Airlines And Service

[usairways_vote_NO]

See, once you enter a road warrior life, it's not about the miles. It's the service, stupid!

[post="254026"][/post]​

How about the FF's rank your priorities as far as picking an airline and more specifically define what good service is to you. Please you have your chance to tell the employees of the airline of your choice what is important to you. Let them know.

 

[jimcfs]

How about the FF's rank your priorities as far as picking an airline and more specifically define what good service is to you.

[post="254040"][/post]​

Ok, UVN... I'm game. For reference, I am not a CP, only a GP, but I have close to 2 Million miles on US. No more than 2000 on any other carrier. Why??

It's the service, stupid.

It's all about the little things. Getting flights out on time, arriving on time. Delays are a fact of life (look at the last few weeks with weather)... treating us with respect and not sugarcoating or lying about a situation scores big points.

I'm not a CP, but all I hear about is how the CP desk helps the CP members when there is problems. As a GP, I've had similar experiences in the past, but I may have to hold a bit longer.

Let me give you an example of many that sticks out in my mind. Back in '97, my (then) finance (now wife Sue) had a panic attack on her flight into PIT and had to get paramedics to look at her there. In the process, she missed her connect to CRW that night. I was at CRW waiting for her, as it's a 90 minute drive to where we live from CRW. So, I was paged by a TA (who knew me from the number of times I've flown out of CRW), who took me behind the counter to the crew room, told me what had happened, and had me talk to Sue. US put Sue up in PIT that night and booked her on the first flight into CRW the next morning. The TA helped me book an award ticket for the next morning in case Sue wanted me to come get her at PIT (which I ended up not using, but I still had to book a room in CRW... so what). Show me this service on a LCC or most other legacy carriers?

The people I've encountered since 1987 make it worthwhile alone. The little perks help, but the smiles, friendly service and going the extra mile always outweighs any perk.

 

[jcavinato]

I, too, have about 2 million on US. I can echo many beyond-the-norm things that I and my family have experienced with different folks from the company over the years as well. While these things are "service," they are also just plain nice people to people thoughtfulness.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

Here are the stats from dot for the on time arrivals I didn't go thru them but pretty sure USAirways wasn't first. DOT STATS

I guess what I am looking for is what is it that USAirways gives as a normal service that is better then the LCC's and other legacy airlines that makes you choose them over the others?

The story is a good example but how can you or I know that another airline wouldn't have done the same or better? I am sure all airlines have their own stories.

Is it safe to say that you choose USAirways not because they have a better route structure for your needs and it is just the service as you say?

jimcfs :""treating us with respect and not sugarcoating or lying about a situation scores big points""

How would USAirways handling of the Christmas meltdown fall in here? What about the other stories from other recent and in past on here of bad service? Even some of Pineybobs own posts and roadtrips?

 

[jimcfs]

jimcfs :""treating us with respect and not sugarcoating or lying about a situation scores big points""

How would USAirways handling of the Christmas meltdown fall in here? What about the other stories from other recent and in past on here of bad service? Even some of Pineybobs own posts and roadtrips?

[post="254086"][/post]​

I'm talking about how the mainliners treat us everyday. I don't deal with upper level management often, so I can't give an opinion there. Sounds like you want me to equate my experience to the Christmas situation... sorry, won't go there. See Piney's post of FFOCUS response for a explanation on that one.

I had a bad situation at PHL yesterday that I already posted about in a separate thread. According to some who responded, sounded like a management problem there. Had to give the captain and FA credit on that one... they both got off their butts, got resourceful and got us out of there. Again, good service, UVN, maybe not on all accounts, but for those that the customers see, they scored big points.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

Again, good service, UVN, maybe not on all accounts, but for those that the customers see, they scored big points.

[post="254087"][/post]​

I really wasn't trying to get you to go anywhere. I guess I am not going to get what I am looking for. You are relating specific situations in your experience that unless repeated at another airline you have no idea how it might have been handled. Even if the situation happened again at USAirways but with someone else or a different day you wouldn't know if result would be same.

I keep seeing "Its the service , Stupid"

What I was looking for is a list 1, 2 ,3 tell me what usairways does that is over and above the normal service at the other airlines. Say all airlines have same route structure and stand them up next to each other and make a list of why USAirways stand over and above the rest under normal conditions.

The reason I ask is because I don't think any airline really stands out. I am sure all airlines have there own group of customers that swear by them. They most likely feel just as strongly for their airline as you do for USAirways. But I bet it all comes down to is everyone started flying their airline for the same reason to begin with. They fly where you fly out of and go were you need to go.

 

[PHL]

UVN, it's all about what we see on the outside. A teeny, tiny fraction of USAirways' customers read this forum to hear some of the heartaches the employees have suffered. Most only know what's in a 30 second blurb on the TV news, or a few column inches in the busines section of their paper. So, to the average flyer none of what's going on behind the scenes really matters. On any given flight, there are likely a number of people who are a.) earning less than any airline employee, b.) unemployed or c.) going through similar downsizing issues of their own. So USAirways' employees' issues are not their concern.

That being said, it doesn't change the fact that it is what it is. So, to leave a lasting impression on the passenger (i.e. provide good service) the whole trip should be uneventful. It should be executed as planned. Every year, that happens for millions of USAirways' customers. And, consequently, they come back. But when events do go awry, the way they are handled is what really sets an impression. That's where the definition of service really takes a turn. It's where the flight attendant went above her call of duty when she tracked me down and called me the next day to let me know I left my pager in the airplane restroom. The kicker was I hadn't realized I lost it yet! It's where captain Skip came back to check on my wife enroute to Rome to make sure she was comfortable, after hearing of her reluctance to fly so far on such a new plane (A330 just went into service PHL-FCO). It's where a gate agent reroutes me on a transcon from a connection to a nonstop and upgrades me to first when I wasn't even elite, apologizing for weather delays.

It's things like that which have kept me returning year after year. There are things about service that can't be put into an employee manual. It just takes the right kind of person to have empathy and compassion, even after a 10 hour day of dealing with angry passengers.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

[post="254103"][/post]​

Yours is a good post.

But really are those things you can say wouldn't happen at any old legacy carrier?

Isn't really all about flying a carrier, getting comfortable with a carrier, reluctance to change from the tried and true?

 

[jimcfs]

Isn't really all about flying a carrier, getting comfortable with a carrier, reluctance to change from the tried and true?

[post="254105"][/post]​

Part of it is convenience. Pre 9/11, US was the only carrier that served a lot of markets where I frequent with mainline service. A mainline DC9/F28/737 short hop to PIT or CLT and you were on your way to wherever you needed to go. I couldn't do this on UA/NW/CO unless I took props of one type of another. So, yes, I've grown comfortable with US for the past 17 years.

Now that service has been reduced to EX RJ service in a lot of cases, still a US RJ is better than other RJ service... I found that out this week with UA/Mesa.

 

[Hope777]

Well let me give you an Example of POOR Service. This last Tuesday we flew to CLT at 2:50pm. We all boarded the aircraft at 2:30pm for an On-Time Departure in First Class. The F/C cabin was Full. There was no drink service prior to pushback and once in flight, the F/A got up a served as normal. She took drink orders, passed around the basket and that was it. Only problem is she only served ONE drink. After the first drink, she NEVER asked if anyone needed anything else adn proceeded to the Jump Seat to read her book. Now on the return, I happened to have the SAME F/A. She offered bottles of water prior to Pushback and came around several times asking if anyone needed anything. So my point, you don't get a Consistant Service not only from the Airline, not even from the same Flight Attendant.

 

[Travelpro72]

You may have caught that girl on the 6th leg of her day and exhausted from not being able to grab a bite to eat. I myself know that I give better attentive service in Envoy more times than others. As long as your nice and can manage to peel a bit of a smile and do your job. That bottle of water thing KILLS me btw. I HATE that.

 

[mweiss]

It's all about the little things. Getting flights out on time, arriving on time.

It's obviously not about that, or you'd be flying WN. Nobody has a more consistent record of getting flights out on time, and arriving on time.

I'm not a CP, but all I hear about is how the CP desk helps the CP members when there is problems. As a GP, I've had similar experiences in the past, but I may have to hold a bit longer.

AA has the best reputation in the industry when it comes to service at the top elite desk.

I only bring this up because I don't believe that the decision is rational. It's emotional. There's nothing wrong with that; I've made my air carrier choices based on emotions as well. It's just not very credible to claim that it's based on rational decisionmaking.

 

[700UW]

WN does not have ACARS either, it is the pilot telling the agents the out, off, on and in times.

And they have known not to be 100% honest all the time.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

I only bring this up because I don't believe that the decision is rational. It's emotional. There's nothing wrong with that; I've made my air carrier choices based on emotions as well. It's just not very credible to claim that it's based on rational decisionmaking.

[post="254315"][/post]​

Guess I been going about it in a roundabout way but I agree. If your carrier bites the dust you will get over it move on and find another that you might feel just as strongly about.

 

[supercruiser]

WN does not have ACARS either, it is the pilot telling the agents the out, off, on and in times.
And they have known not to be 100% honest all the time.

[post="254316"][/post]​

Some years ago, I was jumpseating on SWA, and the flight left the gate about 10 minutes or so late, and the Capt said to the FO, call it in as "on time." He turned to me and held up his pen and said "the on-time machine."

supercruiser