.00 fare increase). My daughter checks in, her boarding pass is printed. The agent made a handwritten change on the seating assignment from E to A. She boards the plane, confusion in seating as another passenger also has the same seat assignment. Then an agent tells her she needs to get off the plane as she has not paid for her ticket. She informs him yes, indeed she has…..he tells her she owes $500.00, she is escorted off plane. In process her $400.00 IPOD disappears. They inform her only the penalty fee was charged and she needs to pay the $500.00. (Of course she is hysterically crying as I am on cell phone trying to direct her actions) They request credit card from her. Transacation was not approved, so they allow her to verbally give them my card information. Upon further research, my daughters card company informed her US AIR tried to charge $1600.00 plus. I called my card company and US Air has placed two requests on my card, the first for $200.00, the second for $663.00. Is this true grounds for IIED or not? After 45 minuites of being on hold, the very frustrated agent in customer service ask me what I wanted them to do. My response was reparation for their actions, and a public apology for the public humiliation that was inflicted upon my daughter. Just a little side note, upon her checking in she was offered $400 Euros to reschedule her flight. Any direction from customer base would be greatly appreciated.

    P. Silveira
    California

17. By Phill Hirst on Mar 30, 2007

    This is a copy of an email I sent to US Airways, Still no reply or luck,
    They have practicaly broken all their own rules as stated in customers come first (that is untill they have your money)
    Sorry for it being a little long winded but I did not even cover all the details.

    Reff File # 1738912A
    Just to give you a recap.

    This happened on our trip to Hawaii for a wedding.
    My family and myself (2 adults & one 10 year old) were delayed over 26 hours due to poorly maintained air craft failing.

    Our initial flight from Phoenix Direct to Maui was on time but several hours in to the flight out over the Ocen we were informed that there was a falour in the hydraulics. We were turned around and flown back to Phoenix. (This was a shabby old plane that still had ashtrays in the seat arms).
    We enquired if we could land closer, the pilot said he could not land at a closer airport by the coast because the aircraft was old and did not have the ability to dump fuel for the emergency landing, so we had to stay airborne for 6.5 hrs. When we landed on the field surrounded by fire engines & emergency vehicles. It was not a smooth landing. This was not a safe situation, the hydraulics controlled the steering (no nose wheel control) so when the plane touched down “when the nose wheel touched” we veered off the runway and then had to be towed back to the hanger.
    When we finally got of the plane we were given a $5 voucher (that gets you far in the airport!)
    At that time we were told that there was another plane coming in from Mexico and that we would leave on in1 1/2 hours, and we would definitely not be flying on the same plane (which everyone was worried about).

    The next info we received was 5 hours later, we were told that we would be leaving from another concourse for a 7:15 pm take off, so we moved and again waited.

    At 8 pm we were informed of the delay and we would board at 8:30pm.

    At 9 pm we were told that we wold be leaving from another concourse and boarding at 9:30pm so we all rush and hurry back to the original concourse.

    We were also not kept informed on 15 minute intervals as recommended,or offered any other food or drink during our airport delay.

    At 10pm we boarded and were on our way again.

    Everyone was happy to finally be going. That is when we discovered that we were back on the original aircraft (which had not been cleaned, still had my newspaper behind the seat with my 1/2 done crossword).
    Several people left the plane as soon as they realised that they had been lied to and that they were back on the original plane.

    We “although very concerned & upset” decided to stay because of the wedding the following day.

    Plane powered up & 1/2 way down the run way we aborted, this time due to another failure and this time with the electrics, we were told top wait in the plane while it was fixed, several people got off and we wish in hind sight that we had to.

    After it was fixed we were told OK we can now go but they were checking on pilot time, so we would have to wait, that was enough and we asked if we could get off, we were told NO, doors were closed and we were waiting.

    We then had to wait again until the pilots had been told that they were out of time and that no other pilots were available.

    Now we were let of the plane and had to go back to the help desk to reschedule flights, yet another hour wait.
    The only flights available (there should have been another plane put on just to take care of this flight) was no longer direct, it changed in Vegas & then again on another Island, prior to arriving in Maui.

    The accommodation that you supplied was sub standard, we had to wait 1/2 hr for a bus, “not even supplied a taxi” bath tub was blocked, food poisoning from under cooked breakfast patties etc.

    Arrived at hotel room at 1pm and we had to get up at 6am for flights.

    We Finlay arrived in Maui, exhausted, ill, and depleted of all energy 26 hours later, we had missed the wedding and due to our fiscal condition missed the next 2 days of planned events (loosing deposits etc.)

    For all out troubles, distress, being lied to, held against our will, not kept informed pushed aside and punished for no reason at all, you have offered $350 per person.
    We did not even get an apology, I even had to take the initiative to call and get a case file going (this was after we were told at the airport that you would be contacting us and you did not).
    Even when we contacted the customer care department, your own Customer care help apologised as $350 was the maximum compensation that she was qualified to offer and suggested that I contact a supervisor as $350 compensation was simply not enough for this issue. We were told that a supervisor would call back the following working day that did not happen until I had called a further 3 times.

    I do not believe that this is a fair settlement, our holiday was ruined.

    If my wife and I had decided to work that extra day rather than waste a day in the airport we would have earned $3,500 between us.
    We originally booked a direct flight and paid for that service, we did not receive that direct flight (additional $600 cost)
    Airport costs, food & entertainment etc (additional $150)
    Missed pre-booked events (additional $ 400)
    Time & effort attempting to resolve issue (20 hr at $150 = $3000)
    Missed Wedding (Priceless)

    This would total a minimum cost of $7650.

    Please read the attached link of how I believe that these issues should be handled (this company has set a precedence that you should set as your minimum standard when dealing with these issues. http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/25CompaniesWhereCustomersComeFirst.aspx
    This is how South West Handles simple delays.

    I suggest that you reconsider your offer of $350 compensation per person.

    Disappointed

    P. Hirst & Family

    If anyone would like to do a class action suite or just publicly humiliate I AM ON BOARD.

18. By alan estes on Mar 31, 2007

    ditto.

    i thought i’d just scroll down a few posts and give my 2 cents worth. wow. clearly, i am not singled out by us airways, as i’ve always thought. i’m keeping track…on 75% of my us airways trips, my bags do not arrive, i do not arrive, or both.

    all airlines use the same planes, use the same gas, use the same airports, use the same employees. how come us airways can’t get it right? cuz doug parker likes to spend more time at the bar rather than solving customer service problems? it’s not that hard.

    i have more to say regarding the solution on the matter…please feel free to leave an email, and i’ll espouse.

19. By Derek Woolard on Apr 6, 2007

    We experienced many of the same issues detailed above but the part thet blew us away was the level of rudeness and hostility shown to us the customer and the lack of professionalism of practically every US Airways employee we had contact with in the Philladelphia airport. The people in the ticketing area were the rudest and least professional we have ever encountered. While trying to read the nametag of one of the employees she turned her back to me and removed her name badge. Mr. Parker needs to be fired and then forced to fly his own airline home.

20. By Alan moore on Apr 6, 2007

    Derek,

    Thanks for your comments, I hope US Airways are listening? Or would care to comment?

21. By LaVetta Henry on Apr 9, 2007

    No broken or lost luggage just a ticket I couldn’t use! I had a voucher for a free ticket. The problem… I had to go to the airport to make the reservation. Nothing could be handled over the phone or by the internet. So I go to the airport… NO TICKET AGENTS! They had gone home for the day. So I go again on a Saturday. I get there before noon. NO TICKET AGENTS! Again, gone home for the day. So for the person responding from US Air as worrying about their rent, maybe if you worked an 8 hour day 5 days a week you could pay your rent.

22. By Marc Orchant on Apr 13, 2007

    I am so happy that I live in a city where Southwest Airlines is the principal carrier. I think US Airways has one gate here that they share with another airline. Forewarned is forearmed. There is NO WAY I would ever consider flying this airline based on what I have read here. The CEO should be fired and charged back for the obscene salary and bonuses he has accepted while destroying the morale of his employees and the confidence and trust of his customers! Then he should either be sued or arrested. Or both.

23. By Alan moore on Apr 14, 2007

    Marc,

    Thanks for your observations. I believe you are not the only one to have that point of view. I just wonder how US Airways is truly responding to this situation? Remember Communities Can Dominate Brands

    Thanks for posting

    Alan Moore

24. By FORMER AWA employee on Apr 15, 2007

    bitch, bitch, bitch, that is all you people do…I LOVE IT!! I also LOVE Dougies $5.7 million last year!! I FEEL REALLY bad for Tempe AZ and their support of the “hometown” airline, cause US Airways is going the way AWA did in 2000. Bankruptcy filings (SELL your stock, NOW), layoffs, ect. HEY better yet, maybe we get lucky and Delta buys them out—Hdqrters gets moved to Atlanta..good riddens!! It will save me some state tax $$, as my AZ tax $$ pays US Airways employee training…oh you didn’t know that!! You actually thought that US Airways pays employee training (90 days)…you got to be kidding!! Dougie wouldn’t be making nearly so much $$$$$ if he actually had to PAY to train employees. THAT is why the goal of US Airways is to have rez employees only last THREE MONTHS…FREE EMPLOYEES for 90 days!! Get rid of those idiots and bring in another bunch of idiots for another 90 days, NEVER having to pay any of them a salary. THATS THE WAY IT WORKS…so just keep your bitchin…nothing is going to change unless the LAWS are changed, requiring US Airways to pay their own employees instead of using tax dollars. ALSO, if you don’t want your bags lost, don’t check them in…use carryon bags only, or gate check your bags (I NEVER put bags in cargo!!) It will drive the employees crazy but passengers have rights TOO!! ALSO, want to make sure your flight departs on time, take the first flight of the day. Don’t want your flight canceled, ask the agent how old the plane is that you are booking seats on…just a smart question to irritate the agent (DO ask this question about a ship when booking a cruise though). DON’T use online booking, instead call and have the reservation held… it is worth the extra $5, if you get an English speaking knowledgable agent (they work primarily from 2-6am). LASTLY…don’t ever stop your bitchin.. the employees are so used to it that if you ever stop they won’t know what to do..they might actually have time to go pee!!

25. By Talley M. on Apr 17, 2007

    Hmmm, I guess I’m not alone. Here is the letter I sent to them today…
    sorry it’s REALLY long!!! And I was trying to be tasteful…ha!

    My husband, and I were on a flight from Las Vegas, NV to Charlotte, NC that departed at 730AM on April 9th, 2007. I apologize I do not have the flight numbers. We would like to share our situation with you because we feel change does not come if we stay quiet. First off, let me say that my husband has Cerebral Palsy and is pretty much confined to a wheelchair. He is able to walk a bit but not more then the equivalent of 3 rows on an airplane. Also he can not walk without assistance and relies on me to balance and hold him up if he needs to walk, say to the bathroom. Pretty much he just doesn?t ambulate anymore.

    Let me give you a little back round. When I called several months ago to buy the tickets for us to fly to Las Vegas, I decided to go directly through the airline because of the need for special seating for my husband. I spoke with several people in reservations and also at the number for those who need ?special assistance?. I attempted to have our seats moved a head of time, so that we would not cause any difficulty and also to make sure we had what my husband needed. I was informed that seats are not handed out over the reservations number but that the airline held several rows near restrooms and in the front of the plane specifically for disabled customers and all I had to do was mark ?manual wheelchair? on the ticket purchase and to proceed to the gate counter to have our seats changed upon arrival to the airport. I was told this several times by multiple reservation people. I kept calling back to make sure because I hate not being prepared on day of travel, it?s too difficult as it is. When we arrived to fly to Las Vegas, we were informed that the plane was booked and they moved us to the VERY LAST row of the plane, but luckily it was near the restroom, so it was OK. We lucked out with our tickets on the connecting flight were already near a restroom. But the problem was actually on the flight home. And that is what I?m writing you about today.

    We arrived at Las Vegas Airport early so that we could have our seats changed. I?d rather sit and wait, then get there last minute and not have the opportunity to change. Unfortunately I do not know the names of the man and woman at the counter, so I do not have that to give you. I first went to the woman and informed her of our needs and that we needed to be closer to a bathroom. I believe our seats were row 19 and the closest bathroom was between row 6 and 7 or 7 and 8. Too many rows for my husband to ambulate. 3 is about the max he can do without collapsing from exhaustion or just plain falling. The lady stated she didn?t normally work the counter and wasn?t sure how to change, so we were going to wait on the gentleman that works with US Air. The man arrived and told us he would try and switch the seats to somewhere closer to a restroom and also told us he would pre-board us about 5 min to 7am. He was calling people up to ask them to switch their seats and I guess not having any luck. After 7am he came over to us and told us that no one would switch seats and we just had to deal with being in row 19. My husband was of course getting frustrated, as was I, and I told him that wouldn?t work because he can not walk and will have to use the restroom at some point. He then told us that he tried to move us but nobody would change seats, that he could not move them without permission and that we need to either ?get over it or go on a different flight?. He then turned around, ignoring that we were trying to talk to him and come up with another suggestion. Needless to say we were very upset. And we did start raising our voices because he continued to ignore us. Every time we tried to speak he ?shooshed? us and said he couldn?t do anything, just get over it. I?m sure my husband would LOVE to ?get over? being disabled, but it doesn?t work that way. We were trying to figure out a solution, trying to ask him to let US talk to a customer, maybe convince them to let us change seats with them, or even having just my husbands seat changed and I?d sit in the back and help him as needed, but we were ignored and he would turn his back on us and walk away. I began to cry and was very upset by the treatment we were receiving, especially because we were under the impression that there were seats saved that we could change too. Luckily these two WONDERFUL women saw how upset we were and switched their seats. We were put in row 6 I believe which was PERFECT. The ladies told me that the counter guy had asked them to switch seats because of a cargo issue, and they were not informed that it was for a disabled passenger. They said they would have gladly switched seats with us had they known the full information. That also upset me because he was not being honest with the passengers, and it would have saved us a lot of heartache. I?m very grateful for those two women!

    When we got on the plane, my husband was EXTREMLEY agitated and I was still in tears. The wonderful Flight Attendants just grabbed me into a hug. They were totally confused by what was going on because the man had been telling them a different story. I asked for his name but they were unable to get it for me, so I could tell you specifically who had bothered us. During flight I did speak with Donna, who I believe was the head attendant. Let me just say she is a SWEET HEART and just very compassionate to our feelings and needs. She shared with us that she has a family member in a wheelchair, so she has some understanding of our situation. She also then informed me that there are NOT pre-saved seats for disabled customers and that we are basically on our own and what I was told by the customer service was false. She did also inform us though, that if necessary the pilot will change passengers? seats to make sure the disabled customers are taken care of. But the problem I was having is with the fact I was told information that isn?t true, and then to go through the torment and embarrassment of this situation. I do not normally cry in public, but we were humiliated, insulted, and down right angry at how we were treated. In this world, my husband and I are treated with disrespect and ignorance on a daily basis. It is something we have just learned to ignore or try to change. It comes with the territory. I do not like having to PAY for this kind of treatment. Neither my husband nor I expected ?special treatment? over and beyond his basic needs being met, just like any other passenger would expect or need. But he does deserve respect and the simple ability to use a bathroom on a flight. We would simply have liked respect, kindness, and decent courtesy from one human being to another. And to be told to ?get over it? is just simply unacceptable to us. As to any other human being I?m sure.

    Per your own website, it states: ?US Airways is dedicated to providing safe, convenient and reliable travel to all individuals. All US Airways employees are trained to comply with the Air Carrier Access Act (14 CFR Part 382). In accordance with the Air Carrier Access Act, US Airways will not discriminate against any disabled individual. Employees who interact with disabled passengers will exhibit kindness, awareness and respect.?

    Unfortunately, I can?t say that we received that kind of customer service. The last sentence is really all we wanted from your staff, but unfortunately not what we received. I do think that had your attendants not been so wonderful, I might have cried the whole trip home to Florida. And that should not even be the case. Please tell them that we are grateful to them because the saved us on this trip.

    Thank you for your time in reading about our situation. I hope that my husband and I opening up and sharing our difficult situation will help US Airways in the future. Without honesty and openness, change will not occur. And it seems, by our experience, the time for change has come.

26. By Talley on Apr 18, 2007

    PS Please do not use my information, i just wanted to share my story with you. Thank you! TM

27. By Alan moore on Apr 19, 2007

    Thanks Tally for sharing your story with US.

    I wonder if anyone at US Airways would wish to join in the conversation?

    Alan

28. By Susan Sullivan on Apr 19, 2007

    I have another US Air horror story. On Saturday, March 17,2007, we were scheduled to fly from Boston to Honolulu through Phoenix at 6:30 am. The evening before my flight and during the snowstorm, I called US Air to find out if my flight was still scheduled. After multiple busy signals and holding for over three hours, my flight and connection in Phoenix were confirmed. On March 17, my 9:30 am flight finally departed Logan Airport at 1:30 pm and my 1:30 connection in Phoenix was long gone. After arriving in Phoenix, I went to the main counter outside the gate, where hundreds of people were in line either trying to catch flights or rescheduling their flights. After standing in line for more than two hours, we finally had a flight departing Monday, 19 March and were on standby for a Sunday flight. We were also given information to book a hotel at our cost. After another two plus hours wait, we finally got some of our luggage. At 12:00 we were too tired to complain about missing luggage and went to a hotel we were lucky to find on our own when the airline recommended hotels were all booked. Well, as luck would have it, we made the cut for Sunday at 1030am and onto Hawaii.

    Oh, but it doesn?t end there. We had a return flight on March 31 at 10:30 pm again on US Air connecting in Phoenix. Unfortunately, our plane had a mechanical problem. After returning to the gate to analyze the problem, it was determined we would spend the night at a local hotel courtesy of US Air. As we left the gate, the US Air representative handed us US Air business cards. I realized then that the counter representative does not assist with rescheduling flights. After continuously calling US Air, and a two hour hold, I was finally connected. By 3:00 that morning, I was given a flight for Tuesday, April 3. Starting early the next morning I began calling US Air again and finally got a flight for Sunday, Apr 1 through American Airlines. On Sunday morning I called American Airlines to confirm my flight and was given a very helpful tip. The confirmation code you receive from the airline is not enough to confirm a seat. You also have to ask for a ticket number from US Air. While waiting in the American line, I found that to be correct as about ten people in front of me were turned away because they didn?t have ticket numbers. It was finally my turn at the American counter. Certain everything was set, I found out that US Air hadn?t pushed the right button and our information wasn?t in the American computer. Told to move out of the line, I began another series of calls to US Air and was put on hold for another hour. Finally, I was put in touch with a US Air representative who spoke directly to the American Airline person and resolved our flights. With minutes to spare, I made my flight home while repeating ?I?ll never fly US Air again.?

29. By Jenn C on Apr 19, 2007

    I too had a trip that went poorly with US Air. The below e-mail outlining my issues was sent on 27 Mar 07 and to no one’s surprise, I have yet to get a response back from the Customer Service folks (as of 19 Apr 07). I would love to e-mail blast the letter to the US Air Board of Investors, but I have not yet tracked down their personal e-mail addresses.

    Begin E-mail:
    I typically would not contact a service provider to make a complaint, rather I would not provide business to that provider ever again; however, my recent travel with US Air was so frustrating that I felt I needed to lodge a formal complaint.

    I was booked on itinarary EJVBL8 which was to depart LAX at 2100L on 23 Mar 07 and arrive at BOS at 0652L on 24 Mar 07. My itinarary was comprised of two legs, the first from LAX to Las Vegas and the second from Las Vegas to BOS. The first leg was delayed for an unknown reason which would cause me to miss my connection. I was told of the delay upon arrival to the airport by a US Air ticket agent and informed that I had been booked on flights 687 and 220 on 24 Mar 07. As a member of the military flying community, I understand that weather and mechanical problems can cause delays. That being said, I was disturbed that I was not called and informed of my rebooking. I essentially wasted over an hour to get to the airport, parking fees, and gas for not. Only after I discussed with the ticket agent that I needed to be in Boston by the early morning hours of 24 Mar 07 did he offer the option of flying stand-by on an earlier flight to Las Vegas to hopefully make my connecting flight to Boston. The agent spent, literally, 45 minutes on hold on the phone trying to “release” my reservation so that I could attempt the 2045L stand-by flight. It was ridiculous, I spent well over an hour at the ticket counter. The agent told me that no matter what happened with the stand-by flight that I was “confirmed” on the 24 Mar 07 flights and provided a print-out of the itinarary including seat assignments.

    The stand-by flight ended-up being full and I came to terms with my unplanned late arrival into BOS for 24 Mar 07 in part knowing that I was guaranteed flights for the 24th. When I arrived at LAX for my 0700L departure on 24 Mar 07, the kiosk would not register my reservation. I spoke with another ticket agent, Saulina, who I provided the print-out of my rebooked itinarary. She attempted to look up the reservation, but had problems and told me that she would be “right back.” About 30 minutes later she returned from the back room area to tell me that I was in fact not booked on the flights that I was “confirmed” for. She told me that she could not get me on the flights as they were sold out. She said that the best she could do was to put me on an itinarary that would have me arrive in BOS at 0005L on 25 Mar 07.

    At this point I had grown weary of all things US Air. Since my return flight from BOS was scheduled for 2015L on 25 Mar 07, an arrival that would have me in BOS for less than 24 hours was not worth the over $600 I paid for the tickets. I would have demanded a full refund on the spot if I was not traveling home for my sister’s bridal shower. As my only sibling and as the only bride’s maid, I had to be there. I told Saulina that my treatment up to that point was totally unsatisfactory and that US Air should at least upgrade me for the later flights and try to get me flights on another carrier that would get me into BOS at a more reasonable time. She was in agreement and spoke with her supervisor who agreed to allow her to try to place me on a different carrier. I appreciate Saulina’s help and think she worked though my situation well. She provided the US Air customer service website address as well as a contact phone # (800-428-4322).

    Saulina was unable to place me on flights with an alternate carrier and I was forced to take the itinarary that had me arrive at 0005L into BOS. At that point I was highly doubtful that US Air would actually get me to BOS and was positive that I would be delayed in the process. My flight from LAX to Phoenix was delayed on 24 Mar 07 as was my flight from Las Vegas to BOS which landed at BOS at approx 0115L.

    Overall, I have been highly dissatisfied with my US Air experience. I have flown all over the world on commerical airliners and have never been told I was “confirmed” on flights to arrive at the airport and be told that my reservation was “empty.” When I called the above 800-number provided by Saulina, I was on hold for 35 minutes before I got fed-up and hung-up. When I called the customer service number from your website on multiple occasions, 800-523-5333, and I chose the option for “compliment/complaints” all I was able to get was a busy signal.

    With my less than 20 hours at my final destination as well as yet another delayed flight on my return (Las Vegas to LAX) I am not planning on looking to US Air to get me to any destination in a reasonable amount of time. I didn’t hesitate to inform family and friends at my sister’s bridal shower to avoid US Air after my frustrating experience — and they were amazed that I wasn’t even upgraded for any of my flights after dealing with US Air induced problems.

    I would like to discuss my travel with a customer service representative. Please use the above contact phone number to reach me.

    Thank you for your assistance with this matter.
    End E-mail.

    All I am left wondering is: How has US Air survived this long?

30. By Alan moore on Apr 20, 2007

    Thanks Jenn for the story of your experience.

    I wonder when someone form US Airways is going to make a public comment?

    US Airways?

    Alan

31. By Andr? Serranho on Apr 24, 2007

    After all of this, I just ask… why do you fly US Airways??? No other choice?

    While doing my MBA, I went on to present my findings on “buzz marketing”. There I stated what most of us noticed, one way or the other: people usually spread positive feedback to 4 others, but spread negative feedback to (at least) 8 others.
    These are good examples, and I am sure these disgrunted customers have mentioned their cases in several other blogs. Good! Spread the word! Warn!

    I had a very bad experience with British Airways and Heathrow airport. Now, they can offer me half price, I will stay away anyway.
    I also avoid Air France (and Paris) and KLM, but at least these two compensated me for their mishaps.

    But to leave a good note, I do recommend Lufthansa and TAP.

32. By Sheila Jones on Apr 27, 2007

    Wow! I thought I had problems, and I see this is an everyday occurrence and that rudeness and lying are S.O.P. My issue has to do with my Dividend Miles. You see, I used to fly for a living – for 9 years, I was on 2-6 planes every week, 48-50 weeks a year. During that time, I belonged to several Freq Flyer clubs – US Air being one. My main airline was Delta, where I have 2.2 million lifetime FF miles. I had accumulated 183,000 US Air miles. Then one day because of company politics and a new manager who wanted a cheerleading squad instead of a sales force, I was fired and my travelling days came to an end. I didn’t know what to do with myself for awhile, but eventually found that I still had a family and a house and two cats and was glad it happened. Since that time, my miles with each airline have been “resting”. I was saving them for a special trip. US Air did not send me even annual statements. My flying ended in 1998, and I did make a few trips after that, but mostly on Delta or Southwest because of my airport location. My last U.S. air flight was in 2004. They merged with another airline and changed my FF number – they never sent me a new card, but I did get a statement after that 2004 flight showing my total miles of 183,000+. I had a training class last week in Philly and the company booked me on USAir. I called the day before to add my FF number to my flight. They said it was invalid. I said I was looking at the statement and FF card. She looked some more, and gave me the “new number” that was now 3 years old. I asked how many miles were in my account – She said Zero. I said that my statement showed over 183,000. She said they “expired” in February 2007 from inactivity. I asked why I wasn’t notified and given a chance to convert or use them. She said they notified everyone – BY EMAIL. I asked her what my email address was on the account – she said she didn’t have one. So I asked how she could possibly have notified me. They didn’t mail anything and they had no email address – in addition, It was only two months and I was flying, so could they please put the miles back. She said she couldn’t do that because she didn’t have the authority, so I asked her to transfer me to someone who could. I got a woman who said she was a supervisor, and I went through the whole story again. She said that my only option was to pay $400 to reinstate the miles. I asked her why I should have to pay when they never notified me. She said she had no authority to reinstate my miles and that she could transfer me to Customer Relations and they could help me. So she transferred me and I held for 45 minutes. I was thinking as I was holding that it was really, really smart customer relations to steal someone’s miles, get them really worked up and make them hold for 45 minutes for “Customer Relations” – is the current definition of Customer Relations where you go to get screwed out of your miles? By now my Blackberry battery was RED, so I plugged the phone in so it wouldn’t die. Then my Bluetooth headset started beeping as it was dead, too, so I conferenced the call from the Blackberry to my home phone so I wouldn’t lose the call and could walk around the house and get some things done while holding. In doing this, I muted the Blackberry so there wouldn’t be interference. After the 45 minute wait, someone finally answered – and because I had muted the BB, she couldn’t hear me and hung up. I wasn’t about to call back, so I went to my computer and logged on to the Customer Relations site at USAir and gave them my sob story. It took them 5 days to answer back and then they said that Customer Relations had no authority to reinstate my miles – they were terribly sorry, but my miles expired due to inactivity and there had been no activity on my account for 36 months and my miles expired on 5/1/07. I replied and pointed out that 5/1/07 wasn’t here yet but the miles were already missing and their date didn not jive with the previous date I was given and that what bothered me the most was that I was not notified by mail or email and that I was not given a chance to use, convert, or save the miles before expiration, so I considered that they had actually STOLEN my miles. I told them that I expected them to be given back or I was going to write to a higher authority or create a blog to broadcast it and also report to the FAA. (I now realize that that higher authority doesn’t care from what I read here). I pointed out that they had never even spent the $.39 for a stamp to send me a card with the correct FF number on it. I also pointed out that I had interviewed for a new job that would be 80% travel (completely true) and that I would never consider flying USAir with this kind of treatment and their lying representatives. The response to that was “Did you call the Dividend Miles and ask for a supervisor because they are the only ones who can do anything?” I told her that their lying supervisor was the one that said that Customer Relations could do something and I was tired of the runaround, lying, and bad attitude. If customer relations can’t resolve customer issues, what good does it do to have a customer relations department? I told her I was going to record something for YOU TUBE! To this, they replied that they “understand my frustration” but that all they do in that department is record customer complaints and forward to the correct department – that she had no authority to do anything to help me, that customers do matter which is why they record and forward complaints, but that no matter what I do from this point on, I cannot get my miles reinstated. She is “so sorry that I feel such animosity toward the airline”. Animosity does not begin to describe what I feel – more like rage! I’m not sure what my next step should be, but it’s nice to know that I am not the only one who is totally pissed off and hates U.S. Airways!!!!! I will never, never fly them again unless there is a huge emergency and they are the only one going that way. I will make it my life’s goal to tell everyone I know about their piss-poor customer relations, customer service, stupid and inefficient check-in (what’s this kiosk in front of check in for anyway – how redundant is that?) People not understanding and getting pissed because they think people are cutting in the line to get to self-service that is in the way of checking in with a live person?

33. By Pia Johnston on May 11, 2007

    I complement you for publishing your letter for other people’s awareness (if they have not experienced the ordeal). This has happened to me a few times not with US Airways but with United, American, and Delta. American and Delta were very prompt with locating and delivering my luggage in less than 24 hours, at dawn even. With United, my luggage with Christmas presents and clothes went to the midwest instead of going to Toronto Canada. I was specially upset because my grandchildren will not have these presents to open on Christmas Eve. But there are ways to remedy the situation such as running to a 24-hour drugstore to pick up toiletries and small gifts, borrow some shirts from my sons, use a robe and wash the clothes on me, etc. Since then I always have an extra change clothes in my carry on. Sometimes the handlers, especially luggage reps are overwhelmed and irate customers sometimes make them ‘lose it’ too. Perhaps the bar code sensor misread. You are luckier in life than most people who experience this situation; you have the means to ‘be recognized’. You could have gone out to buy a new set of clothes to protect your image at the meeting and then sent the receipt to ‘Doug’. There are things that we can control and those that we can’t, we need to improvise.

34. By Frank on May 18, 2007

    Here’s some more negative US Airways feedback for you, linked above, and if that doesn’t work:

    http://franksellin.blogspot.com/2007/01/why-you-should-avoid-flying-us-airways.html

    The short version: while US Airways is threatening to take away your Dividend Miles, don’t expect them to honor a single one of their promises, or do any kind of record keeping when you buy things as instructed from their partners.

    I’m looking forward to a nice bottle of champagne the day that company goes out of business. Spread the stories, everyone.

35. By Bill Flynn on May 30, 2007

    I sure would like to send a certified letter to Doug Parkers home about my recent travel incident as to USAirways pulling out od St. Croix USVI. I purchased my ticket in October to return to the US May 19, and goly gee the airlines decide to pull out of St. Croix and never contacted us to make other arrangements. Incidently we purchased our ticket on their web site. If any one knows of his address please send.
    Bill

36. By brian on May 30, 2007

    I think I have a better one then these. I had a 8:20 am flieght with us air. I went to check in my bags at the Atlanta airport and they said I was 2 minutes late for bag check in. Understanding this was my fault for being late for bag check in, the counter personal for us air rescheduled my flieght to the following, which was 1 hours later. That was fine, however, when the time came I was told the flieght was booked and I would have to wait until 4:30 PM to get a fleight. so basically 8 hours later, i was able to get a flieght. The flieght back was better though, we had a layover in Charlotte, went to the gate to board the lay over flieght, well the fleight attentent wasen’t there yet. We had to wait an extra hour for the attentent to show up. Once we got on the plane, the plane had machanical issues. We had to get off the plain and waited another 3 hours for the machanics to arrive. I finally got to the point and asked where I could get a rental car and drive from Charlotte to Atlanta. Once i got to Atlanata I had to goto lost baggage claim and explain to them my bags where on the plain that still didn’t arrive. The baggage claim people gave me a corporate number to call it was a recording saying can’t take the call right now and it hung up on me. So a flieght from Atlanta to Pennsylvania took 8 hours to get there and 8 hours to get back. What a joke the next time I will drive it’s faster and less stress.

37. By janice munday on Jun 1, 2007

    i could’nt believe it when i read sheila jones comment, word for word the exact same thing happened to my family member. i did get all the way to doug parkers office and spoke to his secretary LISA but that was no help either so yesterday i spoke with a class action attorney and the ball is gonna start rolling, so if all of you that have complaints and wnat to do something about it, contact me.i am tired of getting ripped off by big companys.

38. By Ashley Kosciolek on Jun 4, 2007

    Oh my gosh! I stumbled across this amazing page when I was trying to find a phone number to contact U.S. Airways’ Central Baggage Claim office in Phoenix. I have to say…I wonder how this airline still has any customers.

    A month ago, I graduated from Syracuse University, and for my spring break, a friend and I decided to book a cruise to the Bahamas (a welcome break from the feet of snow we see in the ‘Cuse every day). In order to get to the cruise port in Miami, we flew from Syracuse to Pittsburgh for a connecting flight.

    After boarding our plane in ‘Cuse 20 minutes late, the plane began to taxi, and the smoke alarm in the bathroom decided it would be a great time to start screeching, for no apparent reason. The plane was then evacuated, and it took mechanics 45 minutes more to decide that there was no immediate danger. So, more than an hour late, we took off for Pittsburgh (which would have been fine, except our layover in Pittsburgh was only 45 minutes).

    When we landed, we were delighted to find out that our flight from Pittsburgh to Miami was also delayed (gee, seeing a pattern here…not much for punctuality, are they?). So, we made it to Miami on time.

    Seems like this story has a happy ending, right? Not so much. Guess whose luggage was missing. Oh, wait…that would be mine.

    I reported the missing suitcase, and I discovered that the horribly incompetent woman who checked my bag put someone else’s name on the claim ticket. That someone was headed for a destination that was certainly NOT Miami.

    I was promised the bag would be brought to the ship the next day. It wasn’t.

    So, to make a long story short, I spent 5 days on a cruise with ONE pair of underwear, ONE bathing suit (which, thankfully I threw into my purse at the last minute before checking my bag) and the outfit I was wearing at the time, which certainly was NOT fit for the formal dinner we had on the third night. All I can say is that I’m really glad my friend overpacked.

    After spending countless hours on the phone with people whom I could hardly understand, nobody could tell me where my bag was.

    Five days later, I got a call from the cruise line, telling me that they had my bag. U.S. Airways delivered it to the ship AFTER the cruise was over. So, it was shipped to me, C.O.D., and I had to pay $27 to get my own stuff back! To top it off, someone stole a $50 hair straightener from it, which I had just bought a couple of weeks prior.

    I immediately filed a claim for toiletry items I had to purchase while on the trip, as well as for the straightener, the $27 delivery fee, and for a portion of my cruise (half of which I missed, as I had no appropriate clothing).

    It has been two months, and I still haven’t received ANY compensation. When I log onto the U.S. Airways Web site to track my bag, it still says that no information is available. Gee, maybe that’s because I’ve already gotten it back. If I was a dishonest person, I could have filed a claim for every last item that was in that bag!!

    I really think they need to take a good, long look at the way they conduct business. To a large airline, a few missing bags here and there may not seem like a lot, but to each person who loses a bag, it determines everything from how much he or she enjoys a vacation to whether or not he or she chooses to fly with a particular airline again.

    Personally, I’ll avoid U.S. Airways like the Plague in the future.

    ~Ashley Kosciolek
    aakoscio@syr.edu

39. By Jim Lesner on Jun 10, 2007

    This is the letter/Email that is being sent to everyone in the US Airways organization and to anyone else I can find….

    June 10, 2007
    Doug Parker
    US Airways Corporate Headquarters
    111 W. Rio Salado Parkway
    Tempe, AZ 85281

    Dear Mr. Parker:
    I am taking this opportunity to inform you of the absolutely horrendous experience I had on your airline.
    I fly for business on a regular basis (basically about once a month).I normally fly the so-called ?bargain? airlines, usually Southwest. I had the opportunity to take my wife and 8 year-old son to Florida and decided to splurge and fly on an airline that had a better reputation for amenities, specifically assigned seating and more flexible travel routes.
    How surprised was I when as we were leaving to return home that I was entering into a flight nightmare.
    We left Orlando Int?l airport at 6:45pm on Friday June 8th. We landed in Charlotte, North Carolina at around 8:15pm. We had just enough time to run to our connecting flight (the flight out of Orlando was late). When we arrived at the gate that our connector was leaving from, we were informed that the flight to Columbus was cancelled. Now, I understand that there will always be interruptions in schedules, and I am sympathetic to that fact. We were told to go to the Customer Special Services desk at another gate. Fine, I thought, they?ll get this straightened out and we?ll be on our way. No problem. We arrived at the desk to find a line of around 250 other travelers who had also been ?inconvenienced?. There were exactly two people working the desk. After standing in line for the better part of an hour, and seeing no more than 10 people make it past the desk, one of your associates came out and made an announcement: ?Sorry, folks there are no more flights out tonight so you will have to find a hotel and wait for tomorrow?. Understandable, it was late and I realized that the routes couldn?t be adjusted quickly enough to absorb all of us. I asked the woman what hotel they were going to put us up in and she said ?The cancellation wasn?t our fault; you are on your own to find a hotel?. Excuse me? I am in a strange city, at 10pm at night, traveling with my family and you are not going to even give us a voucher for food and/or a hotel room?
    We then asked where we could pick up our luggage so that we could go to the hotel. ?You can find them in baggage claim? was the very rude reply. ?Exactly where in baggage claim?? my wife asked. ?IN BAGGAGE CLAIM? came the same reply. So, off we headed to baggage claim. After standing in another line for almost an hour, where we met a lovely couple who had saved up for a trip to Paris that US Airways had ?interrupted for at least three days?, another of your associates made an announcement: ?Sorry folks, your luggage is already being re-routed to the next flight. ?Can we get it ?unre-routed so that we can change our clothes and get our toothbrushes?? ?If you?d like to wait, we MAY be able to get it to you in 2 or 3 hours, but I wouldn?t count on it?. Great, just great.
    We found a hotel off of the airport, spent $20 for a cab to get there (sans luggage) as none of the shuttles were running that late, paid $100 for the room, $30 for dinner and we went to sleep hoping tomorrow would be a better day.
    DAY 2:
    We woke up on Saturday in a hotel room (we had expected to be waking up in our own beds this morning). I went down to the business center in the hotel to print out my boarding passes. No luck, there was an ?error in the process?. No big deal, we?ll get them at the airport. We arrived at the Charlotte Airport at 11:30 am for a 1:15pm flight (another $20 cab ride). We stood in another long line where there were, again, two people working behind the counter (do you have some rule about that?). After standing in line and being kept on hold on your ?Customer Help Line? they got the error fixed so I could use the check?in kiosk. I finally printed my boarding passes with about a half hour to rush through security and race to the gate. Sorry, wrong gate. So we headed across the airport to the new departure gate. We finally make it to Philadelphia to catch our connector to Columbus. Once again, after several gate changes we made it to the departure gate. Sorry, flight?s been cancelled. We ran to the customer service counter to beat out the 100 or so other people to see if we could get on another flight. Understand that it is now around 6:00pm, I have been wearing the same clothes for over a day and a half and I have an 8 year-old in tow who is getting cranky and wants to get home. We make it to the counter before everyone else and are told that there is an 8:15 flight to Columbus. BOOK IT! Oops, sorry not quick enough (total elapsed time 7.8 seconds). I ask to see the manager. Wait 15 minutes while other passengers are booked on the 1:40 pm flight on Sunday. I wanted to see the manager to request a refund. There were several passengers who were willing to pitch in for a rental van to drive the eight hours to Columbus (funny aside ? had I decided to drive at that point, I would have gotten home only an hour and a half later than I ended up getting there). Wait another 15 or 20 minutes for the manager. At this point I am LIVID. If you?ll recall from the top of my letter, I fly quite often for business. Guess what I do for a living ? Customer Service Manager! I have never seen such inattention to customer?s needs in all my life. Just as the passengers were about to mutiny, due in no small part to the fact that it was discovered that, once again, the cancellation was not your fault and all expenses would be borne by the traveler, the ticketing agent pulled me aside and gave me 3 seats on the plane that was supposedly full not 25 minutes earlier. Not only did he give me three seats, but they were 3 in a row. The agent all but told me that I was riling up the other customers with my story of the previous cancelled flights and he was giving me the tickets to get rid of me. Fine by me. The flight was delayed (big surprise) because we did not have a flight crew. Almost an hour after the scheduled departure time the crew showed up. A big sigh of relief and a standing ovation greeted their arrival. We went wheels up just before 10 pm (this was for an 8:15pm flight). We arrived home over 24 hours late.
    Sir, I can appreciate the fact that things don?t always go according to plan. It happens. What I cannot tolerate is the way that we were treated throughout this ordeal. We were shuffled around to multiple gates to find out that the flights were cancelled. We were treated rudely by US Airways employees time and again. We were surrounded by dozens of other people who were in the same position we were in.
    People like the 4 soldiers and navy officer who were trying to get back to their bases. The people I mentioned earlier who were in tears because their ?lifetime adventure? to Paris had been ruined. People like the woman who was traveling with two infants and had no luggage and had been at the airport for 9 hours. People like the sports agent who travels a million miles a year who received a free ticket from you to find out why he should fly US Airways again after he quit flying US Airways because of the trouble he had with interrupted flights.
    These are real people. These are your FORMER customers. These are people who would never allow themselves to be dragged on board a US Airways flight.
    In closing, please let me tell you how disappointed I am that a large company like yours could treat the people who pay your salary and the salaries of all of the associates at US Airways so badly.
    I am never going to stray from the ?cheap? airlines again. Southwest is a model of how to run an airline with an eye on customer satisfaction.
    I wonder how much longer US Airways will be able to survive in the highly competitive airline industry of today.
    Sincerely,
    James E Lesner

40. By Peter Murray on Jun 14, 2007

    Wow — I thought I had it bad. My story (http://dltj.org/2007/05/usairways-no-more/) was ‘resolved’ with a $150 car rental (which I had to pay for out-of-pocket) back to my home city. My blog posting (URL above) shows up as hit #3 for Google searches like “phone number for us airways customer relations”.

    I’ve had problems with U.S. Air dating back to 1995. I had hopes that the “merger” with America West would improve the airline. No such luck.

    Alan (and Tomi) — your book sounds interesting…I’ll have to check it out!

41. By RussJr on Jun 15, 2007

    Well, as is normally the case, I run across sites such as this AFTER I get screwed. I read many of the posts, and although my experience is not with lost baggage, but rather ruined baggage.

    My experience started in Orlando on June 11th, 2007 on a flight to Ontario, California, connecting through Phoenix. We, my wife and I, boarded on time after checking the larger suitcases containing both clothing, personal items, family gifts from Disney, and a TON of technical data from a weeklong Microsoft TechEd conference that I had just attended.

    Within minutes of boarding the captain announced a delay due to lightning and it would be about 15 minutes or so. (I now doubt the voracity of anything they have said.) Then another similar announcement, then another and another and another for a total of 4 hours setting on the ground. Meanwhile we can see other US Air planes taking off, landing and getting their baggage unloaded and loaded. But we were stuck, some people opting to leave, but no assistance to anyone other than First Class. Many of whom had left, causing the airline to further our delays buy unloading the already load baggage.

    I failed to mention the first announcement the waitress, er, stewardess, made was that the airline was NOT responsible for the delays as the delay was “weather related”. I asked her if we were being “bumped” to allow the rest of their flights to stay on time and she said “I WON’T EVEN ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION!? to which I said “So, are you saying it isn’t so?? to which she merely huffed away.

    Once underway there was never an offer of an adult beverage (I don’t drink, but an offer would have been appreciated nonetheless.), nor was there an offer of free headphones for the movie or food boxes since we had sat there for hours without food. In fairness, they did give us water during the wait on the tarmac. What tightwads!

    We finally arrived in Phoenix, to find absolutely no help in arranging a new itinerary as we obviously missed all connecting flights. We had to arrange a hotel and transportation on our own and at our own expense. We got 4 hours sleep and had to return to the airport and go through an awful 1.5 hour TSA checkpoint with the most un-nerving attendant literally SCREAMING at the top of her lungs about liquids and such needing to be in plastic bags. Over and over and OVER she would scream and often ending her rants in an feaux operatic tone. My God, I could barley contain myself.

    We finally arrived in Ontario, and they did have our bags. Now to the biggest complaint I have. Our bags were SOAKING WET and most of the contents ruined. The bags had apparently been left outside in the Florida rain (downpour) for long enough to soak through the bags, contents and even some of the plastic wrapped items were wet. This luggage was $389.00 and purchased a month ago and never used until this trip. Now it is probably rusted inside and mildewed.

    I too had the distinct displeasure of speaking (repeating myself over and over and over again) to what I now know was a Guatemalan. He gave me claim number and asked for pictures and told me how to download the claim form. I doubt I will ever see a penny of the hundreds of dollars in ruined clothes and travel memorabilia, no less the ruined technical information from the conference.

    I will do my level best to get this airline removed from our travel department’s list and will never travel with them again regardless of price.

42. By Spencer Keeler on Jun 20, 2007

    US AIRWAYS DENIES FLIGHT HOME TO DISABLED SERVICEMEMBER

    US Airways refused to book a temporarily disabled service member?s return flight to Colorado Springs from Phoenix on Friday, June 15th until he agreed to submit to a ?post-surgical examination? by a customer service ticketing agent.

    COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, June 19, 2007 ? US Air Force Reserve Staff Sergeant Spencer Keeler was returning home with his wife from the first of two surgical procedures at the Mayo Clinic located in Phoenix, Arizona when their 2:45pm flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems.

    The US Airways customer service agent refused to rebook Sgt Keeler?s flight until she could medically verify his fitness to fly. When asked what her medical qualifications were that gave her the ability to determine a passenger?s medical fitness, the agent retorted that she had no medical qualification to make such a determination but that he would not be allowed to fly if he did not consent to an examination. According to Sgt. Keeler, the ?medical verification? included a humiliating physical examination of the surgical site by the agent before being allowed to rebook another flight.
    ?The last few weeks have been emotionally difficult for both of us and I was simply requesting to go home and to be seated next to my wife?, says Sgt. Keeler. ?We came to the airport to fly home after being cleared to fly by the doctor. Although I was not in any medical distress, there was some physical discomfort resulting from surgery and I wanted to be seated next to someone who understood the situation. Besides, we?re husband and wife, we wanted to travel together.?
    After being found fit to fly by the admittedly unqualified customer service agent, Sgt. Keeler and his wife were given reservations for the same 2:45pm flight on Saturday, a hotel voucher and meal vouchers in the amount of $30.
    Upon check-in the next morning, US Airways not only had no flight reservation for Sgt. Keeler which would have left him stranded in Phoenix on standby, but also attempted to book Sgt. Keeler?s wife on a flight to Colorado Springs leaving more than three hours later than their scheduled 2:45 flight. After nearly 30 minutes waiting at the ticket counter, Sgt. Keeler and his wife were finally given seat assignments for the 2:45 flight.
    ?I was given specific instructions by the customer service agent the day before to identify myself as a special needs passenger to the ticketing agent the next morning, which I did, and I was finally given a seat assignment in an exit row,? Sgt. Keeler stated. FAA regulations require that airline passengers seated in exit rows must be willing and physically able to assist other passengers evacuate an aircraft in the event of an emergency. Even with this regulation and his inability to assist other passengers, Sgt. Keeler was told that customer service agents were not permitted to change seat assignments but the problem could be fixed by the gate agent or cabin flight crew.
    However, when Sgt. Keeler and his wife attempted to board their flight they were verbally assaulted by a flight attendant for not addressing the exit row seat assignment issue at the time of check-in. According to Sgt. Keeler, ?We were not the only passengers on this flight to have been treated offensively by this flight attendant. There was an elderly wheelchair bound passenger in seat 2A who was verbally mistreated for not taking her seat fast enough and told to, ?SIT DOWN!? The experience made me feel as though we were hostages instead of passengers.?
    Currently, US Airways has one of the worst customer service reputations of all US flagged airlines. In a recent Consumer Reports Survey US Airways ranks at the bottom for overall passenger flight experience. In addition, the FAA reports that the airline has an on-time percentage that ranks dead last among US carriers.
    Doug Parker, Chairman and CEO of US Airways states in their June 2007 in flight magazine, ?While we can?t always anticipate every situation that we?ll encounter, we can put additional measures in place that will help minimize delays and, to the extent possible, minimize disruptions on our customers.? Mr. Parker?s measures include more staffing and new resources. This means customer service employees dedicated to assisting ?displaced? passengers and, according to a report out yesterday from the Wall Street Journal US Airways has placed a $10 billion order for new aircraft.
    This is little consolation for Sgt. Keeler and his wife, ?We chose to fly US Airways because it is the only airline that has non-stop service between Colorado Springs and Phoenix. The tickets were almost double the cost of other airlines but we were willing to pay for the convenience of non-stop service. I was aware of the customer service problems with US Airways at the time we booked our flights but I figured the problem was overstated. I figured wrong. We are both disappointed by US Airways? lack of concern for customer service and even angrier that some US Airways employees have such blatant disregard for the human dignity of their passengers. I would consider giving US Airways a second chance for my future visits to Phoenix but I have tried calling their customer relations office three times and the recording states they are sorry but they not assisting customers at this time.?
    To comment on customer service related issues contact the US Airways Customer Relations Division by phone at (866) 523-5333 or in writing at 4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85034.
    ///END///
    Staff Sergeant Keeler is an Air Force reservist serving at Peterson AFB, CO. He is a veteran of Operations Northern and Southern Watch, Desert Calm, Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.

43. By Cliff Massey on Jun 21, 2007

    Alan,

    I just read your open letter to Doug Parker. How ironic it is that I am sitting here unshaven wearing two day old clothes, no cell phone and a nightmarish trip from Phil to Montreal once again on US Airways. This isn’t the first or the third time something like this has happend to me, its actually beginning to get routine. I travel almost every week for my job. Delays, cancellations, lost luggage and a completely missing tool box is starting to cut into my productivity. Fortunately my company is finally starting to notice it, as well as my unkept appearance and stench at one of our satellite offices today.. What bothers me the most is the fact that no matter who I call or talk to, they have no information on my problem whatsoever nor can they help. When I left my phone on the plane, I told them the seat # and pocket it was in right after I got off. I was told I would have to make a “claim” at my arriving destination. When I did that they looked at me funny and couldn’t help me because it wasn’t lost luggage. I called customer service and they told me to call baggage claim. Once again baggage claim had no Idea why I was calling them. I finally recieved someone sympathetic to my problem and she told me that there really was nothing the Airline can do to track lost items, I would need to call the airport’s lost and found. I asked if they could just have someone on the plane look in that seat pocket. It should be a very simple thing to do, yet she explained that they had no idea where that plane is and this happens all of the time. My reply was that it would make good sense and better customer service if they could do things that simple. She agreed. I can’t believe the helplessness of the customer service and the run around I have recieved from US Air. I spent 9 hours at the Phil airport trying to get a flight out. Two of my flights in a row were cancelled. The first due to “Air Traffic” and the second one they said they were waiting on the crew who were just ariving at the airport and needed to check in. Well, 30 minutes later we were told that the crew was still in Toronto and it would be another 45 minutes before they could leave. How could they “just be arriving at the airport” half an hour earlier? An hour later that flight was cancelled and all flights thoughout the next day were booked, so I had to juggle flights through Toronto. On top of that, the TO flight was delayed and once we finally boarded we sat on the Tarmac for two and a half hours because of weather. We then took off in the *middle* of a thunderstorm! with rain and lightning all around us! In all of my days of flying thats the first time I’ve ever done that. I’d rather have spent the night in Phil. Then the flight attendents failed to secure the drink cart causing it to break free upon landing spilling ice and launching bottles in the air just past my head. Not a safe situation..

    Is there something we can do about this repetitive level of unaceptable customer service? After speaking with everyone I can in customer service every time I have an issue, which is quite often now, no one has an answer and they just repeat the same things to me over and over like I am a mindless robot. I’ve been seing this type of behaviour from more companies now and wonder if it is a disturbing trend.

    Have you ever visited Japan? Their idea customer service is a world of difference than ours. I am in awe every time I go over there. And beacause of how well they treat everyone, it is always one of my favorite countries to go to. As an example, I had recieved a back injury and had to temporarily walk with a cane, At Tokyo international the security person helped me put my shoes back on after I went through the metal detector. When I arrived at Dallas, they literally pushed me through when I was slow walking without my cane!

44. By Peter O'Leary on Jun 22, 2007

    I literally just sent US Air this e-mail and then came across this site. I guess after reading theseposts I shouldn’t expecet a resolution aytime soon. I can bet Doug Parker probably flys Southwest.

    I flew out of Boston on May 18th (flight 1297) and landed in Wilimington, NC (flight 2612). I’m on vacation with my wife and daughter-the day we landed we realized you somehow didn’t get us my daughters car seat-it was checked with all the other bags but never made it to NC. Now, I’ve flown all airlines all over the country for personal and business and I have never, ever received the kind of horrifc customer service that I received from your company. I have been calling the baggae claim office since Monday and have been calling all through my vacation spending at least an hour of my time trying to track down the car seat and I have not received one call back-not one! Everytime I spoke to someone in the Wilimington, NC office (Kay, Mary, Lucy) I was promised a call back…still waiting. The last call I made was today-Thursday the 21st to see if any progress was made as I’m flying home tomorrow. As usual I was told they don’t know where the car seat is and I should call back later-superb customer service-if I treated my customers like this I’d be out of business. The Supervisor Kay told me I need to return the loner car seat they let me borrow because they need it back and that I should go out to Walmart and buy a new one and then submit a claim form. What an absolute disgraceful way to respiond to a customer that has spent most of his vacation calling your office and then is told to go out and buy another car seat somewhere. And to top it all off I got a laugh out of her when I mentioned US Air had better remiburse us the full amount of the car seat -$300 plus an additonal $30 for the carrying bag. She said, and I quote “there is no way they’re gonna pay for that-I bought my car seat for $100.” So, US Air lost the car seat, they want me to return the loner and then go buy another one before my flgiht out tomoorow morning-if not, as Kay suggested, my daughter could sit on my lap in the cab ride home-I told her it was illegal, she indicated not in NC it wasn’t-what a wonderful suggestion-my daughter is 15 mos. old. You’re in the business of keeping people safe in travel and one of your employees is telling me I can put my daughter on my lap in a cab. I write this e-mail on the last night of my vacation totally disgusted and dismayed at the way my family and I have been treated. I expect a call back from a Supervisor, I expect to get completely reimbursed for the exact type of car seat US Air lost and I also expect to be compensated on a future flight for my family. I can’t put into words the frustration level I’m at right now-but I would hope that this gets resolved in a timely and professional manner.

45. By Herman Hunt on Jun 26, 2007

    Following is a letter I wrote to Mr. Parker, CEO, USAIRWAYS:

    Thursday, April 26, 2007

    Mr. Doug Parker
    US Airways Chairman and Chief Executive
    4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
    Phoenix, AZ 85035

    Dear Mr. Parker,

    I will summarize the unfortunate travel experience my wife and I endured on US Airways recently. Documentation to substantiate this narrative account is attached.
    I booked a cruise vacation through US Airways using my US Airways Dividend Miles credit card to pay for the cruise and associated air travel on US Airways. On Saturday, April 14, 2007, we were at the departure gate at Norfolk, VA waiting to board Flt. 3803 scheduled to depart at 9:55 am for Philadelphia, where we would board Flt. 765 for San Juan at 11:45. At approximately 9:15 we were advised that Flt. 3803 was experiencing equipment problems and would be delayed or cancelled and to proceed to another gate to board Flt. 3285 which would depart at 9:30 (25 minutes earlier than our ticketed flight). We boarded and departed on our vacation. I thought it would have been physically impossible for our baggage to be transferred from Flt. 3308 to 3285 in such a short time interval!! This proved to be the case when we arrived in San Juan at about 3:00 pm and our three bags were missing. We filed the ?Property Irregularity Report? with the US Airways Baggage Service ? San Juan, and proceeded to the Crown Princess cruise ship without our baggage. We sailed as scheduled at 11:00pm on our 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise. The cruise itinerary is attached. The primary purpose of taking this cruise was to SCUBA dive in Bonaire and Aruba. All my SCUBA diving gear was in one of the 3 missing bags. The other 2 bags contains my wife?s and my personal items including our formal wear required for two of the evenings on board ship.
    Mr. Geoff Watts, cruise ship Assistant Purser & Front Desk Supervisor, did everything within his power to locate our bags and get them to the ship. He was familiar with the unsatisfactory performance of the baggage managers in St. Kitts and sent messages to San Juan to NOT forward the bags to St. Kitts. (Copies of relative messages attached). Against the advice of Mr. Watts, the bags were sent to St. Kitts (via American Airlines). THE BAGS ARRIVED IN ST KITTS AN HOUR AFTER THE SHIP SAILED. The bags remained in St. Kitts for the remainder of our cruise. The Senior US Airways Supervisor on duty at the time we arrived at the San Juan air terminal for our return flight home was most helpful in calling ST. Kitts and having the bags forwarded back to San Juan who forwarded them to my residence in Virginia Beach. They were delivered to my residence on APR 24?.ten days after we began our ill-fated vacation.

46. By Herman Hunt on Jun 26, 2007

    Reference my Post of June 26, 2007 (ltr to Mr. Parker, USAIRWAYS):
    On June 15,I received a response from a Tim Cagle, Central Baggage Resolutions – Claims, with 4 coupons which I can apply to future tickets. The total value of the coupons is $100.00 if applied to 4 roundtrip tickets costing $150-$249 each. WOW!! WHAT GENEROSITY!!!

47. By J Frosch on Jun 29, 2007

    Wish I had read this blog before booking a flight on US Air. We had similar stories returning home to New Orleans from Boston in June — on two different days!

    On top of all of this — late flights, missed connections, missing bags, rude customer service representatives and two reps trying to deal with over 300 customers, the US Air terminals in Philadelphia (both concourse A and C) are filthy. The women’s bathrooms had obviously not been cleaned in days, was smelly, and the temperature in the terminal was in the upper 80′s. US Air obviously does not care about its customers. We will never book with them again.

48. By Charity on Jul 3, 2007

    I was scheduled to fly out of LAX on flight 117 on June 29, 2007, to Las Vegas on flight 557 to West Palm Beach. The whole reason for booking an overnight flight was to arrive early the next morning & have the entire day to begin my vacation. My flight left late from LAX, due to mechanical problems, therefore causing me to miss my flight in Vegas. I then had to wait an additional 3 hours to catch a flight to Philadelphia on flight 1404. Then from there, I took flight 1593 to West Palm Beach & arrived approx 2:45 in the afternoon!! I wasted half my vacation day in airports & in the air when I should’ve been in West Palm Beach on the 30th at approx 6:30am. Then, to add insult to injury, I get to PBI & my luggage has been lost. I have to go to the store to get toiletries & other items to get me through the night. Finally my bag does end up arriving shortly after midnight, however, my digital camera & beach towel were missing. Apparently someone set my bag aside so they could rifle through it for anything valuable they could steal. I am disgusted w/ my whole experience on US Airways. I tried calling baggage claim to let them know items had been stolen, & finally gave up because each time I tried calling, I was on hold for at least 10 minutes & never got through to an operator. I did not feel like wasting anymore cellphone minutes waiting. Now, after doing research online, I never would’ve flown w/ this carrier, & especially not through Philadelphia. Apparently this is one of their major problem hubs. They must hire a lot of kleptomaniacs there since so many people’s luggage ends being pilfered or just never showing up at all. I will never fly US Airways again, even if I have to pay more to fly w/ someone else!!

49. By Angry Newlywed with lost bags on Jul 3, 2007

    I won’t bore you with my personal horror story with US Airways. Below is the corporate number for US Air. I highly suggest bombarding the switchboard with requests to speak with the CEO, Mr. Parker.

    1-480-683-0800

    Ask to speak with Sandra. She is a particularly surly US Airways employee who I’m sure would be delighted to hear from each of us who have been wronged by this airline.

50. By Ann Tucker on Jul 3, 2007

    My daughter & granddaughter saved $ all year to fly through Philadelphia to Binghamton, NY to visit with 90 yr old grandmother on 7/1/07. The Dallas USAIRWAYS repr. missplaced my daughter’s claim nbr to another customer’s baggage claim (who was flying DFW to Newark to Charlotte)and then attached his baggage claim to my daughter’s boarding pass. WHY? BIG MISTAKE!!!! Daughter didn’t recognize this, because of tension with escalated security checks on 7/1. Upon their arrival in Binghamton, NY…of course, no luggage. The
    BGM clerk told them it would be in on the next PHL flight. But, that didn’t happen. How could that be? So, next day they submitted a claim on-line to “involved” airports describing the “lost luggage.” No further assistance!!! Advised to “just keep checking on-line.”

    So, two very important lost bags, time wasted searching; a big snag in their once-a-year
    vacation. Thanks USAIRWAYS. You are out standing in your field—-ALONE.

    As a result of this incident & previous on-line comments, two USAIRWAYS cards will be cancelled. We’ll have to fly to alternative airports on other airlines!!! so be it.

    Also, Mr. Parker will be receiving a personal letter with multiple signatures attached.

51. By Another ticked off frequent flyer on Jul 3, 2007

    In response to the post above–the customer service number mentioned (480-683-0800) does one of two things: rings forever or redirects you to the other of 4 so-called customer relations numbers–take your pick here–(866-523-5333, 800-622-1015, 800-363-2542 or 480-693-6735) at which pressing option 2 to express a concern results in a pre-recorded message that US AIR cannot take your call. They have apparently been bombarded with too many complaints. We are currently being discriminated against because we are trying to redeem ticket vouchers from a miserable experience last year and have been told we cannot have the price for the flight that we are currently seeing online. I can assure you that my voice will be heard, because there is no excuse for the beyond substandard customer service that we have received. I will never fly this airline again.

52. By Leo Tracy on Jul 4, 2007

    Thanks for offering a place to at least VENT!! I sent this to the airlines twice now without a reply.

    US AIRWAYS Record locator = E7WBWJ
    Airline Ticket Number(s) = 03715676049982

    I was forced to make reservations to fly from NY to Atlanta over the holiday weekend due to the death of my sister in Alabama. I arranged as best I could to link up with other family members in Hartsfield so that I could drive them all to my sisters house. What transpired has to have been the single most horrific airline experience in all my traveling experience. I was booked out of Stewart (SWF) on flight 4425. All arrangements were made via Orbitz and seat assignments and confirmation were done via your website. The flight from SWF to PHL was fine. In PHL it was announced that flight 1879 to ATL was overbooked and volunteers were sought to change flights. Since the next later flight was actually better for me in terms of wait time for my family members to arrive, I volunteered. I only did so after verifying that I would be confirmed on the next flight. When I arrived at the counter to check in to flight 3371 to ATL an hour later it was discovered that the counter person at the previous location had failed to confirm me and I was now on standby!! I spent a good 45 minutes sweating out if I would board or not. I kept hearing that all ATL flights for the rest of the day were booked solid. I had visions of missing my sister’s wake and stranding my family members in ATL. I was able to board and made the trip with much relief.
    On Sunday 5/27, I returned to Hartsfield in ATL at 8 am to book in for a flight 3252 to PHL at 10:45. The online booking was down and both the ticket counter and the curbside were very busy. I stood in line for over an hour when the computers came back up. I tried to enter my name or my confirmation number ( E7WBWJ) but neither was recognized. In a panic I went to the curbside but I was not recognized there as having a ticket. I was told to wait on line inside. It was nearly 10 am by the time I made it to a ticket rep. It was discovered that my entire itinerary had been canceled by the ticket person in PHL, the person who changed my flight to ATL on the 24th and forgot to confirm me!!!! I was able to get a seat on flight 3252 and somehow got through the security lines in time but when boarding was announced it was discovered that the equipment had been changed at the gate and the row and seat I was in did not exist!!!!! I went through more tension as I was assigned to a later flight. Boarding that flight, 1150, it was discovered that the seat I was assigned to did also did not exist. Fortunately there were empty seats and I got to PHL only to discover that flight 4344 to SWF was delayed. I couldn’t make up this stuff, it was the most amazing and most disturbing flying experience of my life. When you consider the reason for my trip it really hit me hard. I now have two vouchers for travel on an airline I’m quite frankly afraid to travel on again!

53. By Lewis Rounds on Jul 18, 2007

    July 18, 2007
    US AIRWAYS
    Attention: Customer Relations
    4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
    Phoenix, AZ 85034
    Dear Sir or Madam:
    Before I begin my official letter, I would like to thank you for making my life a little easier.
    On June 22, 2006 my wife and I used your airline to travel from West Palm Beach to Portland Maine. The purpose of the trip was for business for myself and a honeymoon as we had just been married. I had booked this flight well in advance (approximately 25 days) and made arrangements to take advantage of our time there. Despite having confirmed flight plans, your airline stranded us in Philadelphia most of the day of our travel making us not only lose the money that I had paid for a boat ride from Freeport to some nearby islands but it assisted me in keeping my wife from getting to excited or having more fun than she deserved. In exchange for the extended stay in Philadelphia we were given two vouchers good for round trip tickets to ?ANY WHERE? US Airways flies. I attempted to use these vouchers for the following trips that we did make:
    1. Sept 2006 West Palm Beach to Idaho Falls Idaho (we requested a flight to Salt Lake City since you do not fly to Idaho Falls)
    2. Dec 2006 Boise Idaho to West Palm Beach
    3. Feb 2007 West Palm Beach to Portland Maine
    4. May 2207 West Palm Beach to Idaho Falls Idaho
    In addition to those above listed trips that we made despite being turned down by US Airways for the use of the vouchers, I also made inquiries about possible trips on a monthly basis with destinations to Las Vegas, Boise Idaho, Salt Lake City, and Seattle Washington. Since these trips were flexible, I would suggest to your agent that they could tell me when the vouches would work and give them wide ranges of up to two months that they could provide flights for. Now after the first or second time that I tried to use the vouches, it was apparent that you in fact never intended on honoring them. After several frustrating attempts, I would ask to speak to Customer Service or I would be given your phone number by the agent. I appreciate that the numbers given to me were toll free however I was always put on hold until I finally gave up. Now I realize that if I chose to hang up, that is my own fault for not talking to you however I never gave up in under one hour and once I even was able to find out how long my cordless phone battery would last (three + hours). Again I have to thank you for reminding me of just how na?ve I can be because I continued to try right up to the day that the vouches expired. I do feel that I should mention that I was offered a $200 discount on tickets purchased through your airline most of the time. The flights that were being offered to me by your agent for the use of those discounts generally were more than $200 more expensive than what I could get by checking the internet so I chose not to take you up on them.
    Since the vouchers that you provided to me have expiration dates on them, making it impossible for you to use the same piece of paper to ruin someone else?s day, I am returning them to you.
    When I started this letter, I thanked you for making my life easier. This is true because I no longer have to consider US Airways when I travel making the number of choices that I have smaller.
    I would be very interested in a reply.
    Sincerely,

    Lewis Rounds P.E.

54. By Alan moore on Jul 19, 2007

    Another nail of negative advocacy.

    Thanks Lewis for posting

55. By Stosh Kozlowski on Jul 25, 2007

    This is an email I sent to US Airways.

    To Whom It May Concern:

    Let me begin this email by saying that I am upset. Actually, I?m livid. Not at the fact that my bag is lost, but at the way US Airways has handled this situation. From the beginning of my trip my on July 17, 2007 my baggage has been missing. I have received virtually no support from US Airway I have been dealing with Paris and Aeroports De Paris, which is a defunct, useless organization whose employees swear and yell (literally) at customers. As far as US Airways customer service/baggage service in Paris, it?s a joke. They are only available between the hours of 2pm and 4pm Monday thru Friday, so they say. And when I do call the phone is either busy, they do not pick up, or they do pick up and hang up right away without saying a word.
    In dealing with this situation I have had three separate bags brought to me three separate times, all of which were not mine. Besides the fact that you have to ruined my work/vacation and rescheduled my life based around the idiocy or US Airways and Aeroports De Paris, this is also a complete breach of basic airport security that is held in such esteem by the US Homeland Security. Why am I being given bags that do not belong to me that are so obviously marked with some one?s name other than mine?
    In dealing with all of this I have had to embarrassingly attend meeting in sneakers as well as attend dinners is clothes too casual for any occasion other that flying. I was given NO vouchers for hygene products or any other compensation for that matter
    Below is a daily log of my situation:

    7/18/07 ? I have arrived in Paris at 815am and my luggage has been lost. Upon filling out all necessary forms, Aeroports De Paris explain to me that I should call tomorrow morning and they should have my baggage. NOTE* In the form they ask what type of bag I own. I write a RED and BLACK backpack.

    7/19/07 ? I call Aeroports De Paris and they tell me my luggage has not arrived.
    - I call US Airways for understanding and support in this matter and they tell me that they cannot help and to keep dealing with Aeroports De Paris.
    - In the afternoon hours Aeroports De Paris call me to tell me that my luggage has arrived and will be delivered between the hours of 4pm and 8pm.
    - At 6pm the delivery arrives. It is the wrong bag. My bag is a RED and BLACK backpack. NOT a green suitcase. The deliveryman said there was no bag matching that description in his truck and that I should call Aeroports De Paris or US Airways.
    - I call US Airways and Aeroports De Paris sporadically throughout the evening and night. Finally I speak with a representative from US Airways. He tells me that my file is CLOSED and that I have received my bags. ?What?!? I say. I ask him to please reopen it and get to the bottom of this. He says he will and call me back right away. He NEVER calls back.
    - I call sporadically through out the night and no one answers

    7/20/07 – I call US Airways and Aeroports De Paris sporadically throughout the day. NO ONE ANSWERS ANY OF MY CALLS.
    - At 6pm I finally get through to Aeroports De Paris and they tell me the will deliver my bags within the next two hours. I run home and wait. The deliveryman comes with the WRONG bag once again.
    - I call US Airways; NO ONE ANSWERS. I call Aeroports De Paris; they tell me that they have found my bag and that they are sorry. It will be delivered between 11am and 1pm the next morning.

    7/21/07 ? I wait from 11am to 1pm and at 1245pm the deliveryman calls downstairs to tell me my bag has arrived. IT IS THE WRONG BAG? AGAIN.
    - I call Aeroports De Paris and after being on hold and told that there is nothing they can do. I persist that they find my bag.
    - In the afternoon I receive a strange call from a deliveryman anonymously telling me that he thinks he has my bag in his office. He doesn?t speak English very well and I don?t speak French. He soon gets frustrated in the language barrier and hangs up on me.
    - I frantically call up US Airways; NO ANSWER. I
    - I call Aeroports De Paris and finally speak with someone who seems to know what they are doing. He tells me he will call me back. I skeptically beg him to please call back because no one ever does. He tells me not to worry and that he will.
    He does. He then tells me that he has found the bag in the South of France and that he will have someone go down on Tuesday to pick it up and have it brought strait to me. I then reply that I will me in America on Monday so that is not possible.
    ?F?CK? he replies. I stay quiet while he figures things out and then tells me to call tomorrow.
    - I call US Airways to tell them of the situation and to see if there is any guidance they can offer in dealing with it. I speak with a woman named Natasha and she tells me that I will have to call back tomorrow and speak with the person in change of baggage for tomorrows shift. She then realizes that she is the one in charge of baggage tomorrow. I beg her to please help me wit this situation and get down to the bottom of it. When she looks up my file she says that it has been CLOSED and that I have received my bag. What?! She then reopens it and after a brief conversation she assures me that she will call me in the morning around 9am with answers. I ask her to promise and she does.

    7/22/07 ? Natasha from US Airways calls me back at 945am as promised. She then tells me what I already know and that my baggage has ended up at a car rental agency in the South of France and that it being Sunday she can do nothing. Tuesday, she says, is the earliest I can receive my bag directly. I tell he I will me in the USA on Monday. She says that she will have to have it flown to Atlanta then. There is nothing I can do but enjoy my last day in Paris in the same clothes I have been wearing all week.

    7/23/07 ? I arrive in Philadelphia at about 4pm. I immediately get on the phone t US Airways baggage service here in the states. They say I have received my bags and my case is CLOSED. What?! I find myself losing energy with explaining my situation continuously. The lady then tells me I have to write and email. I ask her to connect me with her supervisor. ?That is not possible,? she says. Frustrated and tired, I tell her I will call tomorrow.

    7/24/07 ? I continuously call the baggage service in vain all day long. Your phones are not working properly and the only thing I hear on the other line is a busy signal. I find no way of speaking with a person directly. At about 5pm, I give up and will try the next day.

    7/25/07 ? I call US Airways baggage service and they tell me that they have no update and there is nothing they can do for me. I ask to speak to a supervisor and the man tells me that is not possible, they are too busy.
    - I hang up and call again and hope I can speak with someone who has the capacity to understand how angry I am and need to speak with a supervisor.
    When I do connect I am finally transferred to Richard. He is very helpful and calls Paris directly. Richard tells me that he is waiting their reply and to call in a few hours and ask for him personally. I thank him and tell him I will call in the late afternoon.

    I have tried continuously to get in touch with your customer relations department. When I call, the system hangs up on me immediately. I am frustrated, tired and disappointed considerably. I expect a quick acknowledgement from this email as well as proper compensation as well as the safe return of my bag. Please let it be known that I am making it my personal duty to tell all I know of my experience with US Airways. I consider myself a traveler and consort with people who travel just as much if not more; internationally and domestically. Next week I am flying to Mexico City and I have already booked my ticket with Delta Airlines.
    This email is being forwarded to anyone whose email address I can find.

    Sincerely,

56. By Melissa on Jul 30, 2007

    Wow, big complaints for US Airways. Shocker. Does anyone have Doug Parkers address, or email? Please respond if you can help.

57. By Alan moore on Jul 30, 2007

    Melissa,

    I have a contact for you its

    “Johnson, Michael E.”

    Thanks for posting

    Alan

58. By Alan moore on Jul 30, 2007

    michael.e.johnson@usairways.com

    Sorry Melissa, here you are

    Alan

59. By Erin on Jul 31, 2007

    wow- what stories. I couldn’t even read them all. I just experienced the same struggles with US Airways and Philly and I was only going to Savannah, GA. We had all four bags lost, only to be returned with items stolen from them. I need to now go through with filing pilferage claims. I would like to go to corporate levels for this. Who is Michael E. Johnson? What is his position?

    Any other contact info?? Thanks!

60. By Jennifer Zawadzki on Aug 18, 2007

    I too have had a less than fabulous experience with US Airways connecting through, you guessed it, Philly. My bags were lost on the way to my destination and on the way home. To make matters worse on the way home not only did they lose my luggage, they also cancelled my connecting flight home due to weather (light rain). I was forced to stay in Phildelphia for two nights at my expense, w/ no luggage before I could finally catch a flight home. Not to mention the whole time I was stuck in PHL I stalked the Us Airways baggage claim office for my bags and harrassed the employees who were completely unsympathetic to my cause. It has now been 7 days since this ordeal began, and still no sign of my bags. The details of this affair are long and complicated so I will include my letter to US Airways to finish explaining my depressing experience.

    Dear US-Airways

    I am contacting you in regard to my lost baggage. For your reference my flight information and date of travel when my bag was lost is as follows:

    Ibiza, Spain to Barcelona, Spain 8/9/07
    Barcelona, Spain to Philidelphia, PA USA 8/9/07
    Philadelphia, PA to Chicago, IL (Cancelled) 8/9/07
    Philadelphia, PA To Chicago, IL 8/11/07

    I am disappointed with the experience I had while traveling with your airline and its sister carriers. I departed Ibiza, Spain on August 9th 2007, after checking-in one black Victorynox black roller bag. My bag was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia, PA USA to be claimed for inspection in US customs, and then re-checked to my final destination (Chicago, IL). Unfortunately, my bag did not arrive. I immediately went to your customer service desk in customs at the Philadelphia airport to report my missing bag. Your customer service agent instructed me to go through customs without my baggage, catch my connecting flight, (which was a US AIRWAYS code share flight with United Airlines) and file a claim with United Airlines once I arrived at my final destination.

    Due to the fact that my connecting flight was cancelled, I filed my claim in Philadelphia (within the instructed 24-hours) with United Airlines Baggage Claim Service per your representative?s instructions.

    My baggage was located in Barcelona, Spain on 8/10/07. US AIRWAYS re-tagged and scanned my bag for expedited delivery to the Philadelphia airport. Since then there has been no information regarding the arrival or receipt of my bag.

    My problem is that despite my daily efforts to recover my mishandled luggage, United Airlines cannot reach anyone from US AIRWAYS to locate my missing bag. Since my claim report is with United Airlines I have been unable to receive any help or information from US AIRWAYS baggage department to locate my bag.

    United Airlines Baggage department has tried for 7-days to contact someone from US AIRWAYS. They currently have not received a response to numerous urgent messages sent to US AIRWAYS to have my bag forwarded into their control. They are also unable to contact US AIRWAYS by phone.

    I am at a loss. My luggage was last identified in US AIRWAYS control, but I have no-way of recovering my bag or receiving any information about my bag from you. Until US AIRWAYS locates my bag and transfers it to United Airlines, I have only to wait, at your company?s mercy and pray that one day my bag may turn up. I feel completely helpless.

    I am writing US AIRWAYS to ask for your help. I would really appreciate a prompt resolution to this situation. I hope that you will work to the best of your ability to help me recover my belongings.

    I have given all of the important information regarding my flights, days of travel and baggage claim check information. My UA baggage record locator # is:

    The following contact information is the name and address and phone # on the identification card on the bag:

    I appreciate every effort on US AIRWAYS part to help me locate my luggage.

    Thank you,

    I have sent this out to every e-mail address, corperate and customer service address I could find. If any one has any other helpful tips I would appreciate it.

    I hate to say it but, I thought this would be an effective way to get my bag back. However, after reading all of the other horror stories on this site I have very little hope left for the safe return of my belongings.

    I guess I will have to bend over and take it just like all the other unsuspecting boobs that made the mistake of ever flying this shitty carrier. Never again, NEVER again.

61. By Paul Jardine on Aug 18, 2007

    I’m somewhat hesitant to post this link to the marauding pack here, but let’s give everyone the benefit of the doubt and say that they have a genuine greivance (except the guy who said he would have earned $3,500 in the day he spent at the airport!)
    Here’s a link to some phone numbers and email addresses.
    http://www.elliott.org/archives/2007/05/us_airways.php

    I hope they work, and you get some help with your problems, and I hope people will post back here if they get something positive.

62. By Jennifer Barnes on Sep 3, 2007

    I read some of this…..and I just could not go on and read anymore after I GOT TO ART, the employee for the Frequent Flyer program for their highest flyer mile people.

    So Hey Art….Good for you guys taking care of the big spenders out there with the money to not care when your airline rips them off. I have flown with you for years because the military FORCES us to fly with you….and guess what YOUR AIRLINE IS HORRIBLE…..it matters not whether I pay for it, my corporation I work for pays for it or the fact that the United States Government has seats reserved on them….YOUR Customers service is horrible, your employees for the most part are ill equiped to deal with crisis, they are unfriendly and care little for the people who entrust them with, literally their lives…..and for the ones who want to bitch and moan and complain about poor pay and having to pay their rent and to get off their backs…

    TRY BEING A SOLDIER OUT THERE BEING SHOT AT 24/7 FOR WHAT AMOUNTS TO LESS THEN MINIMUM WAGE….

    IT’S A JOB, YOU DON’T LIKE IT, QUIT, BUT DO US A FAVOR, STOP USING EXCUSES FOR BEING SUCH A CRY BABY OVER YOUR INABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB!

63. By George Sowan on Sep 20, 2007

    Alan,

    I think you would be interested in hearing how U.S. Airways in Philadelphia treated my elderly mother.

    Regards,
    George Sowan

64. By Long time ; active USAir employee on Sep 20, 2007

    I truly enjoyed hearing all the BITCHING from all of you infrequent fliers. You do have a choice to fly another airline, so do it, make my job a little easier. That way I will not have to lift your over weight, over stuffed, 5 pieces of jumbo, expandable luggage. Why don’t you jerks learn to leave the kitchen sink at home for once.
    You people only have to deal with this shitty airline occassionally. Try dealing with it every day for over 25+ years not even knowing if you will have a job to go to next week or even what company airline name will be on your uniform. Working all weekends, all holidays, and almost every evening when I’d like nothing better than to be home with my family. Moving over 6 times(from NYC to LA and places in between) due to curtbacks, mergers, layoffs, station closures etc. Not to mention I’m making less now, thanks to our current leader, Doug Parker and all the other past USAir CEO’s, stealing from us employees, than I made in 1994. That’s right, he rolled our pay back 13 years this last pay cut. Now you infrequent fliers expect the world when you fly and don’t want to pay a fare high enough to even pay for the cost of the rising jet fuel. So I expect another pay cut soon because of you tight asses that expect a free hotel room, free meals, and even a free rental car thrown in once in a while with that rock bottom, lowest fare you could find.
    Meantime Doug Parker and all of the TOP USAirways managers are making record salaries and bonuses for themselves, for doing what? He didn’t turn this airline around. Hard working employees, on the front line, baby sitting you crybabies that expect the world did. Unfortunately there are some bad ones, all companies have them.
    When I started with this company classy people and business people were the only ones that that mainly flew. It used to be considered a luxury, not a privledge. How times have changed. Now we get people with five kids from the trailer park that used to travel on Greyhound.
    So do us all a favor, grow up, quit crying, deal with lifes curves, or stay home in the trailer park. And next time you decide to travel, GO GREYHOUND…..
    And always remember the USAirways new motto ; WE TAKE PRIDE IN TREATING YOU JUST LIKE WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES.

65. By Another Long time employee of USAirways on Sep 23, 2007

    I’ve been flying for this airline for almost 28 years and have watched this industry deteriorate in the name of cheaper airfare. The public has spoken for a cheaper fare to get from points A to B and yet have the misguided delusion that the industry should operate as it did decades past. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the long lines in security and ticket counters, excess of carry-on baggage, full cargo pits and more airplanes in the sky which means traffic jam. YOU ARE PAYING FOR TRANSPORTATION not a dinner and movie, not to have someone carry and stow your luggage, not maid service nor the amenities of a peaceful rest with a pillow and blanket. Everyone is angry at the airlines for not giving what was a perk in air travel years ago. It’s time for all of you to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for yourselves. The repercussions of a cheaper ticket means that the employees take a cut in pay and benefits. A cheaper ticket means that the employee’s livelihood be compromised. A cheaper ticket means the loss of public decorum in mass transit which use to be for the elite. A cheaper ticket means the upper echelon(management) reaping all the benefits throwing the front line (labor groups) to the wolves (disgruntled public). People wake up and see that you can no longer have things both old and knew. You chose for a cheaper ticket in transportation. Thank the pilot (driver) for getting you to your destination safely, thank the flight attendants (waitresses/waiters/servants) for being there should an air incident happen and you want guidance, thank the agents for the seat, thank the baggage handlers for picking up your overstuffed bags. This epidemic of ‘complain and give me more’ is mothing but rewarding poor behavior. If you feel the need to complain for something absolutely viable, then send it to the CEO, we do and also get no response. Those that have to be on the front line can only work with the tools given and honestly should be compensated generously for the grief the public has inflicted on us. Are we a liberty to also complain to your company(ies) or even file suit for the tongue lashings, physical assaults and intimidations thrown on any random airline employee? Sounds frivolous doesn’t it. So in the end, just accept that air travel is at an all time high full of people who have this sense of entitlement. You always have a choice to drive, take a train or bus or even just stay home.

66. By Jerri C - Queenstown, MD on Sep 29, 2007

    And yet another nightmare thanks to US Air… I won’t be long winded, but in March my sister and I reserved 6 round trip tickets from Washington DC to Los Cabos, Mexico. Thanks to US Air delays (co-pilot’s wife had a baby and there were no standby pilots with enough rest available) the beginning of our vacation was delayed by 8 hours. We missed our prepaid ground transport and had to pay for local transport once we landed. Cost: $170 in ground transport, $150 in food for a family of 6 at the airport and then there is the little matter of $250 of stolen items from our luggage.

    The return flight was even more of a nightmare. Arriving at the Los Cabos airport 2 and 1/2 hours early did no good. When we finally got to the check in counter, we were advised that 4 of our 6 reservations had been cancelled! We were traveling with minors, so anyone staying behind was not going to work for us. US Air finally found seats on our original flight for all of us but the flight was delyed at the gate so long and we have to fight with US Air customer service or so long in PHX regarding the cancelled reservations that we missed our connection in Phoenix to DC. US Air was no help, offering seats on the next available flight 24 hours later! Ultimately, we found ourselves at the Southwest desk and got seats on their 6am flight the next morning. We basically lived at PHX for 16 hours (overnight). My out of pocket costs to get home in time to work the next day: $1033 for replacement airfare, $250+ in food, $170 in missed and replacement ground transport and $100 in additional pet sitting fees.

    I contacted US Air and asked for refunds. they said they sent $400 vouchers for each of the passengers. My sister got three, however, there was one in her name and one each in her children’s names. I have seen none. US Air did refund $342 of my over $1800 in out of pocket costs and refuse to do anymore.

    I am a national IT sales rep and fly on a regular basis as do most of my colleagues. I know that I have spread the word about this debacle and no one I’ve spoken with will be using US Air again. My sister is an international meeting planner and can suggest carriers to members attending her conferences. She has not recommened US Air to anyone.

    I have written the BBB and just recently contacted my credit card comapny to see if there is any other recourse. I know my sister was considering a class action suit against them.

    If I treated my customers half as badly as US Air did and if I was half as unreliable, I wouldn’t have any customers at all. How do companies like this stay in business?

67. By NBC-MIA on Oct 4, 2007

    US Scareways deleted 76,000 miles from my account. Was a charter member of this flagrant flyer club. Said I didn’t fly with them over a specified time frame. Guess what? Who wants to fly this airline? I’ve written to Doug Parker, but from what I’ve been reading here, I’ve got a fat chance in hell to get them re-instated. So much for my daughter’s college graduation trip I’d been saving up for.
    No wonder Doug got busted for DUI in March 2007 (Google it). Running an airline like his would make me drink ‘n drive too! Anybody know Doug’s email?

68. By Beverly on Oct 12, 2007

    Great thread. I mean it. I am yet another of these hopeful passengers who experience constant delays and unnecessary rudeness and yet continue to fly. Not sure why.

    To usair’s defense (although I am not here to defend them), the responsibility sometimes belongs to air traffic control. I said sometimes.

    I stumbled upon this thread when looking for information to write to usair’s customer service. I was stranded overnight in Phoenix earlier this week because delays made me miss my connection on a cross-country trip. While this was not the most dramatic encounter I have had with usair, it was unpleasant, made me miss a full day of work and I ended up being the one who had to apologize to my boss for that, not the disgruntled, plain rude customer rep (whose name I gladly wrote down while she was printing my new boarding pass) at the usair counter. I had a thought for Mrs. Gotbaum’s family. Whatever people think or say, hers is a truly sad and terrifying story.

    Reading the comments above, I found it astonishing to see that every usair person who wrote a comment in this thread was gratuitously aggressive and felt fully justified to treat customers the way they treat them. Being rude and disrespectful to customers is not only choosing the wrong scapegoat, but it makes your own life more miserable, because while we only have to put up with this occasionally, you have to face us every day. Usair employees are upset with usair management and yet some commenters report having been there for over 25 years! We may be free to choose other airlines or even other means of transportation, but you are certainly free to change jobs.

    As for C. Elliot’s blog, which is mentioned earlier, it is indeed very useful. I would check these 2 links before beginning a fuming session on the phone with usair customer service:
    http://www.elliott.org/help/how-to-fix-your-trip/
    http://www.elliott.org/help/us-airways/
    I hope this helps.

69. By Alan moore on Oct 12, 2007

    Dear Beverly,

    Thank you for such a constructive post to what is quite obviously a miserable situation for all involved.

    Thanks for posting

    Alan

70. By Category 5 Phoenix Arizona on Dec 8, 2007

    Below is a letter I recently wrote to Doug Parker. Like many of the letters provided on this site, it too will most likely fall on deaf ears. However, information is power and there is strength in numbers, regardless of how insignificant these blogs may first appear.

    As a Mac user, I am in constant amazement with the dedication and cult like following Apple receives from its users. In a similar fashion, I find it equally impressive that just the opposite is true with US Airways. And quite frankly, I find it incredibly satisfying.

    Furthermore, I can clearly hear the frustration in the voices of the employees who have added their comments to this site. Those that have been with America West since its inception have made the sacrifice through the years. They lost their stock when the company went bankrupt in the early 90′s. They stuck it out when that moron Franks held the helm, and now their seeing all their hard work and the love for a company they built, fall into the hands of a thief. Parker is exploiting his employees and manipulating the City of Phoenix while lining his pockets with gold.

    Mr. Parker’s objective is no different than any other greedy bastard in his position. He’s not interested in US Airways, and he could not care any less about the employees. I believe his mission is to drive the bottom line, cash out, then sit back and watch the fall of another airline empire.

    I can clearly understand the admiration Parker receives from his board he’s making them rich and they encourage his pathetic management style simply for their own greed. They know like any other savvy investor to watch for warnings of unrest, chinks in the armor and disparaging public opinions. If they correctly gage these warnings and get out on an up-tick, these investors are poised to do very well. However, if their passionate about their company, they will remove the tumor before it becomes malignant. I hope this site serves as one of those warnings. I hope this site can help bring about Mr. Parker’s demise.

    Doug Parker December 7, 2007 US Airways
    Corporate Headquarters
    4000 East Sky Harbor Blvd.
    Phoenix, AZ 85034
    doug.parker@usairways.com

    Dear Mr. Parker,
    Gordon Bethune of Continental Airlines seems to think you have “the balls” to do what other operations only dream of. Is this true or is this just another airline executive blowing smoke up someone’s ass, anticipating that somehow the accolade will have some profound message to all of us frequent flyers, who in turn will indiscriminately follow you to the ends of the earth?

    My hope is that Mr. Bethune is sincere in his comment and that you indeed possess some unique perspective. However, excellence in one segment certainly doesn’t qualify anyone as a specialist in them all, particularly in the area of customer service. You purportedly have Ms. Eberwein to cover you there.

    Unfortunately, the wretched communiqu? that her organization provides to us, “the customer”, is indicative of the lack of objectivity that has permeated your company for years. All of us mere mortals clearly understand the importance of investor relations and the significance of a higher pre-tax profit margin. However, it means little to the average “customer”, and it certainly doesn?t obviate your fiduciary responsibility to support your revenue stream, “the customer”, while lining your own pocket and that of your investors. It is the height of arrogance to presume that the paying customer will continue to support your apathetic performance record in this area much longer.

    Southwest Airlines clearly understands customer relations, they have the best record in the business and it’s apparent they also understand the importance of profit margin. Southwest more than doubled the pre-tax performance of US Airways in 2006. Is it too arrogant on my part to presume that the two may in some way be connected?

    I personally have not flown Southwest in years, my loyalty has been with America West since the Ed Beauvais, Mike Conway days, resistant to the positive and powerful word-of-mouth opinions of Southwest Airline customers. Regrettably, my loyalty may soon need to change.

    I too understand the struggle and the frustrations associated with running a company, I help run a successful biotech firm here in Phoenix where quality customer service and quality products are absolutely our number one goal. The by-product of that mentality is happy, repetitive customers and superior word-of-mouth marketing. I also understand the 70-80 hour work-week, so I trust you can appreciate how profoundly incensed I must be to spend another moment of my time, or that of my company’s with your organization. However, I thought it was important to me and hopefully to you that another customer share their perspective with you.

    So, while I literally waited on hold for more than one hour for your customer service department to answer the phone, subsequently having the system hang up on me, I decided to do some simple research and challenge both the US Airways and Southwest System and I would encourage you to do the same, Mr. Parker.

    My first step was to simply Google the following two phrases: US Airways Customer Service and Southwest Airlines Customer Service.

    The first thing that is so damn apparent, is the absolute 180? difference between the two pages. While the first 10 results for Southwest use words and phrases like “flying High” “Awesome”, “Best customer service”, and “Extraordinary Results”. US Airways first 10 results used words like “Sucks”, “Beware”, “Will not fly anymore”, “Tackle complaints”, and “Airline may never fly right”.

    What I found most interesting in my inquiry was the second result for Southwest, “Contact Us”, so I did. I literally was speaking with a customer service supervisor with 18 years experience with Southwest in less than five minutes, while in over a month of attempts and more than two hours on hold, I never have had the opportunity to speak with any customer service person at your airline.

    Secondly, what I found most disturbing in my inquiry was what I read on Wikipedia. Once again, while Southwest Airlines is hailed as one of the “most admired” airlines in the business and Mr. Kelleher is recognized for his colorful personality, US Airway/America West Airlines is sighted for its poor customer service and your confirmed drinking problem.

    So what’s my point? Why am I ranting about US Airways instead of spending time with family or focusing on my own organization? What is it that US Airways has done to create such a response? The answer is Nothing! And there lies the problem, Mr. Parker.

    On November 8th, 2007 I flew from Phoenix to San Francisco. My bag was checked in more than an hour and a half before my departure. When I arrived in SFO my luggage failed to arrive with me. I filed my claim instantly and was told they would deliver it to my hotel later that night. Today, December 5, 2007, I received my bag FedEx. The bag was clearly searched by the thieves in your baggage-handling department with the contents of my overnight bag poured out, and a significant amount of items missing, items your web site conveniently says it won’t replace, including some electrical equipment and prescription drugs.

    With this discovery, I called reservations with hopes of getting to baggage claim. Reservations graciously connected me. I asked the poorly English-speaking woman in baggage claim to please connect me to a supervisor. After asking kindly nine separate times to connect me, I asked her for her name and ID number. To my surprise our connection unexpectedly went bad, and she couldn’t understand a word I was saying. Abruptly she hung up on me.

    Fully beside myself at this point I called “Flight Fund” and asked for a supervisor. The supervisor was helpful and provided me with the following number to customer service: 866-523-5333.
    I would encourage you to give this number a try, Mr. Parker, during regular business hours. Once queued, push number 3. Disregard the “Due to high call volume” and “Contact us by email” bullshit, which by the way is a blatant lie, and an insult to your customers. Now turn on your speakerphone and simply wait like I did.

    Now try this next number during normal business hours: 214-792-4223. This is Southwest Airlines customer service number. Once queued press number 2. Big difference isn’t it! You are actually speaking to a friendly, English speaking, helpful human being. An incredible concept in the field of customer service.

    In summation, I am going to challenge Mr. Bethune’s observation. I plan to see for myself whether you truly have what it takes or if my “blowing smoke” commentary is more in line with reality. I am challenging you to kindly instruct Ms. Eberwein to contact me personally to answer all my questions about my lost bag, and how US Airways can best handle my situation. I will be benevolent with her and would expect her to answer my questions in detail and to provide specific timelines for resolution to my situation.

    I will expect a call from Ms. Eberwein in 45 days or less from the date of this letter. Until that time I will continue my loyalty and that of my company’s to US Airways. If Ms. Eberwein contacts me and we are able to resolve all my issues, I will consider this problem rectified and my own personal observation of US Airway as erroneous.

    However, If Ms. Eberwein fails to communicate with me during this time frame, I think it goes without saying that at a minimum, I will discontinue my business with US Airways. Furthermore, I will be forced to provide this letter to a variety of news agencies as well as a variety of public forums with the results of my challenge to you.

    Mr. Parker, I don’t believe my challenge is that unreasonable. This is a very simple request, and I am certain that eventually your team will right this thing, but you’re losing us!

    I would further encourage you to take a page from Mr. Kelleher’s book and join me on my next flight with US Airways next week, or at least join me in the club lounge to speak rather candidly about your performance.

    Thu. Dec. 13, 2007: Flight 586 departing PHX at 11:32 AM arriving GEG at 1:38 PM
    Sat., Dec. 15, 2007: Flight 337 departing GEG at 8:25 AM arriving PHX at 12:07 PM

    In years past, customers depended heavily upon US Airways and most were disappointed. Consequently, America West had to bail them out. To ask customers to depend on you again is not only irresponsible but also dangerous.

    Why, one may ask, is it unreasonable to expect decent, even mediocre customer service and to assist those customers in a professional and meaningful way instead of alienating them? Why indeed?

71. By US Airways Employee on Dec 9, 2007

    I am going to start a website for airline employees that have been bunched my a frequent flyer, spit on, called a wet back, nigger and much more in PHL. And any passenger who is flying on behalf of the companies dime, the company should be sued for placing such an animal of an employee in the public.

    Many Platinum members etc like to through around their status and like to remind you that they are a making a six figure salary while you are a manager for an airline who has completed a masters and only make 35k a year as a piece of crap.

    And yes, I have been spit on, cursed at, items thrown at me, etc. I guess it’s my fault for air traffic, that the aircraft broke, that the bag did not make it. Even though I do not fly the aircraft, touch the bag, or control the FAA.

    So go ahead, keep posting your complaints about the person on that 800 number you called who has to hear you cursing and yelling even though it’s not his/her fault. Or the next time you are in Philly call the gate agent a nigger, I know you have, you all do. Or start stomping your feet and screaming because we all know your boss expects that of you because you did not make a flight. If you really want to show that you do not like the airline, then never ever fly it again, because every time you sit in a seat, guess what you condone the misery!!!!

72. By US Airways Employee on Dec 9, 2007

    I am going to start a website for airline employees that have been PUNCHED By a frequent flier, spit on, called a wet back, nigger and much more in PHL. And any passenger who is flying on behalf of the companies dime, the company should be sued for placing such an animal of an employee in the public.

    Many Platinum members etc like to through around their status and like to remind you that they are a making a six figure salary while you are a manager for an airline who has completed a masters and only make 35k a year as a piece of crap.

    And yes, I have been spit on, cursed at, items thrown at me, etc. I guess it’s my fault for air traffic, that the aircraft broke, that the bag did not make it. Even though I do not fly the aircraft, touch the bag, or control the FAA.

    So go ahead, keep posting your complaints about the person on that 800 number you called who has to hear you cursing and yelling even though it’s not his/her fault. Or the next time you are in Philly call the gate agent a nigger, I know you have, you all do. Or start stomping your feet and screaming because we all know your boss expects that of you because you did not make a flight. If you really want to show that you do not like the airline, then never ever fly it again, because every time you sit in a seat, guess what you condone the misery!!!!

73. By michael sherole on Dec 18, 2007

    in st louis i had a concern so i asked to speak with the manager i was told that she was on vacation i asked to speak with a supervisor and was told that the managers part time secretary was in charge of st louis and that the supervisors and managers could not speak to me, and that i had to speak to a 23 year old boy who was the station managers part time secretary. i was told that he was running st louis while the station manager was on vacation. i heard the employees talking about this between them and how offended they were that this young boy was in charge of st louis for 2 weeks how dangerous is that. employees and supervisors are having to answer to this young boy for all decisions very dangerous if you ask me. i heard that he has no airline experience and was a part time bag boy before getting this job as part time secretary why does usairways allow this ?

74. By Scott T. Mueller on Dec 21, 2007

    You all have my sympathy for your pains. I however was a baggage service manager for over 50 cities for 5 years. I have 17 years in the airlines and no matter what job I held, I was always dealing with baggage problems for my travelers. After hearing your pains and not knowing the inside information on checked and carry-on luggage, I wrote a book that has received great reviews so far from many. The Empty Carousel a Consumer’s Guide to Checked and Carry-on Luggage http://www.TheEmptyCarousel.com
    I decided it was past due and wanted to help change the baggage experience of the air traveler. If everyone knew what was in my book, the traveler’s lives would be much different. You can also email me through my website http://www.TheEmptyCarousel.com and I will be happy to help answer your baggage questions before, during, or after your trip. The book is also available on Amazon.com I wish you all the best in your travels and the happiest of holidays to you all.

    Scott T. Mueller
    Author
    The Empty Carousel

75. By Anonymous on Feb 12, 2008

    My name is James Larsen. I am a Gold Card Member on Emirates Airlines for the last 7 years. I fly in excess of 90,000 miles per year. My company spends $500,000 in Airplane Tickets per year. I write this email to constructively express my shear dissatisfaction with US Airways on the horrific experience I recently had.

    1. February 1st ? upon check in flight US 473 the attendant placed my bag on the belt. I then detected something was wrong and inquired as to whether the bag was tagged or not? He then yelled to ?stop? the bag to go ahead and tag the bag. As a result, upon arriving in Las Vegas, the bag did not arrive.

    2. 4 consecutive days I called about my bag. Every time I called, the lady or man either in the Philippines or Guatemala, gave me a different story. Your bag is here, your bag is there. Never was my file updated from the last call. No one had any clue as to where my bag was. I finally spoke to a nice lady at the LAS (her name was Mary) airport who told me, ?Mr. Larsen, we have no idea where your bag is! It is apparently lost. Please buy your new items, and submit a claim and it will be evaluated?. Quite an inconvenience after traveling all the way from Dubai.

    3. Change of Ticket from Monday 4th of February to Tuesday 5th of February ? When I called, and requested to change my ticket, the attendant told me that I had to go to the airport to do so? This was crazy. After further arguments, I complied and went to the airport (where I found my bag, sitting at Carousel 12) and changed my ticket. When I got there, the lady said there was ?no need to come down here to do this??..go figure! In any event, my ticket was changed!

    4. Change of Ticket from Tuesday 5th of February to 6th February. I called, the lady said no need to go to the airport and that I was booked in seat 2A confirmation number CL98SX. I asked if I needed to go to the airport and the lady said ?no need?. Ticket was booked all was ?ok?.

    5. Arrival at the Airport 6th February ? upon submittal of my ticket, was told, I had no booking. Ended up flying in seat 9b with a First Class Ticket. No apologies, no nothing. Just, too bad. The lady then told me that I ?should have come to the airport to change to ticket?! Different story every time.

    6. I waited 25 minutes in the TSA security line only to find out at the last minute that I had been ?selected? by my ?Airline? for a ?Selected Search?. The TSA lady told me that my Airline should have informed me that way, I would have know which line to attend.

    In a nutshell, my whole experience was completely unreasonable. I am seeking compensation for the following:

    1. Lost bag for four days ? I ended up getting my bag but bought a whole new wardrobe in the meantime. From my profile above, you can see my style. I did not save receipts nor am I looking for you to buy the new clothes I purchased. Looking for you to be reasonable.

    2. Refund for flying economy on my first class ticket ? please advise how you would like to do this. I can give you my Credit Card or you can send me a money order.

    3. Some compensation for my overall inconvenience.

    I am a concerned passenger. I was not treated fairly by your airline and hope that you will take this email in the light to ensure your dedication to your passengers and with the spirit to improve the overall flaws. The whole system is wrong! No one knew what the other one was talking about. Total communication break down.

    Anxiously awaiting your reply,

    James C. Larsen

76. By Alik Yanchinov on Mar 17, 2008

    Dear Mr. Allan:

    Thank you very much for writing an open letter to Doug Parker CEO US Airways and the blog.

    What I wanted is to find out an the outcome of your personal story. How did it end up?

    Do you have any information if someone has sued the company for lost luggage?

    I am just not satisfied with blogging and chatting; I want them to feel the same pain as you and I did. There is no point to complain about them because they DO NOT CARE!

    Thank you again and the highest regards,
    Alik Yanchinov

77. By Alan Moore on Mar 17, 2008

    Dear Alik,

    I sent my post to various people within US Airways – which got I might add a quick response. Not very satisfactory but I did get their attention and in fact all the entries made about US airways aggregates how people feel about them – which appears to be very negative

    Thanks for posting

    Alan

78. By Alik Yanchinov on Mar 20, 2008

    Dear Alan:

    I expected the worse outcome with US Airways. To my surprise they called my son and advised him that the luggage had been found. The bad news is that they didn’t offer to deliver the suitcase to his residence. I bet you would be glad at least to have your luggage anyway even if they did not offer some accommodation.

    But this shows their bad attitude.

    I have thought about different approaches to handle the problem. Any time when I contact US Airways I have the taste of unpleasant feelings because of their lack of good attitude and service culture, and more reluctance to go an extra mile for the customers. The Russians have an interesting proverb. In the English language it sounds like this: Fish gets rotten from the head.

    So, what you want from a company that has a rotten head!

    On the other hand, I did my homework, which might be useful for those who were less lucky than our family.

    Here are some governmental bodies that can make Mr. Doug Parker pay personal attention what is going on in his company.

    U.S. Department of Transportation
    Aviation Consumer Protection Division
    400 7th Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20590
    (202) 366-2220

    Federal Aviation Administration
    Consumer Hotline, AOA-20
    800 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20591

    I would suggest that someone write to the Congress because this issue is not anymore a private matter, it is a national catastrophe.

    The best wishes to everyone,
    Alik Yanchinov

79. By Douglas Frisbie on Jul 29, 2008

    I am part of a national track and field club has multiple national junior olympics competitions each year. This year we had over 9,000 athletes that flew in from all parts of the country. A great percentage used USAir and due to a change in the calender of events many needed to change their return dates to later dates. The contract from USAir clearly states that any change to flight, date, or cities is subject to a 150.00 per passenger penalty.

    We interpreted that to mean that it may or may not be charged. When we contacted USAir we were informed that the charge will always apply. Upon informing them that they are giving up aproximately 40,000 ticketed passengers per year they did not seem to care.

    The airlines have only themselves to blame for they financial woes. In addition, our government has no place in using our taxpayers money to bail them out.

    Happy Flying in the not so happy skies

80. By Lacy on Aug 3, 2008

    Sorry, this is really long!
    Wow, I thought I was the only one who absolutely despised USAirways. In all fairness (and full disclosure), I usually fly Delta b/c my sister works there, so I can fly Non-Rev (standby) for very cheap. But my friend and I were planning a trip to Florida, and rather than paying for a buddy pass for her and using my “travel companion” status on Delta (and hoping for a seat available), we decided to pay more and get a confirmed seat. The cheapest option (really the only affordable option) was USAir. I haven’t had much experience flying USAir, but I’ve had *lots* of experience picking up a friend at the airport and random hours (or days later) when USAir screwed up her flight (I spent New Years Eve driving to pick her up at midnight b/c of flight delays). But whatever, we decided to give USAir a shot.

    We were flying from Manchester, NH to Jacksonville, FL through Dulles. We had an hour layover in Dulles. We boarded on time, but then sat on the tarmac for about 30 minutes. Of course there was no information as to why. Once we were finally in air, we asked about our connection and were basically told “we don’t know, don’t ask.” One stewardess in particular was incredibly “snippy.” About 30 minutes into the flight (It’s about an hour, I think), we’re warned that there’s bad weather in Washington, so we’re probably going to have to divert to Richmond. AWESOME. But obviously, this isn’t USAir’s fault, and no flights in = delayed flights out, so I wasn’t too angry–yet. The man across the aisle, however, was regaling his seatmate about all of his flight problems trying to get home (all on USAir). He was being quiet and not overly bitchy, just a kind of resigned whine, when the flight attendant stopped by (he was not addressing her) and said “yes sir.. we at USAir are doing all we can to interrupt your day. We sit around and try to PLAN things that could mess up YOUR travel.” I was completely aghast. Perhaps she thought she was being funny, but, um, no… she wasn’t. There were several little quips like this over the day.

    So we land at Richmond. And we sit. Not at a gate, but on the runway area. We sat there for over an hour with the seatbelt sign on b/c we were on an active runway. If a person got up to go to the bathroom, the flight attendants freaked out and started berating and threatening them. But apparently there were no gates available for us. Finally they did say they’d let us use cell phones and drive the plane to the cargo area so that we could get up and move around. Notice, since we didn’t have a gate, we still couldn’t get off. The people seated in front of me told the flight attendant that Richmond was their final destination and asked if they could potentially disembark here once we got a gate–the flight attendant basically laughed in her face and said there was “no chance” and that she’d have to fly to Dulles and try to find a new connection. Note, this is all the same FA, because the other FA was for 1st class, and she didn’t deign to step foot past her 8 first class passengers to talk to the coach passengers. Also note that in the meanwhile, we have never once been offered a drink or snack.

    In the meantime, I call USAir to see about getting us on the next flight to JAX. I’m told by the ticketing agent that my flight has landed in Dulles so she doesn’t understand why I’m going to miss my connection (scheduled to leave in about 1 minute). That’s right–USAir’s own system didn’t show our flight as having been diverted, and in fact showed us as having landed as scheduled at Dulles. It turns out our flight to JAX was delayed until 12:30 (originally 9:20). So I thought, sure, no problem–we can still make it. Well… maybe. Because, you see, by the time they started talking about maybe taking off, they’d decided to let the Richmond people off. But then that means they have to go get their bags from under the plane. And then update the passenger manifests. And then “wait to file paperwork” for literally 45 minutes. (I would like to add that the plane was left on for all of the 3 hrs we sat in Richmond, which was nice b/c we had air, but also a ridiculous waste of fuel, and then we had to wait to refuel).

    So we finally land at Dulles around 12:15. At this point we’re like “please let the JAX flight be delayed again.” Well I hold Dulles to be one of the worst airports I’ve been to, and this solidified it. Our “gate” was basically one room with two physical gates serving about 10-15planes. With NO ONE at the counter, and one person at the gate. So we waited for about 30min just to ask if the flight was delayed (the screen still said 12:30, despite it being 12:45. So we ask. He looks at us like we’re idiots, then says hold on, and then proceeds to BOARD ALL OF THE PASSENGERS for another flight–yes, he’s the literal only person working at a gate servicing about 15 flights. On a day where every flight has been delayed. He finally tells us “yeah, it’ll be boarding in 5 min.”

    I had checked my bag, and wanted to know if it was going to make it to JAX, considering the plane was *literally* parked next to our new plane. He told me that there was “no way in hell” b/c it takes 2 hours to turn over bags. I just stared at him–I was like “it takes 2 hours on every flight to turn over bags.” He mumbles yes. I’m like “so all those times I’ve flown and had a 45min layover, my bags… teleported to my final destination? Or the times that I’ve been delayed and *just* missed a connector, but my bags actually got there on the first flight?” He just mumbles something. So I’m like “okay, so when I get to JAX, I have them fill out a missing bag form and then they’ll get it to me, right?” He answers “no. It’s weather related, so you have to pick it up at the airport whenever they find it.” I ‘may’ have uttered something about this being bullshit (btw, I was staying in St. Augustine, a full hour away from JAX).

    So around 1:30, we are told “boarding all rows all zones to JAX.” This is the first update we’ve gotten. Yes, there’s clapping.

    Imagine my happy surprise to find that the flight crew is the SAME ONE as ours from Manchester! We finally did make it to Jax, but not before this little lovely gem–a passenger asked My Favorite Flight Attendant how long the flight would take to Jacksonville and she answered “um, I don’t know, like, under 2 hours.” The guy across the aisle, just being handy, said “sir, according to the ticket, it’s 2hrs, 9 minutes. The FA turns to him and says “um, excuse me, are you a pilot? No? Then maybe you should just leave these things to me.” I was just completely shocked and he was both embarrassed to have been berated like an errant schoolboy, and i’m sure totally pissed!

    It wasn’t so much the delays that incensced me–I understand that there are weather problems that USAir can’t control. It’s the way we were treated that was unconscionable. I will absolutely never be flying USAir again.

    Though on a positive note, my bags *did* arrive in jacksonville–and under the 2hr “turn over” time.

81. By Tom on Aug 9, 2008

    I purchased tickets in January 2008 for my parents as part of a 30th anniversary cruise that we were buying for them in September 2008. They have never been on any real nice vacations because there were 7 of us and, well, enough said. I just found out that US Airways moved their return flight up to 8:00AM which is the same time their cruise ship is docking. Not going to work. I called their customer service and explained the whole situations (actually explained it 4 times to 4 different people over 30 minutes) and they said the next opening to move the return flight to is in December 2008 (their cruise returns in September 2008). There goes 200,000 frequent flier miles down the hole (seems like a truth in advertising violation). 30 minutes of time wasted, no real solutions or help offered, looks like they are just sticking it to their customers and do not really care about quality of service (and are not very concerned about liability exposure for these situations). This activity/behaviour should be illegal and in my opinion, is downright unamerican. Shame on you Mr. Doug Parker.

82. By Dan B on Jan 6, 2009

    My joints dislocate with amazing frequency, due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Over the years, travel has become difficult.

    But I never could’ve prepared myself for the blatantly hostile treatment I received from U.S.Airways’ staff, when I tried to get “reasonable accommodations” for some flights in Sept. 2008

    My partner and I counted 11 different U.S. Airways’ staff who blatantly REFUSED to help me with my luggage in any manner (recent shoulder surgery made it impossible to reach overhead). One of their desk managers even taunted me, “you are going to make a little woman (employee) carry YOUR luggage?”

    The staff all claimed that US Airways’ Union Rules enabled them to refuse to help passengers — even disabled ones.

    And when a stampede ensued due to a late-arriving plane and too few USAir employees to control the passengers and keep access open, I was knocked all over the place. I explained to other passengers during chaos that I was disabled and needed help and needed to pre-board, but still got whipped around in like I was in a blender.

    When my partner and I finally squeezed our way to the front — and my post-surgery shoulder was terribly aggravated — we were mercilessly verbally assaulted by a very large fellow passenger, who continued to demand we get to the back of line and tower over us with a mean face.

    I explained my disability and even showed the mean, possibly drunk? man my SSDisability card and a card explaining my sometimes fatal condition. To this, he said “F. U.” to my partner and I.

    We tried to ignore him, as we were asked to pre-board; but he started to pre-board with us; and then, he shoved me in my back, into the terminal and up against the wall (several feet shove that greatly aggravated already herniated discs in back).

    Many passengers and staff witnessed this assault, including U.S. Airways staff; but this man was still allowed to board (and he sat in the first seat of the first row-first class, and many of the staff were familiar and friendly with him — after he flagrantly just shoved a disabled guy, for absolutely no reason whatsoever.).

    As a former Americans with Disability advocate, I cannot allow this type of blatant discrimination and hostility.

    Since September, I’ve been getting the run-around from USAir’s Complaint Resolutions Officers (more like Fault-Enabling Pathological Liars).

    But today, I began to look into a lawsuit (federal, oh boy) and also am following up with the DOT, the EEOC, and the ACLU.

    Any other advice or the name of a good and willing attorney would be greatly appreciated. US Air personnel refusing to help disabled people is not only not nice, it is a clear violation of the Air Carrier Access Act.

    Given how much effort USAirways has been exerting to “sweep this under the rug” so far, I’m beginning to wonder if my assaulter was somehow affiliated with U.S. Airways (drunk, off-duty pilot) or related to — or part of — upper mgt.

    It’s really scary how many of their employees are seriously emboldened to trample the Air Carrier Access Act and are so blatantly hostile toward people with disabilities (like elementary school all over again).

    If you are disabled or have any “special needs,” I’d strongly urge you to stay away from U.S. Airways, even if it does cost a little more.

83. By Dan B on Jan 6, 2009

    Can a passenger sue under Air Carrier Access Act? Here are two cases that say “yes.”

    * Tallarico v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 881 F.2d 566, 570 (8th Cir.1989).
    * Shinault v. Am. Airlines, 936 F.2d 796, 800 (5th Cir.1991)

84. By Dan B. on Jan 9, 2009

    Despite trying to get a reasonable resolution to abusive and discriminatory behavior since my Sept 2008 flights, US Airways has stalled and obfuscated every step of the way. I know how to be assertive; but I don’t know how to deal with USAirways, because they are so incredibly unethical that they fall into the “EVIL” category.

    I can’t get any resolution, because USAirways could give a flying hoot about helping the disabled or anybody, for that matter. Just a very ugly machine — incapable of understanding or processing more complex concepts — devouring and spitting out passengers with horror stories that are never fixed.

    ALL employees (over 30 contacts) have REFUSED to give me to supervisor or to employee with authority to fix situation. It is clear that USAir’s employees are trained to send you on wild goose chases, without ever transferring you to an employee with the authority to resolve the situation.

    In my case, my rights under the Air Access Carrier Act were clearly violated 11 different times — when 11 different USAir personnel refused to help me with my baggage — despite having a disability and despite being protected by the ACAA.

    But even though it is a black and white violation, USAir has stalled since Sept. and has made no real attempts to resolve the issue. And they continue to refuse to let me speak to anybody with any level of authority or power, who could actually help me, instead of argue with me. I didn’t want to have to go through the D.O.T. and then go through a long drawn-out trial, but they’ve left me no choice.

    I have emailed CEO Doug Parker explaining US air’s abuse, lack of timely response, and explained that the Complaint Resolution Department is so downright unprofessional it is unbelievable (really). In fact, they are indeed EVIL (didn’t say that to them, though it’s true), as they continue to string along a disabled person who has been blatantly abused, and not a single employee will deal with it. Barbaric.

    I have been hung-up on repeatedly by many USAir staff, but mostly from people in the CRO department. And the CROs are supposed to help solve the situation. In my case, they’ve done absolutely nothing to help, only obfuscate (put me on hold; send me to scary music land; send me to the family emergency line, which is common; deliberately lie about sending letters they know they never sent; deliberately hang-up, etc…).

    Even when I explained that I’d be starting a DOT complaint, they said “fine.” I guess they don’t care that the last DOT fine for USAirway’s abuse of the disabled was over a half-million bucks (I wonder how much of this went into training on disabilities and the ACAA).

    And my complaint is about black & white violations of the ACAA (refusing to help the disabled is a clear violation, unless the employee has documented medical condition; and in that case, they should find someone to help).

    Any lawyers out there with advice on how to sue, if my ACAA rights were repeatedly and flagrantly violated? My understanding is that I can sue under the Rehab Act of 1973; and because airlines received federal bailout money after 9-11, they are federally funded and can be sued.

    I cannot stress how downright evil and deceptive this company is. I cannot understand how so many people can lie so quickly and readily, even though they know they are hurting people.

    Given USAirway’s employees also have continued to impugn my character and insult me, while I’ve tried to find someone with a beating heart, I feel I have no other option but to go through all the possible steps to make these evil people make up for their abusive crap and to have my rep vindicated.

    Please don’t take abuse from these guys. They seem downright emboldened to steamroll you and then laugh about it. And they’ll threaten to have you arrested for discussing the ACAA, be forewarned. Using the police to scare away the disabled, instead of helping the disabled with their luggage. Real nice.

    What the heck is going on at USAir? Beyond a doubt, my experience with USAir is the worst experience with ANY company in 40 years (given how bad customer service can be, this says a LOT).

    Please help and demand that USAir end policies like systematically blocking access to supervisors and upper administration; systematically blocking access to grievance or legal recourse; and systematically refusing to adhere to the ACAA.

    Finally, here are some of the steps I’m following in my search for Justice and restitution. If people have any more advice about these steps or other steps, please let me know:

    1. Make a complaint to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice covers violations of state or local governments and violations of public access.

    2. File a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Call the EEOC at (800) 669-4000.
    3. Wait for a response. After reviewing the claim the EEOC should send you a “right to sue” letter.
    4. Talking to ACLU to see if they have any insight into what’s going on at US Air.
    5. Report violations by Public Transportation. File a complaint with the Federal Transit Authority.
    6. Speak to a lawyer. Discuss the situation with a lawyer and determine if you want to sue for a violation of your civil rights.

    Don’t mess with their CROs; go straight to your attorney if you have $$, because the CROs are professional liars/enablers/cover-uppers, not people truly trained in conflict resolution (maybe USAir’s perception of conflict resolution, which is to totally ignore, until the letters from the lawyers start appearing).

    I realize there are many good people who are forced to work for USAirways; but their upper admin. must be seriously messed up and terrible “role models”, for so many employees to be so fabulously belligerent and so incredibly unwilling to help people with disabilities.

    My one consolation is knowing they are going to mess with a very rich and connected disabled person, and it will be front page news that USAir systematically abuses and discriminates against the disabled. And if they keep treating passengers so poorly, maybe they’ll go down the drain totally, for good.

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