So Long Usairways, Hello Southwest!

[StewGuy86]

Exactly what has this guy done to merit such anger? He finally said "enough is enough" and he refuses to put up with the poor service offered by a company whose management (how loosely I use that term) has destroyed its employees and their morale.

What exactly do you expect from him? I mean, really, is he supposed to keep paying his hard-earned money for this sort of crap? Loyalty is one thing...and it sounds to me as if he's given us plenty of that for a quarter-century. But to blindly give your money to a company that is consistently giving you an inferior product is just plain stupid.

 

[Aryeh]

Althogh the airport where this customer experienced his runaround wasn't where I work, it easily could have been my work location or many others.
Only US Airways could be so inept in its effort to reorganize itself, to transform its "business model" into "a design that uniquely combines the best business practices of both legacy and low-cost carriers" by making the checkin process less efficient, more stressful and chaotic to both passenger and customers.
Only our management could come up with the current bedlam of:

*kiosks beeping so loud they're heard in the next county,
*a corral of passengers nearly trapped by an encirclement of ropes, kiosks, baggage, trolleys, strollers, dogs, etc,
*CARS, though not their fault, with a role similar to being like glorified lobby agents, and who, at first, appear to passengers as agents, but moments later appear to passengers as just incompetent agents because they can't do anything, and can't handle 95% of the issues posed to them. They are real good, however, at giving directions to the kiosks, and bathrooms and garage!
*finally, with past and present cuts, you're lucky if you have a couple of actual agents remaining (even luckier if the agents among the few who their jobs well) to staff the counter and who have most every issue possible flow their way (Priority check in, international issues, reissues, ticketing, invols, pets, UMNRs, lost articles, cancellations, explaining to a passenger how to get to United although their itinerary in BOLD states US Airways, while not so prominently states otherwise, etc, etc. Much of the work hasn't shifted away from agents to kiosks and CARS, but rather many customers being shifted by the CARS and because of the kiosks, to the few real agents remaining, plus everything else. Now half our staff can’t help out with most passenger issues, unless of course they want to use the washroom.

 

[firstamendment]

Althogh the airport where this customer experienced his runaround wasn't where I work, it easily could have been my work location or many others.
Only US Airways could be so inept in its effort to reorganize itself, to transform its "business model" into "a design that uniquely combines the best business practices of both legacy and low-cost carriers" by making the checkin process less efficient, more stressful and chaotic to both passenger and customers.
Only our management could come up with the current bedlam of:

*kiosks beeping so loud they're heard in the next county,
*a corral of passengers nearly trapped by an encirclement of ropes, kiosks, baggage, trolleys, strollers, dogs, etc,
*CARS, though not their fault, with a role similar to being like glorified lobby agents, and who, at first, appear to passengers as agents, but moments later appear to passengers as just incompetent agents because they can't do anything, and can't handle 95% of the issues posed to them. They are real good, however, at giving directions to the kiosks, and bathrooms and garage!
*finally, with past and present cuts, you're lucky if you have a couple of actual agents remaining (even luckier if the agents among the few who their jobs well) to staff the counter and who have most every issue possible flow their way (Priority check in, international issues, reissues, ticketing, invols, pets, UMNRs, lost articles, cancellations, explaining to a passenger how to get to United although their itinerary in BOLD states US Airways, while not so prominently states otherwise, etc, etc. Much of the work hasn't shifted away from agents to kiosks and CARS, but rather many customers being shifted by the CARS and because of the kiosks, to the few real agents remaining, plus everything else. Now half our staff can’t help out with most passenger issues, unless of course they want to use the washroom.

[post="278900"][/post]​

Apparently you haven't flown NWA from MSP. It's kioske central, It ain't just US Airways.

 

[calibrator]

Apparently you haven't flown NWA from MSP. It's kioske central, It ain't just US Airways.

[post="278982"][/post]​

I can't wait till all one needs to do is put a quarter in a slot that used to be the cockpit so I can come on here and post bright cheery posts explaining how I don't like this, but it's reality and if one doesn't like it they can still catch a bus.

 

[delldude]

I can't wait till all one needs to do is put a quarter in a slot that used to be the cockpit so I can come on here and post bright cheery posts explaining how I don't like this, but it's reality and if one doesn't like it they can still catch a bus.

[post="278983"][/post]​

no dude...it'll be better yet when upon the cockpit door there hangs a sign saying:

 

[US1YFARE]

[Cheap fares and a great website which allows me to print my "A" boarding pass makes the process very smooth and effortless. The little interface needed between the customer and the agent is made easy by a very professional staff. The caliber of employee at Southwest is far superior to the "gansta' wanna be's" at USAirways.

Sky high states: Try getting into Terminal ONE in LAX. The LINE can STRETCHHHHHHHHHHHHH from Terminal ONE to Terminal TWO. Several HUNDRED YARDS of--------> passengers. Now, go inside, a typical Southwest passengers is laying on the floor. It's a zoo inside with NO place to sit.
Southwest is the Epitome of STANDING IN LINE.....and MASS TRANSPORTATION.

[post="278611"][/post]​

Well, I connected recently from United's Terminal T9 or something like that to T1 on a Friday. It was a disaster. My UA flight was late and I had 15 mins to get to my flight. The security line at T1 was out the door and down the sidewalk. A very very very very kind US employee helped me out and got me through security in less than 3 minutes--thank you, thank you, thank you frontline US employees for caring about your customers. If he didn't help me, I think it would have taken until Monday to get through that line.

This thread is bunch of crock anyway because who quits flying an airline and goes to one they never flew before.

 

[PBRmeASAP]

Hmmmmm.....

You would rather be herded down the cattle chute than have a seat assignment?    Fly with a cabin staff that acts like a Comedy Central act?  Go for it, Buddy!  Enjoy!

[post="278557"][/post]​

Its better than a grumpy old flight attendant that scowls at you if you ask for the whole can of coke rather than a cupful of ice and a mouthful of coke!
2days later my wife misses a flight because theres a huge line and all the gate agents (4) handling first class ticketing in CLT are standing there with their fingers in their ass doing nothing rather than opening to coach and helping fare paying passengers.
USAirways is overpriced compared to others and besides that they really suck when it comes to service!!!
Maybe Southwest acts like a Comedy Central act.....but USAirways is a Comedy Central act!!

 

[OTslave]

Its better than a grumpy old flight attendant that scowls at you if you ask for the whole can of coke rather than a cupful of ice and a mouthful of coke!
2days later my wife misses a flight because theres a huge line and all the gate agents (4) handling first class ticketing in CLT are standing there with their fingers in their ass doing nothing rather than opening to coach and helping fare paying passengers.
USAirways is overpriced compared to others and besides that they really suck when it comes to service!!!
Maybe Southwest acts like a Comedy Central act.....but USAirways is a Comedy Central act!!

[post="279451"][/post]​

Next ass hole in line please,
no, no, not you, the one with the First Class wife

 

[Chuck]

no dude...it'll be better yet when upon the cockpit door there hangs a sign saying:

[post="279347"][/post]​

US1

Wrong dude, I have flown SW many times. It's a business model that actually works, unlike what I see around here of late.

 

[PBRmeASAP]

Next ass hole in line please,
no, no, not you, the one with the First Class wife

[post="279552"][/post]​

4 gate agents that wouldn't help anyone because they didn't have first class tickets! Just booked on Air Tran for my trip next week! Youre right anyone waiting in line and wasting time for agents doing nothing does deserve to be called an ####! No wonder you jokers lost what was it 38Mil in May!

 

[firstamendment]

Its better than a grumpy old flight attendant that scowls at you if you ask for the whole can of coke rather than a cupful of ice and a mouthful of coke!
2days later my wife misses a flight because theres a huge line and all the gate agents (4) handling first class ticketing in CLT are standing there with their fingers in their ass doing nothing rather than opening to coach and helping fare paying passengers.
USAirways is overpriced compared to others and besides that they really suck when it comes to service!!!
Maybe Southwest acts like a Comedy Central act.....but USAirways is a Comedy Central act!!

[post="279451"][/post]​

Now that is stereotyping, but I see your point. You can have the entire plane for all I care. I have never poo-pooed someone for wanting the whole can...for God's sake!! As far as stand around agents, you lie, my friend. I live in CLT and have NEVER seen agents standing around. You must be mixed up with PHL , but I'm sure I'll be painted as the bad employee because I don't believe you, so go ahead and spread your venom AAlong with our certain troublemAAkers. :down: :down: :angry:

 

[osunut]

everyone has a valid point on here. Chuck is bent because of the service he ahs received in the past. FA is bent because she busts her butt doing her job with everything that has gone on.

Hell I was going out of DCA the other day going back home. The agent in the line was an idiot, the tkt agent was wonderful. The gate agent was great and funny, her support agent was like suzy uppy pants. The 2nd FA was great, the 3rd and 1st could smile. PHL looked like a pigs pin, carpet missing, tash overflowing, crap all over....I was like, what the hell are we merging with? The conx flt 2nd FA was great the 3rd looked like a nasty mop on her head and you couldn't see her face.

My point is that everyones experience is different and there are great employees and haorrible ones. I am proud of who I work for and I feel there will be a shift in thought and perception. This however is not going to happen over night and will take longer than the full intergration itself.

Relax, because is always gets worse before it is better and things have almost hit the bottom.

 

[Hope777]

Point is, the man has had enough. I have flown SWA numerous times and have had for the most part, no problems. Hell, they treat my family and I better then my fellow employees do. Have I had bad flights and rude employees on SWA YES, but it is to be expected once and a while. I have worked with many employees that have also had enough, and they have also left the company.

 

[tadjr]

4 gate agents that wouldn't help anyone because they didn't have first class tickets!

[post="279681"][/post]​

Unfortunately, if you're working the 1st class line, you help 1st class customers (and Preferred if its the same). Ask any of the FC, Preferred guys who have to wait in a line because the agents working FC are on hold doing an international reissue or having a UA eticket problem or any other number of issues because they pulled from the regular line. True, someone in the FC/Preferred line might have the same problem, but you'd be working someone who you were scheduled to help and its very unlikely that everyone in the FC/Pref line ends up with a problem at the same time. Not true from the other/problem line. I can tell you it happens more often than not that the 2 or 3 agents who are scheduled in my station all end up in deals because we tried to get the other line moving. Try to be helpful, get in a deal, get the wrath of a CHPR or FC customer. No thanks. Thats the way the company wants to staff (cut the ticket agents to bare minimum), thats what happens.
I was working FC/Preferred today and called next from the regular line. Spent 25 minutes with a family of 6 misconnecting to PVD (no seats today), rebooking to BDL, changing return, reissuing tickets, checking in, etc. Had a CHPR almost miss his flight waiting for someone to help him (there were 3 of us at the FC line). Next from the regular line was a weather misconnect (no seats to PNS), UA issued ticket, get an invol at UA. They wouldnt/couldnt do it. Went to UA to get it done. 20 mins later done. Then they decide that DL has seats and they want to go on them. Go back to UA, undo refund, etc. Its not always as EASY as it appears and if they actually have someone to work ONLY the FC/Preferred line, then more power to them and congrats to the FC/Preferred customers checking in there. Enjoy it where you can! B)