Finally a little customer service!

If you're one of my real life friends or follow me on Plurk, you know the trip to Vegas started with a rough start.  If you missed it, here's the play by play:  We boarded late to begin with with no explanation for the delay, then were told the GPS wasn't working.  The pilot said they were going to install some new software, so we sat there and sat there.  Finally the crew told us to disembark and to return to the boarding area two hours later.  So my friends and I headed to Chili's for a few cocktails and an appetizer, we figured we'd try to make the best of it.

As we're finishing up the waitress says to us she thinks our flight has been canceled, so we book it back to the boarding area and no one's there.  Not a single airline employee.  And they never made an overhead page or anything.  So we head to a different ticket agent and discover indeed the flight has been canceled and our luggage has already been put on the next flight, but guess what?  There's no room for us on that flight.  Or the next one.  So we finally get booked on one that will require us to head to Pittsburgh first, then to Las Vegas and have us landing nearly 12 hours after we were scheduled to arrive.

Begrudgingly we had him book it, because we didn't want to wait until the next day.  And I asked him who we could contact regarding customer service since there wasn't a designated desk in that terminal.  He gave me an 800 number.  I dialed a few times and got a message saying unfortunately at that time they would not be able to take my call and that I could log onto the Website, but I wanted to speak to a live person.  It was ridiculous to me that US Airways employees couldn't be bothered to inform us our flight had been canceled or to arrange for a comparable flight option, not one with a stop in the opposite direction and so many hours later.  Oh, did I mention ours was a non-stop from Tampa to Vegas?   

So after the disappointing treatment, I swore I was going to write a letter and tell US Airways just how screwed up its customer service is.  I've been a frequent flier for more than nine years, essentially because it's the only airline I can get a flight into Salisbury, MD -- which is closest to where my parents live in Ocean City.  But I digress.  Anyway, as the craziness of my work schedule set in upon my return, I forgot all about writing that letter.

Then the other day I received something from US Airways in the mail.  It explained how truly sorry for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation of the flight and the impact it had on "our valued customers".  Then it went on to say an investigation of the incident revealed a mechanical issue with aircraft caused the cancellation and safety is their number one priority.  Okay, hold up!  That part I understand, believe me I don't want to get on a plane that doesn't work!  It was your lack of communication that pissed me off.  Which by the way, is not mentioned at all in the letter.  But what is included is a $100 electronic travel voucher for another flight.

While I still don't believe this makes up for the horrendous customer service at the time, I was impressed to receive anything at all.  And without even writing the airline to complain.  Now if only I could get over the ridiculous new checked luggage fee.  Seriously people, if you're trying to make up for a bad economy and rising gas prices, just increase the ticket price.  Don't nickel and dime me with service fees for things that should be included in the service.  I'm just sayin'...

Stylishly yours,
Miss Attitude

www.missattitude.us

P.S. For those of you who said the airline probably saved me money I would have lost gambling, you were right.  So what?