Us Airways Dead Last

[UPNAWAY]

It could be argued that the consumer complaint ranking is a better indicator than the rest -

Actually they probably are the most meaningliss becuase of the small numbers.
Also much of it is perception. LUV is ususally #1 even though their OTP has been going down.
AWA on the other hand has had greatly improving #s but that is just starting to reflect in the compliant side after 4 years of improvement.

In the last few years there have been months where AWA was 1 or 2 in OTP and like 3 in bags and last in compliants. It doesn't add up. With the Christmas meltdown and the BKs it will take 3 - 4 years of a turn around before you see the PAX perception change. And when something goes wrong it is their perception which drives thyem to spend the time to write a letter.

 

[firstamendment]

I gave US a DOT complain this time last year, and unfortunately, only after I sent a DOT complaint and CCed that letter to consumer affairs did I get any sort of response.

What happened was a flight attendant gate checked my rollaboard after asking my permission, and I said no as it had electronics inside, and then later removed it from its proper storage area and gate checked it anyway... broken digital camera by the time it made it to baggage claim at PHL (a good hour after my flight landed). I got the "not responsible for poorly packed electronics in checked luggage" runaround (and being told a 737 is an RJ where all rollaboard have to be gate checked) from local bag service, PIT central claims, and consumer affairs. Registered letter to DOT got results. Shouldn't have to come to that.

JAXPax
I am so sorry you went through that. I know some f/a's can be difficult at the stage of the ball game where you were in boarding. May I suggest that you let the f/a know that you would like to hang on to your camera. I try to ask a person checking a bag if there is anything important you need and if so to take it out. Most understand. Better yet, take it out before hand. I know bag checking is a pain and to penalyzed because you may have gotten off a late connector bites, but I enjoy my digital toys and would hold onto them as well if I were you.

 

[JAXPax]

JAXPax
I am so sorry you went through that. I know some f/a's can be difficult at the stage of the ball game where you were in boarding. May I suggest that you let the f/a know that you would like to hang on to your camera. I try to ask a person checking a bag if there is anything important you need and if so to take it out. Most understand. Better yet, take it out before hand. I know bag checking is a pain and to penalyzed because you may have gotten off a late connector bites, but I enjoy my digital toys and would hold onto them as well if I were you.

Oh, I agree completely and normally would hold onto things tighter control. Which is why when the flight attendant first asked if it were possible to check the bag, I said no, as there are electronics including a laptop inside (which I removed and held onto to use during flight). I was assured fine, it won't get checked then. The flight attendant put it in the forward closet (which, at least when I worked for American, I recall wasn't allowed for anything but crew bags there). My upgrade was given away in my absence during the clearing process (I had to run to make the connection), so I went back to the bulkhead window in coach. After pushback is when he told me he checked the bag.

The experience with Philly bag service is the primary reason why I escalated it. Telling me that a.) I got off an RJ where all rollaboards are gate checked, and then informed me that a B737 is a regional jet without very big overhead bins, and b.) telling me that the gate check tag was one I willingly had put on at the ticket counter, then changing the story to c.) after looking up my record in the computer telling me I hadn't checked bags and was just trying to defraud US Airways, followed by d.) telling me he was not going to take down any information, and I should "learn how to pack better." At that point, I admit I probably wasn't very polite and eventually somebody else came out of the office behind the counter and took a report.

 

[AtlanticBeach]

It is important to consider that JAXPax was probably in F and is certainly a Chairman's or Gold Preferred.

While most FA's are outstanding, there are a few who still throw their weight around. Young passengers in the front cabin often get the short straw. A similar experience happened to my daughter. She was going to a college interview and the FA took her bag from the overhead in F and told her that she was going to gate check it JAX-PHL-BWI. The FA told my daughter to not argue or else she would have her escorted from the aircraft. My daughter's bag did not arrive for her interview the next morning and she showed up in the same clothes she wore the prior day.

Not US Airways' best moment. The Consumer Affairs response was "We defer to the discretion of the flight crew for passenger safety." The bag was already in the overhead. No safety issue.

 

[Twicebaked]

Not US Airways' best moment. The Consumer Affairs response was "We defer to the discretion of the flight crew for passenger safety." The bag was already in the overhead. No safety issue.

I wonder if something is missing from this story?? Usually when a flight attendant removes a bag from the overhead, it is because that particular pax has placed more than one bag in the overhead. The FAA does NOT care whether you are a chairman prefered or not. The rule is larger up top and smaller under your seat. What applies to the lowest couch customer applies to the highest of first customer. Why should a pax be allowed to stow 2 or 3 bags in an overhead while someone else may have to check their one and only bag?

 

[AtlanticBeach]

I wonder if something is missing from this story?? Usually when a flight attendant removes a bag from the overhead, it is because that particular pax has placed more than one bag in the overhead. The FAA does NOT care whether you are a chairman prefered or not. The rule is larger up top and smaller under your seat. What applies to the lowest couch customer applies to the highest of first customer. Why should a pax be allowed to stow 2 or 3 bags in an overhead while someone else may have to check their one and only bag?

One bag. She had been a US 2 for three years at that point. She knew the rules.

 

[the turtle]

Clearly, it's Mesa's fault.

 

[Twicebaked]

Don't know what the reason would be then???????

 

[AtlanticBeach]

Don't know what the reason would be then???????

We all have bad days.

The reason for my post is that younger elites sometimes get questioned by both other passengers and flight crews. JAXPax is a student. I have been with my daughter when FA's asked her for her boarding pass or a direct question whether she was in the correct cabin, when we have not had adjacent seats.

 

[luvthe9]

CLEAR SKIES AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ringmaruf]

The reason for my post is that younger elites sometimes get questioned by both other passengers and flight crews. JAXPax is a student. I have been with my daughter when FA's asked her for her boarding pass or a direct question whether she was in the correct cabin, when we have not had adjacent seats.

I completely agree with you. I'm only 21, and I'm a US1 this year, thanks to a challenge US offered me in the spring. (I'll be back to being a US2 next year.) I very often get dirty looks from the other pax in F due to my age, and people are always trying to push past me when Zone 1 is called for boarding. I didn't notice it from the employees when I was a US2, but this year, I've had several f/a's bring up my status when they saw it on the manifest--usually, they're just curious and not hostile, but I'd really rather it not be broadcast through the cabin, inviting my seatmate to question me on why I travel so much. Less friendly are the gate agents who keep asking to see my DM card and my ID when processing an upgrade or whatever, or the CARs who keep assuming I'm in the wrong line at the ATO.

 

[JAXPax]

Speaking of Mesa, on a Mesa flight I got asked, in the exit row (by the flight attendant wearing several, um, non-uniform accessories), "How old are you?" I told the flight attendant "Probably older than you." Turns out I was by a year.

As far as status, I've had other passengers make more inquiries than employees. Then again, at JAX, I'm familiar with several of the employees and at Philly (usually the other end for me) I try to minimize contact with ground personnel.


I observed an interesting situation while waiting boarding in Charlotte two weeks ago.... the plane was inbound from MHT, and a deplaning passenger went up to the podium with two of the flight attendants. Apparently the gate agent at MHT was pulling bags out of the cabin (appears maybe somebody got off after boarding?) and pulled the wrong ones. Thus, this poor passenger was in Charlotte at 8pm at night with nothing but her People magazine. Purse was inside her bag in the overhead with money, cell phone, car rental agreement, even driver's license. The flight attendants kept trying to push cash on her, but she refused. Have to say from what I saw, US was going to take care of her (hotel for the night, some cash, phone cards).

 

[Whatnow?]

Don't know what the reason would be then???????

Lots of PAX during boarding will place oversized and large bags in the overhead compartment and then not try to close the overhead compartment door to see if it actually fits the way it was placed in the overhead.....then what happens is other PAX during boarding will place bags into the same overhead bin until it is crammed soo tight it won't close. As the F/A's are walking through the cabin to close bins and make sure all carry on luggage is properly stored for departure, they encounter this overstuffed overhead bin with the obvious culprit being the large bag not allowing the bin to close. At that point of the boarding process the quickest and fastest way to correct the problem for an on time departure is to check the large bag....plain and simple. Just a word of advice, if you bring a large bag on board and place it in the overhead bin successfully, please make sure the bin door will close before sitting down. As for F/C overhead compartments...the 737 is the absolute worst! I cringe when working up front during boarding on full flights because out of 12 F/C PAX....10 of them will have rollerboard suitcases, laptops, briefcases, etc.., all to fit into 2 overhead bins per side of the F/C cabin.....it just doesn't work. :angry:

 

[usair_begins_with_u]

who cares, the stock is going up anyways...

 

[Travelpro72]

Recently I have seen a HUGE difference in f/a's during boarding. MOST have been very proactive in their announcements. We are hearing instances from a few here but as a f/a on the line alot MOST and even F/C do NOT follow the rules. I have been at the door making an announcement and it goes ignored. I tell the agents to watch for bags before boarding so we are not held up. You can make announcements about nothing on the floor at a bulkhead seat until the cows come home. We as f/a's don't get paid until the door is shut so we want the bags stowed and we now want out "hat trick" money. If a pax gets on late I honestly feel bad for them but when we are ready to shut the door and there is no obvious space left it gets checked. I have had passengers refuse to check a bag when there is absolutely no room. We are usually pretty good with moving articles around to make room but we are not Copperfield and cant make magic. I always offer a white refuse bag to take things out that may be of importance if the bag needs checked. On the flipside though, with all the bs that goes on in PHL who in their right mind would want to check a bag if you know you didn't have to? Also, if we make the top of the DOT list for on time performance, what difference does it make if your on time if you have to wait forever to obtain your bags? Kinda pointless now isn't it? The bag issue on some flights is out of control to say the least but it's understandable why passengers don't want to check bags. I dead headed for petes sake and had crew tags up the wazooo all over my bag and it went to baggage claim. ONE bag is the way to go. The personal items are as big as standard rollerboards.