Forbes list of worst airlines. We made # 5!

[Travelpro72]

I read that and it just simply turns my stomach. I wish that we could have all of those things. Much of what you mentioned less the baked on board cookies we once had. I agree that Tempe is seriously not in tune with the flying public. Certainly their top tier fliers. There ARE people out there that pay for this kind of service. WHY this company has to be the way it is baffles me. What is more baffling is how many times we read things like this yet the fares are STILL comparable on US to others while we offer NOTHING in the line of service. If I were you I'd NEVER fly US again unless I absolutely had to. I'm sorry this company has FAILED you and our FF's. Hopefully someone will rescue us from the jackasses out in Tempe that are NOT running this place. Oh and for those that say, "Well go fly another airline" think about what your saying. NEWSFLASH! ! ! ! OUR VALUED FF'S ARE leaving. This is going to cause problems in the future.

 

[kao]

we should have been number one.....maybe we would have gotten the hat trick payout.....oh wait...they probably would have screwed that paycheck up too....

 

[JAMAKE1]

For me, it is the way that they treat their best customers. They just don't care.

But, for those people in Tempe who say the customer won't pay for better service or that US's service is comparable to other carriers, well that is just ridiculously inaccurate.

US1: It's sort of ironic. Most airlines want to court high yield premium customers. I had a rather nice exchange with VanTheMan yesterday in the "New 767 Envoy Seats" thread about the points you bring up here. The concept of Back Stage and Front Stage in business and basically how the new USAirways is notoriously bad with their Back Stage (read, behind the scenes) efforts to execute Front Stage (read, front line) product delivery. I do find it rather interesting that the management in Tempe seems to have so little motivation for wanting to attract, let alone retain, a customer demographic that presumably brings a significant revenue premium to their bottom line...

 

[JAMAKE1]

It's the path of least resistance to cater to the lowest commpon denominator.

Perhaps US' motto should be, Quantity, not Quality.

 

[US1YFARE]

Perhaps US' motto should be, Quantity, not Quality.

Not so sure that is accurate....why?

Quantity of F/J Class Service Amenities?
Quantity of agents to help reaccomodate pax in irregular ops?
Quantity of information provided to pax during irregular ops?
Quantity of aircraft to replace aircraft involved in irregular ops?
Quantity of food served in FC on 3 hour flights?
Quantity of upgrades to US1's in Envoy due to reduced cabin size?
Quantity of value provided compared to the biz traveler fares they charge?
Quantity of onboard entertainment (other than the galley show )


But then consider this....

Quantity of time the flights are delayed
Quantity of bags that are lost
Quantity of vouchers they hand out to disgruntled pax
Quantity of errors on website
Quantity of broken promises
Quantity of times they blame the customer for their woes
Quantity of duct tape on overhead bins
Quantity of times IFE doesn't work on TA flights

 

[Chicken or Beef??]

I was a bit upset when I saw the headline that we were the fifth worst airline in the country. But then I read further and realized we still hold the distinction of being the worst of the major carriers. Thank God! I feel much better now. I thought we might be losing our touch.

USAirways --- still the first!

Average service would have given us an average standing. You have to work on coming in last.

 

[JAMAKE1]

Actually, US1, I was referring to the fact that Tempe would rather have a greater volume of low fare customers (quantity) over higher yield customers where they could extract a revenue premium (quality).

 

[EMBFA]

I read that and it just simply turns my stomach. I wish that we could have all of those things. Much of what you mentioned less the baked on board cookies we once had. .

Did we not have large baked chocolate chip cookies that were served on a small plate along with a coffee service or am I confusing with a different chapter in my patchwork airline career?

 

[WCT]

For me, it is the way that they treat their best customers. They just don't care. Every airline is having ontime performance problems. I have found, however, that DL and AA handle it much differently than US does. When the CP desk YELLS at you and says, you just called and we told you that we can't tell you the status of the incoming aircraft and you BETTER get to the airport NOW and then the flight cancels and they make you wait in line to tell you that you can only go standby in coach on the next flight as a CP who BOUGHT a FC ticket, enough is enough. It was bad enough they lost my luggage for a week in February and I didn't even leave the airport--on that flight, they so generously offered to refund my REFUNDABLE FULL Y FARE TICKET. I shouldn't have to demand that they put me in First on another carrier when I pay for a FC ticket. I shouldn't have to argue with the CP desk about the status of flights. I shouldn't have to worry about my bag not making it or waiting for an hour for my bag to come out. I shouldn't have to deal with dirty planes and terrible service in First on expensive tickets. I shouldn't have to deal with a crappy website that works only some times. So, I am not. I'll fly US when I have no choice because I live in PHL.

But, for those people in Tempe who say the customer won't pay for better service or that US's service is comparable to other carriers, well that is just ridiculously inaccurate.

For example, on a ticket that was less than what US would have charged me for a non-refundable guaranteed first, AA gave me the following on a refundable first class ticket for a transcon on a 2-class 763.

The seats were as good or better than what is in Envoy. There were 2 F/A's, the galley hag who also helped with drinks, and another F/A who would come around very frequently to help with the service. The plane was clean. Each seat had a large pillow and comforter in a bag. You board and they come around with champagne, water, and OJ. That is also when they hand out the individual IFE's. The IFE's have movies (watched Ferris Buehler and forgot how funny that movie is and forgot that Jennifer Gray pre-nose job was his sister), tv shows (I watched two episodes of the Office which cracks me up), music, and videos or you can watch what they showed in the main cabin on the screens above. The headsets are Bose noise canceling headsets and they are nice. Then they come around and hand out linens, warm nuts, menus and take drink orders. Then the hot towels. Then they take meal orders (we had shrimp appetizer, salad with choice of dressing, bread, beef tenderloin or ravioli). Then they serve cheese and crackers and fruit or ice cream sundae with choice of butterscotch, hot fudge, nuts, and whipped cream. Then they serve a baked on board chocolate chip cookie. Then before you land, they serve sparkling water with lemon and chocolate. A little different than US huh? Oh, and my Bose headset wasn't working properly and they said, no problem, we have extras. AA also has a magazine for "premium customers" that is pretty good. From what I hear, AA F/A's used to hate working first because it was so much work, but many are so sick of Ma and Pa Kettle in the back of the bus, that they would rather deal with their premium customers. So, contrary to what Tempe thinks, you can have the Ma and Pa's looking for a cheap fare and the premium customers looking to pay more for more.

US1, I am glad to hear that the service was spectacular. If you can afford to fly AA first class all the time, why not?? Why do you bother to fly US? You have choices. AA has never lost there sense of quality and product. I remember having some of the good amenities at HP, in first class too, believe it or not. It is only a matter of time US will see they can't compete, even as business casual, or low cost airline, especially when the fares aren't cheaper than the legacies. Good for AA.

 

[Zarah]

Did we not have large baked chocolate chip cookies that were served on a small plate along with a coffee service or am I confusing with a different chapter in my patchwork airline career?

We use to bake cookies in FC.

 

[WCT]

We use to bake cookies in FC.

We use to cook calzones in Coach at HP! Stick them in a bag with potato chips, water, apple and a brownie. Still better than what we have now!

 

[EMBFA]

USY1- Glad to hear you saw the light and are enjoying flying a real airline. Is the Galley Show similar? Oh thats's right... they have things like galleys, walls, bulkheads etc so you're probably not as 'in the action' as you are on US...

 

[US1YFARE]

USY1- Glad to hear you saw the light and are enjoying flying a real airline. Is the Galley Show similar? Oh thats's right... they have things like galleys, walls, bulkheads etc so you're probably not as 'in the action' as you are on US...

Well I have seen People being read, although one was reading National Geographic...perhaps she was just looking at the pictures...those nude pygmies ARE hot. No hocking stuff and no ads everywhere you turn. They are hidden more because they have closets and no emergency equipment in the overheads, and I haven't seen any wonder woman poses, pointing and verifying, or people walking around talking to themselves. Maybe they are more subtle?

 

[EMBFA]

No hocking stuff and no ads everywhere you turn.

Ridiculous. This fly-ny-nite operation you're flying obviously doesn't understand what the customer values and will be out of business within a year.

 

[marco90821]

I just love the picture they chose of US for the article! Gave me a good laugh this morning.

US should be proud - while number 5 overall - they managed to be the worst of the mainline carriers - with the first through fourth worst slots going to regional carriers.

Can't wait to see the spin on this one from some of the folks on this board. Of course it won't be the fault of US - it's the air traffic control system - it's the weather - blah blah blah.

I have looked at the article, and it says we are number six, not five.