So sad my poor brother had to spend his whole day dealing with this ! This letter is in regards to very poor management by your company and employees of a flight cancellation due to mechanical issues. The flight in question is US Airways Flight 1808 Newark, NJ to New Orleans, LA via Charlotte, NC dated October 10, 2014 scheduled departure 10:30 AM. We boarded the plane a few minutes late, which is no issue; however once aboard we were instructed there was a mechanical issue “below” with a computer that needed to be rebooted. Roughly 20 minutes later we were told to wait 20 minutes longer until finally the decision was made to disembark the plane because the issue could not be corrected. Once disembarked we were told to wait in line to have our ticketing issues resolved, we were also given cards with a rebooking phone number. I immediately phoned the hotline and impressively was in contact with a representative within 10 minutes. Once on the line I explained the dilemma and my need to make it to New Orleans by at the very least that evening because I was due to attend a medical conference in the morning (American Society of Anesthesiologists at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans) and the delay was not a major issue, a minor inconvenience. I made it clear to the representative that I’d be willing to leave out of any airport in the New York metropolitan area and the fact my fiancé was meeting me in New Orleans that evening but disembarking from a different airport at a different time, making it ever more so important to at least arrive that evening as to not leave her alone. After a few minutes on hold she returned and said simply, sir sorry I have no flights. As I’m sure anyone would, I met this with some skepticism and repeated my dilemma and willingness to do whatever necessary to make it on a flight to at least arrive in New Orleans that evening. At this point the representative did something that unfortunately was the theme of the day that I’m sure anyone managing a business or employees would never stand for and said, “Sir, I don’t think you understand what I’m telling you, I have no flights.” As someone that has performed their entire education in the United States starting from prekindergarten to medical school, I would not be alone in stating that being asked if they understand what they are being told in plain english instantly shifts a cordial conversation aimed at problem solving to one that is blatantly dismissive. At this point she gave me an empty sorry and advised I speak with the airline attendants at the airport if I felt they could “do better”. I wish that were the case, after waiting on line for 30 minutes I finally made it to an attendant named Sandra, again explained my dilemma, which I’m sure was a shared dilemma from other passengers missing their connecting flights. Sandra gave a quick search, said there was nothing, I responded, “Truly nothing? I am willing to fly any airline out of the NYC area.” Again, response was nothing, she advised I attempt to go standby. Once I eventually made it to Charlotte, in the likely event I found no connecting flight I’d have at least accommodations for the night and a better chance to arrive tomorrow (this would be corrected by the manager in that she correctly advised me I would in fact have no accommodations if I attempted to fly standby in CLT). At this point I felt that rather than looking to find some method to have me arrive in NO by the evening I was simply being herded elsewhere that was anywhere but at the US Airways counter. Calmly I told Sandra, I must find a method to get to NO tonight, exacerbated with me she sent me to her manager, Joan D. My conversation with Sandra again included the question, if I understood what she was telling me and to elaborate she printed out cryptic airline schedules from her module that suggested no availability for flights- just as in the medical profession lab work results are easily interpreted by me, I would never dare push them in front of a patient and demand they do the same, again insulting and dismissive. Joan D. was deemed the manager with the most knowledge to resolve the issue. Joan D. again inquired if I understood what was being said to me, once no plausible flight for tonight would come up in her search. I speak with no accent; I am not one to raise my voice and am a son of immigrants arriving from Italy in the 1970’s- there is no more a derogatory and plainly ignorant way to respond to someone than to condescendingly ask them if they understand what they are being told. Joan D. losing her patience with me TOLD ME I would be taking a flight in the morning out of Newark through Dallas arriving in New Orleans the next day in the afternoon, a full day late. All of what I’ve just explained unfortunately fails in comparison to the next event, I would receive a phone call at that moment from my fiancé in JFK preparing to check-in to her Jet Blue flight scheduled for roughly 2:45PM, direct to N.O., with news that there are open seats in her flight as well as the next flight at 9:40PM! Upon hearing this I was amazed, disappointed and disgusted. If not given the “run-around” from the moment the flight was deemed cancelled or delayed several hours forcing me to miss any possible connection to N.O. I could have made the very flight my fiancé was taking. I immediately took this news to Joan D. hoping she could help in securing my spot on whatever flight I could possibly make and certainly asked why she would not either check for possible OTHER airline carriers or at least have the decency to tell me to do so. Her reply was simply, “We do not do business with them,” and if I wanted to attempt to get that evening’s flight I should try to book it and request a refund of my US Airway ticket by going online or calling a hotline. With every interaction with your employees I inquired about the possibility of flying any airline out of any of the three major airports in the NYC area. I am unsure if it is a part of your company’s training or model to keep passengers trapped within the web of your company and company associates, but I can assure you that this practice will push more business away than it brings in. I personally booked with Jet Blue, on my cellphone, at that moment the 9:40 PM flight, again I could have been on the earlier flight if not misled and herded away by your employees. I had to drive, mid-day, from EWR to JFK, dealing with the full grunt of rush hour traffic, tolls and the cost of leaving my car in a lot for the weekend, while I could have made better arrangements if half my day wasn’t spent being asked if I understood what I was being told. #usairways #terriblecustomerservice
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 01:07:46 +0000
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