USAirways and Low Fares »
AirTran is coming to Charlotte. Another low-fare carrier attempting to make a go of it in our fair city. Cool. So why is it that USAirways is so stupid about it? AirTran is starting service in May. USAirways is matching fares. In May.
Look, I appreciate that you want to milk as much money from your customers as possible for as long as possible - but if you are truly concerned about keeping your business afloat, it would seem to me to make a lot more sense to match the fares now.
Will there be pain? Yes. But there will be a lot less pain by doing it now, and getting a couple months of good word-of-mouth. Instead they match the fares only when they have to. And they wonder why people don't just love them, pay the extra money and shut up. How about some love from you, USAirways?
Comments (16)
I wish the line employees at USAIR the best. Many of the rank and file have been hurt by myopic, poor leadership and some by the antics of the baggage group in Philadelphia.
I 6-8 flights months and often times on USAirways.
Each one of those flights was hampered by something that could have been averted by better planning, and communication. Their service has gone from average to marginal.
The good news is the choices, however the fares, attititude and arrogance of the organization is forcing many frequent travelers away in droves.
Choices are good, and the stranglehold on the high fare structure and non compete routes makes Philly a non competitive city. The greed of the city planners, acquiesced to the demands of the carrier, forcing the business traveler to pay some of the highest fares in the country. They remain competitive on fares when they have to, but rake the corporate traveler over the coals to support the overagressive plans for the recreational traveler who pays discount fares made possible by the business traveler.
They just do not get it, and the move by Airtran and now Southwest to compete on the PHL-PIT routes, in addition to the afermentioned PHL-CLT truly will shake the carrier.
If the group can reinvent themselves into a true value proposition, there is a strong opportunity for redemption. However if the stand pat, put their head in the sand, believe in their own PR clippings, do not address their business structure of catering to the recreational flier, and reorg. their baggage handling in Philly GOOD LUCK.
I have written communiques to the USAirways with no responses.
Here is wishing all well.
Posted by Hank on March 3, 2005 10:27 PM
Extremely hard to talk to an agent or receive help from on line...
Posted by Mary Vaitkus on March 5, 2005 11:59 AM
It only gets more comical. Flight from Toronto the week, arrives on time, however the curb side baggage checked at the gate, is delayed to lack of baggage handlers in PHL. The bags only started to come off the flight when the pilots jumped in after 15 minutes to pull bags out of the belly of the plane. Baggage handlers arrived later, only to look busy and one was even directing the pilots on how to move bags.
Posted by hank on March 5, 2005 10:37 PM
I am a former employee of USAir. I have never worked, before or since, for a company in which the top level executives blame their own incompetence on the employee level. It's like a CEO blaming his/her executive miscalculation on, say, a minor accountant in A/P or something! Bizzare!
The union is completely ineffective. The admin. office at my former station....horrendous is not the word. They didn't even have rudimentary typing skills. Hunt and peck is not a typing skill. I understand promoting upon merit, that is a good thing in ANY company/corporation, but JEEEZUS make sure the people at least have had SOME type of office procedural training! There IS such a thing as hiring due to education or aquired skills!
At one time, there was a ramp agent,um..promoted(?) to Temp. Shift Manager. And the guy would hang his "authority" over peoples' heads if they didn't comply w/ his "divine law"! Thank God it was temporary, although when he returned to the ramp, lost was the comical sightings of him trying to be in what he determined to be suit attire!
I never dreaded going to work and I got along well w/ my co-workers. But I'd be lying if I said I never had to psych myself up before heading out the door to the ticket counter. Passengers screaming at you. Some for totally understandable reasons, most for their own foibles. And I HATED business people showing up under a half hour before flight time expecting to get checked in (can't, flight closes on the computer) get through security and seated just like that! And somehow it became the ticket agent's fault that THEY (pax) were late arriving to the airport.
Posted by D. on March 11, 2005 3:09 PM
I would agree with your comments, however its the business traveler that for too looong has subsidized this marginal service airline. Userous fares on non compete routes, and too many gate and baggage people looking busy!
Bring on the competition. I fly every week, and its always something else with useless air.
Posted by hank on March 16, 2005 8:48 PM
I have been a frequent flier on USAirways for many years and will continue to fly them. In spite of their woes, I can not abandon them. They have always been good to me. Yes, I have stood in lines, worried through canceled flights, delayed flights and all the other sometimes insane events that every airline in this country experiences. This is not an exclusive problem for USAirways. I think it is important for people to remember something about the airline industry. IF, and I say IF very loudly, this airline leaves, it will be replaced by an airline, that after insuring USAirways demise, will raise their fares because now they are in dominate position. This includes Southwest or Air Tran. Yeah, it may seem to many people USAirways doesn't "get it", but I say to the flying public in general. YOU don't get it. Whoever gains control, controls the prices of tickets. The low cost carriers are cool right now, making the "legacies" look like albatros', and "bringing them to their knees". However, they are wolves in sheep clothing and I say buyer beware. Also, USAirways is not the only airline hurting. All airlines are hurting, even the ones who we assume are doing great. The reason???? Fuel...yes fuel. The only way the airlines are going to be able to get beyond this lovely obstacle is to raise prices. So public, beware of Southwest and Air Tran. They are not what they seem. I have flown them many times also and know people who work for them. The plan is to raise prices once they are in control. The public's honeymoom with low prices are going to be short lived. Besides, USAirways has one of the most experienced flight crews in the industry. Pilots who have flown for many decades and know their aircraft. I don't know about anybody else out there, but I sure as hell like to know there is very experienced pilots flying my aircraft. People need to stop dwelling on their fixation with frequent fliers mile and just get on a USAirways plane and enjoy the trip. It is worth supporting their future. They are a wonderful airline, with great people, and want to survive. So people, get over yourselves. Help them survive. I promise you, it will be worth it.
Posted by elizabeth sims on April 16, 2005 4:05 PM
Useless air???? You're kidding, right?? You must be one of those individuals who think it is comically cool to use an over rated phrase to make a supposable constructive point. Get real. I have a feeling anything would be considered "useless" to you if it caused an inconvience in your life. People like you are very myopic. They function in a very small window and usually do not have a clue as to the big picture. Their picture usually envolves the very small parameters of their personal space. If you're frustrated fine. Anybody who flies will be frustrated at one time or another. And it doesn't have to be on USAirways. I have flown Southwest many times and they are notorious for cancelling flights if the schedule or passengers numbers don't work. They are designed to function on time and when weather, or traffice gets in the way, they cancel and DON'T put their passengers on other flights. They close shop and leave passengers stranded. In fact, Air Tran does the same thing. At least with USAiways they will help you get on another flight, theirs or another carrier. So get a grip. Learn the reality of flying. Your fanatical frustration with USAirways will only be transfered to Air Tran or Southwest or any other low cost carrier when you world get shaken just a little.
Posted by Gary Stewart on April 16, 2005 4:21 PM
US has flown you all safely and reliably in/out of CLT for over a decade, they owe you Nadda. Passengers want the cheapest seat for their BIG Butts, seems the logos should be changed to dollar signs ($$$).....Stop whining and continue to support the carrier who flies 500 non-stops a day out of your home town. US has dropped more rotes than AirTran flies to. I don't see them doing Europe, carribean or Canada from any city letalone CLT.
Posted by Chippy on April 22, 2005 12:56 AM
I recently had to fly to Boston Children's Hospital for surgery on my 4 year old. After receiving the schedule from the Hospital we made flight reservations via USAirways. The next day the Hospital changed their schedule and wanted us there a day earlier which resulted in a $300 penality, $100.00 for each of us(3). I called and called trying to get USAirways to not charge me that penality. My answer from them was "SIR, we do not have a medical policy therefore you are required to pay if you want to change your flight."
I even tried to give them some of my 50,000 frequent flyer miles with no luck.
After the surgery, the Dr.'s let us go a day early so I mentioned to the Dr, there goes another $300.00. So he wrote a letter explaining my son's condition and asking them for forfeit the penalty fee. No luck there either, had to pay the $300.00 again.
So that plane flight cost me $2100.00 from Greensboro NC to Boston Mass. Botton line, USAirways is bankrupt and could careless about their customers.
I have to fly back for a followup vist in 3 months and I be damned if USAirways gets another cent of my money.
Posted by Sammy Bernard on May 3, 2005 11:15 AM
As a Recently retired Government Employee, I have flown with so many different airlines, in those years, and I have to say, there is not one that stands out from the rest. It is sad that it is such a customer driven industry, with a lack of customer service. Bottom line we keep letting them abuse us, no matter what airline it is. Ciao
Posted by Gina From Puerto Rico on May 5, 2005 1:59 AM
I am just plain dissapointed with USAirways.
These ppl are not at all professionals and I would never again buy tickets on this carrier and advice the same to others also.
I had a flight booking from Indiana to washington and then connection to Tampa. The indiana flight got delayed and these ppl didnt let me board the plain saying that I will miss connection . Instead
of reaching tampa at 10 pm today I would be reaching there tomorrow at 2pm .My God they couldnt arrange a seat for me in any flight. There
customer rep at the counter was not at all sympathetic to my dilemme.
Thankyou USAirways!
Posted by Vineet Pandita on July 1, 2005 7:13 PM
So the Hospital changed their schedule and suddenly it is USAirways fault. Perhaps you should spring for an unrestricted fare and see if that is cheaper.. In fact it was your choice to come back a day early. You could have used the $300 and stayed in a nice Hotel downtown and possibly took in a show seen the sights etc. If your money is tight there are other air services such as Angel Flight you may be able to qualify for with your doctors approval of course. I do hope your child has a speedy recovery.
Of course you don't have to spend another dime at USAirways but you may also see what policies are at other carriers for changing flights at the last minute. You may also try writing customer service at USAirways. You wouldn't want to waste those 50,000 ff miles.
Posted by Mike on July 4, 2005 6:33 PM
I have one that tops them all. My father was in a very bad motorcycle accident. I usually fly US air so I went online booked a ticket for the next day and flew out. Just getting there was a nightmare in it's self with the plane taking off late, missing the connector and just rude people on the staff. But even still I was fine.
So I get to my destenation go see my father who is in the ICU in serious condition. I booked to come back on a Thursday wich I had no Idea was going to happen with him. Well things did not work out with him quite as planned and Thursday rolled around and he was still in the ICU in serious but stable condition.
The Doctor recommended that I should stay just a couple more days because my father was responding well to me being there. He said he would give me any paper work I would need and to call the air line and they should move it for me. Wrong!!! I told them what was going on and they said that they do not do anything for that and it would cost me $495 to change my ticket to Sunday.
I tried to explain my situation again and she said that was the policy and she could not change it. So I asked if there was a manager or something and she rudely said that no matter who I talked to it would not be changed. So I said that I can buy a one way ticket from another airline for cheaper and she said go ahead.
So I simply asked her how it felt to be ripping someone off while their father was fighting for his life in the hospital and her response was to hang up on me. By the way I spent over $700.00 to buy the ticket last minute and was willing to pay a reasonable fee to change my ticket.
I ended up buying a ticket from another company who gave me a big discount for my situation. So needless to say I will never give US Air another dollar of my money and I am going to do everything I can to tell everyone about my horrible experience and get as many people as possible to boycott US Air.
Posted by jermy cadorette on August 3, 2006 12:43 AM
I am looking for a mailing address to the corporate offices of US Airways. I wrote a letter and wish to sent a copy to Doug Parker. It's impossible to locate.
Posted by T on August 12, 2006 9:16 PM
US Airways
Attention: Customer Relations
4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85034
866-523-5333
Not sure how I got this? Visit the website, click Contact Us, then Customer Relations.
Then take the information you have here (US Airways, Phoenix AZ) and plug it into Google and your first result is US Airways Center Executive Offices:
US Airways Center, Executive Offices
201 E Jefferson St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-379-2000
Hope this helps.
Posted by Chad Everett on August 13, 2006 8:28 AM
My luggage is supposed to be there however I am not. Would you please check to make sure that it is there or is it in San Diego?
Posted by Sharon Kay Jacobson on March 15, 2008 4:47 PM