I don’t know how US Airways is escaping the wrath of the news media and late-night comedians. Nearly a month after the computer systems from US Airways and the old America West were merged… there are still major problems. I can tell you from first hand experience this morning that the kiosks at Charlotte-Douglas (one of US Airways’ hubs) are still not functioning properly. Also, there have been problems every time I have checked in at any US Airways counter since March 4th.
The desk attendants just throw up their hands and sigh… meantime the waiting lines are longer than they ever were before the computer merge on Sunday, March 4th. The real problem, as always with the airlines, isn’t so much the computer issue as the “people issue.” US Airways refuses to get more people behind the counters to help out if they know the computers are still working.
And more distressing is the attitude of the union workers who, in my opinion, are enjoying this season of “screw the passengers”. I honestly believe, based on overhearing a number of flight attendants, gate agents and counter agents during the past three weeks, that the workers are in a “slow down” period and taking advantage of the computer problem to make things worse for US Airways.
What the union workers forget is that they are making life worse for their fellow Americans who, unfortunately, rely on our air traffic system for commerce and family connections.
I only wish the news media were hounding both US Airways management and the workers’ unions as much as JetBlue was hounded during the recent snowstorm issues.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
Why don’t you try flying United? I know they fly to Charlotte and connect to major hubs from there. I know United has direct flights to Dulles, Denver, Chicago. If people quit flying USAir maybe they will figure it out.
Will, you’re new here…..trust me, that option died many moons ago.
Realistically, as much as I’ve flown, I don’t think it’s possible to say that one airline is always good; they all have meltdowns at some point or another. For me, it’s come down to a very cold and cynical set of decisions; who’s cheapest, who will get me the most useful miles, and who will get me there the most efficiently.
The airlines are in the process of determing the markets MAC level (Maximum Allowable Crap). The MAC is the level of BS that customers are willing to tolerate before walking away.
So far, they’ve not reached MAC. People keep flying – planes are full.
I suspect it has a lot to do with the fact that the airlines can’t cover their costs: we want pre-deregulation service and cutthroat pricing.
The next airline that enters backruptcy probably needs to liquidate.
Here in Philadelphia, A USAirways hub, people are still looking and waiting for luggage from the winter-storm a month ago. Between the “brilliance” of the TSA and the “enlightened” management of the airlines themselves they are managing to destroy the concept of convenient air-travel. I can basically DRIVE to downtown Chicago faster than I can fly there…I KNOW I can get to Detroit or Boston faster by car. The irony is that I can catch a light-rail train just 100-yds. from my front-door that will take me to directly to Newark Intl.’s terminal via NJ-Transit and the Newark Airport monorail….or to Phildelphia Intl. if I go the other direction on the same light-rail train….yet it’s still faster to drive. Where’s the convenience and the time-efficiency??
My GF flew up and back to Pheonix on US Airways. No problems at all checking in or with baggage on either end. Obviously this could be the exception that proves the rule.
Do you seriously think you’d get better service if they were non-union employees? Do you know for sure that all these people you encountered were union members? Give me a break. Whether union or not, these people are thrown in front of customers with no resources, no management support, no idea what’s going on with the equipment, computers, etc. US Air is like any big business – they want as much of your money as they can with giving you back as little as possible. If they could, they’d find a way to simply take your money and give you nothing in return.
Since the union people are so evil and nasty, why don’t we replace them with people from an non-citizen, immigrant, low-paid guest worker program? I’m sure you’d get better service and would have no problem whatsoever with the fact that they won’t be speaking a word of english…
Came back from Ft Lauderdale 2 Saturdays ago. The USAirways counter was a complete zoo. I thought I had printed my boarding pass on line but was mistaken it was only an itenerary (which looked a lot like a boarding pass). I hadn’t given myself an hour and a half to go thru the line. The touch screens were mostly down. Luckily there are like 4 terminals away from the counters in Ft Lauderdale, that thousands of travelers don’t know are there. It took me 5 minutes. But they still delayed my flight an hour waiting for at least 15 people who were late getting on. My solution to the airlines problems in general is non conservative. There’s too much competition. There are so many competitiors that prices are artificially kept low. And we see the result. Poor service, surly employees, under paid pilots, under paid mechanics, and totally filthey airplanes. When 10 months out of the year I can get a round trip ticket to Ft Lauderdale for $180 or less, there’s no wonder the economics is totally out of whack. I’d pay $100 more if they guaranteed clean planes and polite employees. Oh and a bag of f—-ing nutts and a can of cold soda. I’ve been thinking more and more about the underpaid pilots btw. The USAirways pilots staged an information picket yesterday in Pittsburgh. These are the guys who land the planes for God’s sake!
“Americans who, unfortunately, rely on our air traffic system for commerce and family connections”
If only there were a high-speed rail network that could whisk you from Charlotte to Philadelphia Center City in three hours, with no check-in and no luggage hassles.
But that, of course, is a European idea and therefore completely and utterly wrong. Right?
I know for certain I’d be better being a Non-Union. I’m a very intutitive, creative, and non-conforming employee. I dont like to be static in one position and like to explore the limits of my positive contribution to my employer.
In other words I am a Union’s worst nightmare.
that, of course, is a European idea and therefore completely and utterly wrong. Right?
We could learn a lot from Europe. Off the top of my head:
Sweden has private social security accounts and school vouchers.
Many European countries have a flat income tax system.
Ireland has very low corporate tax rates.
I had a delightful trip on US Airways earlier this month from Phoenix to Toronto. Non-stop, on time even with landing in a snowstorm when many flights had been canceled. The nice thing about Toronto and some other Canadian cities is you go through US Customs/Immigration before you get on the plane. A month prior to that a US Airways flight to Portland was on time and uneventful. Indeed, I can’t recall encountering a snotty airline employee since the time I was bringing two puppies on a flight nearly 8 years ago. Must be my sunny personality 😉
Or you could just fly a real airline like CO. Never had a problem except one time when my luggage went to LRD without me. Of course I worked for CO for a while, but I always watched the airport staff and crews and rarely saw much of anything out of line.
Oh yeah. There was that time the day before 9/11 TGCpartner and I had a flag stop in LFT due to inbound storms in IAH, but that was no big deal since I had a long enough connection time.
Kevin-
Last I checked, all employees at all levels of the airlines are unionized.
Despite the problems passengers face everyday, when the shift is up — the airline workers usually walk away.
In my job, I do whatever it takes to get the job done and make my customers happy no matter what the time of day or if it is the weekend.
And I work for a company with over 120,000 employees worldwide.
So don’t cry me a river about unions. In this day and age they are a key part of the problem of our frustrating customer service environment.
Right on, Bruce. Makes me glad to live in a right-to-work state that does not require employees to belong to a union.
Regards,
Peter H.
The Union-Liberal Democrat Alliance Has Done Wonders For My Home State.
Last I checked, all employees at all levels of the airlines are unionized.
That’s not entirely true. I worked in reservations for CO. We weren’t union. We had (I forget what it was called) an employee board that we elected every year. They handled employee issues, gripes etc. and represented us.
However, the rest of your comment remains valid.
I may be a dumb truck driver and new to commenting on this site(been reading this blog for a long time) but I am not new to flying. 100,000 miles last year on United and Star Alliance partners. I have yet to lose bags or miss connections. As for Charlotte, I have only flown through making connections to Harrisburg, PA.
The worst airlines I have been on are Philippine Air and a charter airline (unknown name) into Baghdad and Balad, Iraq.
Best airports: Narita and Dubai.
Speaking of worst airlines, the annual Airline Quality Rating report just came out, and US Airways had the highest complaints for 2006.
Southwest had the least number of complaints.
No mention of my beloved Continental Airlines, so I’m assuming it’s just “fair to middlin’.”
Regards,
Peter H.
Will, have you gone through Amsterdam Schipol or Paris Charles de Gaulle? If so, which do you consider more “user-friendly?”
Reason I’m asking – planning a trip this summer and want to know the best airport in Europe to make a connection to Moscow or Athens. (That way I visit relatives either way.)
Regards,
Peter H.
Peter H.
Try Amsterdam. Charles de Gaulle and the french aren’t friendly.
If you ever travel US Airways in to any city in Mexico city or beach you will encounter the most efficient service among any USA carrier and all of the employees are vendors with the feeling that they belong to the airline so, something is very upseting with the direct employees, so US Airways ofiicials, make this vendors, direct airline employees to make an example to those union USA ones that are not prefessionals on their jobs, we are not cheap labor, we care!!!
As a US AIRWAYS employee, I can tell you that it has been less than pleasant for as as it has been for you. We were thrown to the snakes with this computer cutover. The gates are union, but we are mandatoried to stay at work until the last passenger is accomodated here in Charlotte at the gates, I have been at work til 5am getting people reaccomodated because the people in the island destinations have no clue how to rebook, check anyone in for a connecting flight. it really can be a nightmare. But next time you are going off on someone at the gates , please remember that they are just trying to help and not necessarily part of the problem ., We get abused verbally for like 9 dollars an hour for hours on end and really just want our passengers to walk away without throwing something at us. Those of us that just work here for love of the job (not counting the bad apples) really just want to make things right with the resources we are given. Unfortunately sometimes the resources are not the most desireable, but please don’t be abusive, we are people too!!! You are much more likely to get better service by not walking up and slamming the counter or flipping your ticket at us.
Thank you Dawn. I’m not an airline employee, have worked in the service industry and like you, try to do the best for any customer I have ever provided a service for. Hopefully all of us try will try to remember that everyone behind and in front of the counter is a person and until proven otherwise, worthy of simple respect. There are bad apples in EVERY line of work, but most everyone will do their best to help you if you treat them with dignity and respect. Remember a smile goes farther than a scowl and kind words work better than those raised in anger.