vagabond

My husband and I flew US Airways to FRA recently. I haven't flown it in many years and was disappointed at what seemed to be a much deteriorated service and poorly maintained aircraft. Each leg (SEA to CLT, CLT to FRA, FRA to PHL, PHL to SEA) was at least 30 minutes to one hour late. True, much of the delay was beyond the airline's control, but it would have been nice to get an announcement of what was going on. The seats were cramped or defective in some way, the food was barely edible and tasteless, and the bathrooms were filthy. Some of the flight attendants were surly, although the rest were nice.

What really surprised me was the behavior of the gate agents at Philadelphia. The incident I am about to describe was so abhorrent that I am sending a message to US Airways today about it. First of all, when we finally ran the gauntlet and got to the gate (which changed without notice), I asked the female agent whether it was possible to get reassigned so that my husband and I could sit together. We bought our tickets and made reservations 2 months ago, but our selected seat assignments were changed also without notice. The agent rudely said "well, one of you is in the middle and the other in aisle, just ask to switch with someone." When I thanked her and was walking away, she said to the male agent next to her "jeez, some people are just so ..... "

Then an announcement was made that the flight was booked solid. People boarding on Zone 5 and higher would have all their roll aboards tagged and removed to the cargo hold because all the overhead bins will be full. One shorter, slight woman said she had valuable and delicate things inside her little carryon and she could not have it checked. The female agent then shouted ""if you don't want your bag tagged, you are not getting on the flight and I'm not going to stand here and argue with anyone about it! This is the last flight to Seattle and you can stay behind!!" If I had been standing closer, I would feel the spit hitting my face. Finally, the woman relented and in the jetway, I told her everything was going to be ok. She burst into tears and said that she, like us, had been flying this airline since Europe 24 hours ago. So I said that my husband was sitting way in the back and she could possibly trade his backpack space.

At the end of the jetway, the male agent said that we could not trade and if the trading resulted in a delay, we would be taken off the flight. The inbound flight was delayed anyway and by the time of this "scene," we were at least a half hour past the time of the originally scheduled push. I said we were going to try the trade and if he wanted to, he can throw both of us out of the flight. As it turned out, there was space in first class and so we shoved her bag up there.

The entire policy on carry on bags is flawed. People in Zone 1, 2, 3 and 4 were allowed to take on board bags that really should go into the cargo hold. They were much bigger than the dimensions recommended. Knowing that lots of people are travelling and flights are fully booked, these bags should have been taken away and tagged long before the owner get to the gate. However, we will never know if the policy will be changed (and whether it works) since I doubt I will ever patronize this airline again.

This part has to do with the PHL airport. At the baggage carousel, the handlers handled one bag so roughly it split open spilling the contents onto the moving belt. The person's souvenirs, old sepia family photos, and his wife's underwear went around and around in circles for all to see until the owner came by. My husband and I started to help him gather all his stuff. Then his wife comes along with an arm on her hip and said "make sure you don't forget anything" while we were stuffing her undies back into the bag.

Just remember that the airline is a service industry. If you hate people and can't stand questions or having to deal with routine issues especially in the busy holiday travelling season, then perhaps this job is not suitable for you. Some of us have been flying with you for 24 hours or more, but any sense of loyalty that we may feel has evaporated when we are being ordered around and shouted at. As I mentioned in my Germany Spa Resorts thread, I have never had anyone talk to me like that. If any of my law students talk to clients in anything but a professional way, they are getting The Talk from me.

Given my history here at APC, you know that I am pro pilots, pro labor and generally have a positive attitude towards airlines and aviation. I just want to say that life is difficult for everyone these days, but you should remember who pays your salary. If you feel like committing homicide, take a deep breath or walk away for a break. Do not lash out at the very people who pay for your product. And if nothing else, we are all human beings deserving of dignity and respect.

Godzilla

Vagabond:

I can relate to story. Do not forget though that this is AIRLINE PILOT Central.
Unfortunately those of us sitting up front in the plane have little control over what the agents and flight attendants are doing.
If you fly on one of my flights you will definitly get honest announcments about what is happening and be on time at least 90% of the time.I do hate to be late but have no control over when the company makes my tool available for use.
Just last week I tried to get a gate check bag tag for a pax. The agent snapped at me that gate check tags were only for first class pax.
This is truly an industry where you are punished for trying to do a good job and you will very likely lose your job even though you have done nothing wrong.

contrails

Stay away from the northeast US and most of the problems vanish.

Slice

I've had equally rude and incompetent service traveling on a gov't ticket a few years back on American at DFW. So much so that I won't spend my money with them again and even avoid spending my airline's or the governments there too if at all possible.

contrails

Oh there's no arguing it can happen anywhere. Another Texas hub has been my worst non-northeast experience a few times.

I just think that most of the nonsense that travelers hate is occurring in the northeast because of a few things:
1) Weather is often the worst
2) Too much traffic scheduled into the airports even when that bad weather is not there
3) Attitude from employees

Wasatch Phantom

vagabond,

I sympathize with the way you (and others on the various flights) were treated.

There is simply no justification for the behavior on the part of the USAir employees. I think its appalling.

11Fan

Hi Vagabond,

First, welcome back. In answer to a previous question, yes, I did read your earlier posts. Take this one for instance from late October.

"Well, I finally nailed down the dates and US Airways has the best fare. The stop in CLT is 1 hour and 18 minutes. Do you think I can make it? Do you think our luggage will make it? I haven't flown on US Airways internationally in several years now. How are they treating passengers in steerage?"

I suspect that now all of these questions have been answered. Next time, go Lufthy direct. Having done it a number of times from LAX, it's the "only way to fly" (sorry ex-Western guys, if there are still any left).

11Fan

ToiletDuck

I took a JS on AMR, first time, a few months ago. Went Stl-DFW-IAH trying to get home. The agents were so incredibly rude in DFW. I mean rude. Looked me right in the eye and said "You see all these people? When I get them on the plane I'll come back here and deal with you if I have time". She boarded the plane and let it leave with open seats. I was waving at the pilots from the window with no luck. I walked to talk to her about it and she said "I had to get the plane out on-time and would have been late if I dealt with you. You should understand that when jumpseating." All I needed to do was walk down to talk to the guys but she wouldn't let me. Wouldn't have required anything on part but opening the door for me. I walked all the way across the airport to the CAL gates where I was treated like a lost son. First class all the way with those guys. Then we pushed and ended up getting to IAH before the AMR flight. I've never ridden US Air but considering they want to charge for water I figure they don't earn top marks. Isn't it odd how the airlines doing the best are the ones that offer the best customer experience?

Vega sorry you had such a bad flight but I hope the trip was great!

Chris

A lot of agents have their head up their ... or are in other words, in need of a "Cranium Rectum Extractus" operation..

I can say this, being an airport agent myself, that a lot of agents out there make their job bigger than what it actually is. True, some customers are out of line, but agents go off and blow steam before the customers are even given the benefit of the doubt. Each person is different, and once I show them that I do recognize that each one of them is unique they relax and become MUCH more reasonable.

Oh, yeah, and as if those gate check tags are in short supply..

Unfortunately, this is absolutely 100% true. In fact, you can lose your job for going leaps and bounds for the customer, even if what you do breaks some ridiculous rule such as the one you mentioned earlier. I get fired for something like that, while some guy who causes $300,000 damage to an a/c gets to keep his job and probably get promoted.

Chris

Ha ha!! High 5!!