Airlines And Service

700UW said:
WN does not have ACARS either
[post="254316"][/post]​
Ahh, yes. That always perfect ACARS. Nobody's figured out how to game ACARS to affect the ontime numbers, have they? B)
 
Well if you look at US' dismal performance I would say no, and no pilot is gonna short their pay, as ACARS is used to determine their pay.
 
Just a couple of observations:

One thing WN figured out long ago is that they are not in the transportation business, they are in the customer service business. The approach is different, people vs equipment.

On changing airlines, some people have forgotten these are airlines, not religions. For me number one over upgrading, perks, even customer service is who will get me home the soonest. So for me number one issue is frequency between city pairs. I want to know my airline will get me home within an hour of getting to the airport no matter when my actual flight is reserved. Living in Dallas for me thats WN or AA.
 
What's important? Lots of things at different times.

1) Clear, consistent, honest and useful communication -- all of the airlines are pretty bad at this but some are less bad than others. SWA probably leads the pack on the plus side -- although that's more perception on my part than direct experience. I fly them once in a while and walk by their gate areas now and then. They do seem to do a great job keeping people up to date.

Among the legacy airlines that I fly NWA seems to be best. They're really good at electronic communications, check-in reminders, upgrade status, flight status & gate changes and so forth. They're less good once you hit the airport -- they sent me an electronic notice of a delayed flight and broken connection once; they even had me re-routed on US Airways. But I had already left for the airport ... At the airport they didn't update the monitor until boarding time and there wasn't an agent until just before the new departure time -- so I had no idea until it was too late to act.

Now I check my e-mail (using my cell phone) as soon as I get to the airport ;)

US' grade -- pretty poor. The CP desk sometimes calls when there is a problem. I appreciate the effort but they're usually too late to do anything more than tell me that I'm protected on the next flight. US' electronic communications are a disaster. If I call or ask an agent something at the airport they're usually honest insofar as they know what's happening -- but the data they have to work with is pretty poor. As an example on Tuesday morning I had 90+ minutes of delay in CLT -- the departure time was pushed back in 15 minute increments as the inbound flight continually didn't show up (from PIT for all you PHL bashers.) Very frustrating -- I could have been comfortable in the Club rather than haunting the gate area if accurate information was available. Similar rolling delay problem in PHL last evening (only it was mechanical in nature.)

2) Focus (with just one "F"). I want an airline that is focused on the business traveler. It's ok that leisure travelers are in the mix -- they're important too and sometimes I'm one of them. But I want an airline that pays attention to what business travelers really need. Not what some suit at CCY thinks we need based on some fantasy derived from a spreadsheet.

Among the legacy carriers I think US' front line people understand that well -- especially in the Northeast (other carriers may do well on their home turf but seem to have weaker staffs in the Northeast.) This is one of the major points in US' favor in my mind.

I supect that SWA understands business travel far better than they are generally credited with. -- it's also one of the things they're good at directing competitive attention away from.

3) Comfort. Upgrades, legroom, clubs, snacks, meals, quiet areas. It doesn't need to be fancy. SWA falls down in a big way here. US does well except for the RJs and the 757 -- I'd rather fly SWA than fly an RJ. The US snack basket is still a pretty good touch on short hop F flights. The meal situation on longer flights is pathetic. US' Clubs are average (NWA at DTW kicks butt...) Gate areas are way too crowded and disorganized. Cleanliness, or the lack thereof, is starting to be a problem for US -- the planes need attention and so do the airports. This stuff adds up.

4) Efficiency. I want to be able to get where I need to get without undue hassle. Hassle of all kinds is to be eliminated -- changing planes, dealing with the TSA, finding a plug for my laptop, finding food, checking bags, standing in line, paying nusiance fees whatever. Eliminate it. Or at least try to.

Some of that stuff is common to all airlines -- although SWA seems to do a pretty good job of looking "outside the box" and finding creative ways to bring other parties to the party (so to speak). I find it fascinating how the TSA seems to always have more stations open and friendlier goons near the SWA gates for instance...

US seems to be making some headway here with the rolling hub at PHL -- the hassle factor there seems down from the past. Although the lack of a "preferred line" that works is an ongoing issue (apparently due to TSA intransigence...) Another area that needs serious improvement is the codeshare -- it ought to be far more seamless than it is. The CO/NW codeshare should be the model. All this crap about Club access with certain conditions and E+ seats and upgrades and so on and so forth needs to go.

Ticket rules and other rules should be simplified -- GoFares, where they exist, are a start but there's a lot of room for continued improvement.

5) Familiarity and loyalty is certainly a strong factor. There's a lot to be said for "the devil you know". I remember the good times more than the bad -- I remember a lot of positive experiences with US Airways. Very few negatives. I know other stuff happened but I also know that it could happen anywhere. Same with the good stuff of course. With US I'm confident that I'm in good, experienced hands. The grass may look greener somewhere else for a while but US is still home.

6) Price and schedule. I'll happily buy tickets on a more expensive airline in exchange for the items above. It's worth a reasonable premium -- 10% to 20%. Maybe even more if you do it right. I'll even take connections and incur a bit of inconvienence. But you cannot expect to compete with BloFares (yes, they're still out there.) Those days are over. And don't be expecting me to put in hours of time fighting with the website to figure out ways to buy more expensive tickets. You need to make it easy. SWA makes it easy to pay full fare. US doesn't.

7) Miles? Miles per se aren't at the top of the list. The DM program as a whole is very important -- but to the VFF earning miles is the smallest part of it.
 
supercruiser said:
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
[post="254341"][/post]​

I'm curious...perhaps that did happen to your friend. Can I ask a few things though?

1. Was the "10 minutes or so" ten minutes after the CRS departure time, or was it 10 minutes after the 15 minutes past the CRS departure time. If it was 10 after the CRS time, then the captain was right...as far as the government was concerned, they only care if it's 15 minutes or more

2. Did your friend mention if they were at the arrival gate on time?

3. How many complaints were generated by this "10 minutes or so" delay?

And finally, are you sure other carriers aren't fudging the ACARS system? There have been numerous flights (mostly on Delta) where the doors were closed and locked, yet we sat at the gate for "10 or so minutes" after the scheduled departure time. Did ACARS show us as ontime or not?
 
Each airline's ACARS system is set up differently for block times. (it also can depend on equipment type) This kind of skews the results of on-time performance.

I think Delta's MD88's show's the out time when the doors are all closed and the beacon is turned on. If I remember correctly, the A320 family at US show's the out-time upon wheel movement. So if your buttoned up at the gate on a DL aircraft your out on-time, if your buttoned up on a US bird but you can't push for traffic for 10 to 15 minutes...your not out and your now delayed!

On some A320's I've flown for other airline's, you can go into the ACARS and actually change the out-time. Back to the day's of "The Pen is Mightier than the Jet Fuel!"

Other quirks in ACARS also include upon arrival waiting for a gate, some aircraft will actually show a in-time....then the ACARS get's confused when you finally taxi to the gate.

To sum it all up....ACARS really doesn't help in showing accurate performance!

just my 2 cents:)
 
What is good service?

I will fly over the course of this year more than 300 segments, on about ten different airlines. 90% of these however are on US and DL. I see a lot of different levels of service in the course of a year, even with in the same airline.

Why do US and DL get over 250 of these segments? Outside of the obvious of being located in western NC and flying out of either GSO, CLT and soon to be HKY again, it is mainly attitude of the front line staff. How do I define attitude?

First and foremost it is a smile and a warm welcome from the folks on the front line. A caring and concerned attitude is also important. Now US wins this one hands down. The front line staff in GSO is the best in the system. I’ve been flying out of this airport off and on for 20 years and know almost everyone there by name. Most know me (and not just for the jelly beans). I’m also a PLT on DL, and while GSO is my home DL airport and I could not tell you a single name of the front line staff there. Why? Because I’m just another FF showing up with at ticket to them. It is their attitude. When I walk up to the US counter every one working the counter says hello.

I know every name of every angel that works in the GSO club. I fly through CLT just as often and I’m in the club more in CLT than GSO, but I could not tell you the name of more than two people in that club. I don’t think a single one could tell you mine. The warm friendly relationship is just not there in CLT. They are professional and they meet my needs, but it is not the same.

When I get on the plane, a warm welcome and a smile mean a lot at the end of the day. I flew from CLT/GSO Wednesday night, was running late and was tired at the end of the day. The first thing I see getting on the plane is two warm, wide smiles and a heart felt welcome aboard. The F/A’s were great. And they were this way with every one who boarded the plane. I was offered a pre-departure drink, enjoyed a brief conversation with the lead F/A. Was politely asked if there was anything else she could get me once in the air and was offered the snack basket twice, all on a twenty minute flight.

Like others on this board, I enjoy talking with the F/A’s, but when I need to get work done, I also appreciate it when they just leave me to my work. I see good and poor F/A’s on US just like I do on other carriers, but with out a doubt, the men and women wearing the ugly uniform of US are the BEST in the air. No one in the industry comes any where close with the possible exception of DL


The second most important aspect of service for me is when things go wrong. I don’t ask for favors or for an employee to break any rule, but when things go wrong I do look for the employee to look for and try every angle to get me where I need to go. I want, need and expect flexibility when the need arises. In many cases, time is truly money to me. I often fly to two different cities in a day. If something goes wrong, the dominoes start to fall fast and hard. The CP desk is wonderful when this happens and unlike any other perk offered to a FF in the industry. These guys and gals are the best. No other airline has anything even close.

The front line people are equally as good if they have the time. The only problem here is that with less and less agents, there are fewer of you behind that desk when we really need you. A flight cancelled from CMH the other night and when I walked up to the counter there were over 30 people in line. To the folks in CCY, your Kiosk was failing miserably in offering effective customer service at this juncture. DL however is far worse at recovery than US is. If you are stuck in ATL and need to talk to a real agent, be prepared to stand in line for over an hour to talk to one.

Third. An upgrade. I’ll admit it, I’m a snob. I want a place to work or relax when I get on the plane. I often spend in excess of 15 hours a week on a plane and that equals two days of productive time. Without the ability to spread out and work, I have to do it when I get home. I’m only home three days a week anyway and I don’t want to spend it on something I could have done on a plane. I don’t want to do the upgrade dance at the gate either. As several who will read this know, once those upgrades fall below 95%, I’m gone to another carrier. And before some one says “you get what you pay for†I average around a $1,000 a week on airfare.

I could care less what my Jack and Ginger is served in or on and whether I get a meal (cold or hot). I do how ever like the current offerings in the snack basket. Kudos to some one. But I think I’m unique in this respect and US is losing many VFF over the lack of any class up front. A pre-flight drink of choice, even if it is just water is nice.

Fourth As a frequent flyer I don’t do kiosk and I don’t like to stand in line. Take away the preferred check in line and agents like US has done in CMH or DAY and I’ll be gone. You want to be a LCC, then start charging me a fare like one. Don’t stick me for a PHL-ALB fare of $800, because you can. (Sorry for the rant)

I also don’t speak Spanish well and it will be to your benefit to not make me wish I did just so I can locate my lost bag or try to explain to some one in web tech support what a boarding pass is.

Fifth. A clean plane every once in a while would be a nice perk as well.


Over all, I do have a choice in who I fly. I choose US because of the service of the people on the front line. You are the best in the air and deserve much better than the hand being dealt to you. You amaze me in how you have kept your attitude were it is today. As my good friend Art always says………….

My best to you all!
 
usairways_vote_NO said:
Thanks for the time to write your post. hope you get feedback from it
[post="254693"][/post]​

Feel free! I assume you started the thread in order to get ideas for your new post as VP of Dividend Miles :up:
 
With airlines, I think the choices are based more on who sucks the least rather than who does the best. After all, if everything is going perfectly, even a moron airline can do pretty well. It's when things go wrong that attitude and willingness to solve problems can either make an airline shine or make them look even worse.

Most of my flights are on DL, with most of the remainder on US (mostly business, some leisure). US is not a preferred carrier of my employer (Delta is), yet I manage to expense US flights anyway. :) They don't complain much since DL never gives us a corporate discount other than full fares and the Shuttle; just stupid corporate policy built from the days long ago of significant discounts that hasn't been re-visited yet.

I don't like CO because I don't like IAH, I hate EWR, and CLE has nothing but RJ's. I HATE that idiot CEO Gordon Bethune. Of course, it's not intended to be personal, but the things he has said about passengers is sickening. It's one thing to make it clear that you appreciate your employees, like Southwest does, but when you insult me as a passenger in the press, I say bu-bye. Yes, that is an entirely emotional reason to avoid CO, but too bad. It's my money/travel budget and I will spend it where I see fit.

I don't like AA because they constantly #### up and won't do anything to help you. I've read that their Executive Platinum desk will solve problems, but I'm not going to put up with their bullcrap and AAttitude to reach EXP just to use the EXP desk. The AAdvantage program is very nice but their operations, and worst of all, AAttitude, just plain suck.

With Delta, I have gotten a pre-departure beverage in First Class every single time, even if the plane is late or I board last (admittedly I haven't done the combination of the two, though). I am very disappointed in Delta's announcement of "following" US in further degrading their First Class product. However, upgrades are not the reason I choose Delta. I usually flew Delta before I became a FF, and I stuck with Delta when they didn't upgrade low fare passengers. Delta's friendly customer-focused attitude at the airport (for the most part; damn kiosks are destroying that), and on the plane, is what keeps me loyal to Delta.

Outside of PHL, US does an excellent job. PHL, and the closure of the PIT hub (closed for the most part, with a pittance of connections) is why I fly US less and less. :(
 
ELP_WN_Psgr said:
Maybe one of our WN friends will correct me if I am wrong, but I think WN does have ACARS now.
[post="254410"][/post]​
We have switched from TCAS processors to ACAS II processors which can support ACARS for our aircraft. I am not sure to what extent they are used by our flight crews though.
 
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longing4piedmont said:
What is good service? 

Why do US and DL get over 250 of these segments?  Outside of the obvious of being located in western NC and flying out of either GSO, CLT and soon to be HKY again, it is mainly attitude of the front line staff.  How do I define attitude?

  As several who will read this know, once those upgrades fall below 95%, I’m gone to another carrier.  .

Take away the preferred check in line and agents like US has done in CMH or DAY and I’ll be gone.  You want to be a LCC, then start charging me a fare like one.  Don’t stick me for a PHL-ALB fare of $800, because you can.  (Sorry for the rant)

[post="254794"][/post]​

You go into detail very good what you want and expect. What I find interesting is you say that obviously is location is number one then go numbering the other things that are important but you start with number one.

Then we find down in number 3 then in number 4 there is a single thing that will make you stop flying the airline if it happened. I mean if you upgrades fall below 95% you leave that sounds more like a number one then a number 3 (I am assuming you ranked by importance starting with top number 1)

But what really is interesting is that no matter how good the airline does giving you the service you want there is one single thing that if it changed would cause you to stop flying them.

The airline business seems to be a very fickle industry indeed.
 

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