Food for Thought: F meal IND-PHX

[Dont call me Shirley]

Exactly what do you mean when you say, "Especially considering the sources?" I'm certain that wasn't an insult towards me or the US Chairman's Preferred customer who originally shared the photo.

As an update, the customer has since reported this incident, submitted the photo to US Customer Relations, and is awaiting a reply.

As far as I am concerned, you are an impeccable source.
The bad catering left the F/A in very tough spot. Is it too much to ask that US tell its catering vendor to supply a few extra plates?

 

[HP2USFA]

As far as I am concerned, you are an impeccable source.
The bad catering left the F/A in very tough spot. Is it too much to ask that US tell its catering vendor to supply a few extra plates?

I'm quite certain that the answer will have something to do with either extraneous cost or weight addition.

 

[vantheman63]

You're assuming that all CP's get upgraded all the time - not true. Then how about the PP's, who are greater in number than CP's? Or the GP's, a greater number than PP's? Finally, there's those poor SP's who are most numerous of all. US needs them all, not just those CP's who are usually - but not always - upgraded.

No matter how many elites get upgraded the simple fact is that CO sells more of their FC seats, even if for those "instantly upgradable" coach fares. That's revenue US isn't getting since US sells a smaller percentage of F/C seats. Who would you rather have - the CP sitting up front on a $350 coach fare or $800 for that F/C seat?

Jim

Bingo and Bingo....

I didn't do much last year, my last as a CP on US, but, I did fly PHX-CLT as a CP in, February of '09....and I rode in the back and paid, at the time, $2.00 for a bottle of water. So, not ever CP gets upgraded

And EXACTLY....I've talked to a CO senior manager and that's their entire strategy for their F cabin...to lure more yield. The way to do that is to produce a quality product.

Frankly, if I were going to fly an airline strictly for the FF program, it probably wouldn't be CO....I do believe US has a better program. But at the end of the day, the realy reason to fly an airline ultimatly, is to get from point A to point B.

For me, at this point in time, CO offers the better product overall. That's not to say there aren't some aspects of US that aren't better...Coach on US is better than CO...but the idea when you fly 250,000 miles a year is to stay out of coach.

 

[SS255]

For people who buy F, or who buy the most expensive coach tickets, CO wins hands down. For people who buy the cheapest coach tickets, US wins hands down. Most of the rest of us are somewhere in the middle, so we tend to take more into consideration than just our potential upgrade success rate.

 

[DrBeth]

I suppose US wins because elites on cheaper tickets get upgraded more often to the Big Seat Up Front with no power ports, IFE, and often less pitch.

But if one seeks quality up front, then CO wins.

If you want something in between, then DL wins.

As to the point of me starting this thread, it was to share the photo in a venue where US management might see it and take note. That most likely did not happen, so I am glad the receiver of the meal in question decided to report it to Customer Relations.

I understand airlines don't have plates catered, although in 13 years, I've never witnessed it, but the FA did not even unwrap the food for some reason (?)

I believe the F passengers on that flight are at least owed an apology and perhaps an upgrade for a future flight or miles.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

As to the point of me starting this thread, it was to share the photo in a venue where US management might see it and take note. That most likely did not happen, so I am glad the receiver of the meal in question decided to report it to Customer Relations.

Please keep us updated

 

[Travel Is My Life]

Exactly what do you mean when you say, "Especially considering the sources?" I'm certain that wasn't an insult towards me or the US Chairman's Preferred customer who originally shared the photo.

As an update, the customer has since reported this incident, submitted the photo to US Customer Relations, and is awaiting a reply.

Well the sources in this post are FFOCUS and yourself. FFOCUS is an organization which while they may say "we are trying to help make US better" is an organization that IMHO has a hatred of US, has a relationship with US that can best be described as poor and represents a very very small percentage of people that actually still do fly US. Now for yourself, based on your post history on other websites, I know that you have a love of DL, a hate/dislike of US and that you take every opportunity to show how US is worse than your DL.

I just call it like it see it....

 

[hp_fa]

If I am calling it as I see it than:

FFocus is currently an organization which has members who are now disappointed in the way that US Airways has valued their members past support of US Air and US Airways. The relationship was once far more cordial and was an effort by both FFocus and the airline to improve the service to their members, who mostly are high mileage fliers that tend to buy the more expensive fares rather than fares designed for the leisure passenger.

I don't believe that most FFocus members, especially the longer term members, had any animus towards US Airways. Instead they were trying to help the airline understand the wants and needs of their members.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

If I am calling it as I see it than:

FFocus is currently an organization which has members who are now disappointed in the way that US Airways has valued their members past support of US Air and US Airways. ..............

I don't believe that most FFocus members, especially the longer term members, had any animus towards US Airways. Instead they were trying to help the airline understand the wants and needs of their members.

Very well said indeed.
I've had the pleasure of coming to know some of the ffocus ffolks personally. A nicer bunch of people would be hard to find. And they care deeply about US and its people. Sometimes, friendship means telling friends when they are wrong. A great deal of bandwidth on this site is devoted to the missteps that US has taken since the merger. The Focus people are simply telling a friend that they are concerned about those missteps.

 

[SS255]

A lot of us who are members of FFOCUS and switched to other carriers also still fly US -- just not every week or month like before. But we still care a lot about US's future. And those of us who post on this board have also gotten to be friendly with many US employees who post here, both personally and "virtually." We want to see US succeed, so we speak up when we feel that US is making mistakes which will affect the purchasing decisions of their high revenue flyers. And while I cannot speak for other members, I am just as vocal when I think US is doing something right as I am when I think US is doing something wrong. Consider it "constructive feedback," both good and bad! 😀

 

[DrBeth]

Well the sources in this post are FFOCUS and yourself. FFOCUS is an organization which while they may say "we are trying to help make US better" is an organization that IMHO has a hatred of US, has a relationship with US that can best be described as poor and represents a very very small percentage of people that actually still do fly US. Now for yourself, based on your post history on other websites, I know that you have a love of DL, a hate/dislike of US and that you take every opportunity to show how US is worse than your DL.

I just call it like it see it....

You see it incorrectly. You know nothing about me, which is sad, because if you really knew me, you would realize how wrong you are. In fact, the only part that is true is that I participate at FFOCUS. However, you are terribly misinformed as to what FFOCUS used to be and currently is. It is a group that has transformed itself and it now supports employees and customers of ALL airlines.

I have been a Dividend Miles member since 1989 and I was an elite member from 1998-2009. I don't hate US, but post-merger US disappointed me greatly with regard to product and service and I had many terrible experiences. I really had no choice but to move to DL, as my home airport of TRI only has those two airlines.

I don't love or hate any airline and I certainly don't take "every opportunity" to show how US is worse than DL or any other airline. I haven't been to this forum in months until this thread. Now I remember why.

I am a college professor who has a passion for travel, nothing more. I'm a 13-year frequent flyer who has carved my niche as a travel manager, blogger, and customer advocate. As I explained earlier, I thought the photo was cause for concern, so I shared it. If that makes me a "bad person," then so be it.

 

[HP2USFA]

I certainly don't think you're out to trash US.

But I do suggest that if your ultimate goal is to see the situation rectified then sending the picture into the airline itself is the best course of action.

Posting it here simply allows it to become fodder to the flames and nothing else.

I'm sure you can appreciate how someone might think your only motive was to trash the airline given that this forum serves as nothing more than a complaint fest.

Well it does have its good moments from time to time. 🙂

 

[hp_fa]

The flier in question did send it in after this thread started.

 

[Itestwell]

You see it incorrectly. You know nothing about me, which is sad, because if you really knew me, you would realize how wrong you are. In fact, the only part that is true is that I participate at FFOCUS. However, you are terribly misinformed as to what FFOCUS used to be and currently is. It is a group that has transformed itself and it now supports employees and customers of ALL airlines.

I have been a Dividend Miles member since 1989 and I was an elite member from 1998-2009. I don't hate US, but post-merger US disappointed me greatly with regard to product and service and I had many terrible experiences. I really had no choice but to move to DL, as my home airport of TRI only has those two airlines.

I don't love or hate any airline and I certainly don't take "every opportunity" to show how US is worse than DL or any other airline. I haven't been to this forum in months until this thread. Now I remember why.

I am a college professor who has a passion for travel, nothing more. I'm a 13-year frequent flyer who has carved my niche as a travel manager, blogger, and customer advocate. As I explained earlier, I thought the photo was cause for concern, so I shared it. If that makes me a "bad person," then so be it.

Please, do tell, if FFOCUS has grown into an advocate for customers at all airlines, where are the posts on USAviation on other airline boards? Surely USAir isn't the only villain?

Some quick examples come to mind:

Where are the continuous threads, say, on the Delta board here about the fact that they would rather let BizElite seats run empty to Asia, denying their most frequent and loyal fliers affordable upgrades? These are their best customers!

Where are the threads on the DL board about the incredible devaluation of the NW WorldPerks program, now that it has been folded into Delta? NW elites are stark raving mad. Yet, we hear nothing from FFOCUS on the DL board.

Where is the thread filled with outrage that CO has become "just another legacy carrier" by deciding to charge Coach passengers for food? I thought that was one of the many reasons that set CO apart? Yet the CO thread on this forum is deader than a doornail.

If FFOCUS is such a customer advocate, why are we not hearing more on this board on the other airline's threads? I'm not saying that US doesn't have the bulk of the problems, but please do not come on here and try to tell us that FFOCUS doesn't hold a special contempt for US.

Gimme a break.

 

[Itestwell]

You're assuming that all CP's get upgraded all the time - not true. Then how about the PP's, who are greater in number than CP's? Or the GP's, a greater number than PP's? Finally, there's those poor SP's who are most numerous of all. US needs them all, not just those CP's who are usually - but not always - upgraded.

No matter how many elites get upgraded the simple fact is that CO sells more of their FC seats, even if for those "instantly upgradable" coach fares. That's revenue US isn't getting since US sells a smaller percentage of F/C seats. Who would you rather have - the CP sitting up front on a $350 coach fare or $800 for that F/C seat?

Jim

Of course CO sells more F than US; their product is better.

The example in this thread is a PHX based CP, and Van used the example of transcons. The way I see it, if the CP stays at US, he will enjoy a FC experience a heck of a lot more on US than CO (via upgrades), at a cheaper price. If he goes to CO, he will pay a lot more for the confirmed privilege of FC, as elite upgrades are much fewer and far between (obviously because of CO's better FC product), especially on transcons.

So, the question is: pay significantly more to book yourself into F at CO, or stay with CP at US, pay significantly less on an advanced purchase, enjoy frequent (but not always) CP upgrades, and redeem your miles on other * carriers with better onboard amenities?

Depends on how price sensitive he/ she is in this economy....