PR: No longer accepting cash for Drinks/Food

[Crzipilot]

Press release here...

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/04/05/daily11.html?ana=yfcpc


Oh wait, unless of course you fly on one of the multitude of contract carriers, Then it's cash only. They are unable to accept credit cards.....Further confusion for the consumer. Which are they more likely to fly on these days, an express flight or mainline flight.

So now the front line employees will have to deal with the confusion created by the west boys. Customer A gets on express, that only accepts cash, then switches to ML flight and they only accept plastic. Customer B, reverse it, and in either cash you will piss off and confuse your customer...

Way to go boys....

 

[SS255]

And what happens if credit card reader only works "selectively"? The FA on my CLT-LAX flight in mid-March swiped 2 different credit cards for the guy sitting in front of me, and could not get the credit card reader to work. He finally handed her cash. It worked fine with my credit card.

 

[redheadtempe33]

"Yet American now joins United Airlines, Continental Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines and other carriers in rejecting cash during some or all flights." - From the Hartford Courant

It isn't like US is alone on this. At least complain about something legitimate.
That said, I prefer to pay cash on board when I non-rev (it just seems silly to me to charge one $7.00 drink) but I can understand why the airlines are doing this. No need to make change, less leakage, no need to make multiple deposits a day X hundreds of flights.
The express part is an issue (especially since a lot of US flying is express). Do any express carriers (for any airline) accept CC's? Do our wholly owned accept them?

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Press release here...

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/04/05/daily11.html?ana=yfcpc


Oh wait, unless of course you fly on one of the multitude of contract carriers, Then it's cash only. They are unable to accept credit cards.....Further confusion for the consumer. Which are they more likely to fly on these days, an express flight or mainline flight.
..

Way to go boys....

Since most customers do know the difference between the two, or on which they are flying, a great many will be confused and frustrated. US should have waited until the Express carriers were ready for doing the same.

 

[etops1]

Since most customers do know the difference between the two, or on which they are flying, a great many will be confused and frustrated. US should have waited until the Express carriers were ready for doing the same.

complain,complain,complain...blah,blah,blah.

 

[700UW]

What happens to a UM?

 

[phllax]

What happens to a UM?

I believe they stated in the last About US that they'd get a snack box for free.

As far as readers not working, I've been on both UA and AA flights where the readers weren't working and everything ended up being for free, albeit not announced like that.

 

[Itestwell]

Since most customers do know the difference between the two, or on which they are flying, a great many will be confused and frustrated. US should have waited until the Express carriers were ready for doing the same.

****************
From AA's website:

"Onboard flights within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Canada, for in-flight purchases, we accept most major credit or debit cards. Our flight attendants use wireless handheld devices to quickly swipe your card and provide receipts upon request.
*American Eagle and AmericanConnection® are not accepting credit cards for onboard purchases at this time."
****************
From CO's website:

"Conveniently pay for all your in-flight purchases with your credit or debit card. We only accept major cards including Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, American Express, Discover and JCB on all Continental operated flights. We'll also no longer accept cash on all Continental Express, Continental Connection and Continental Micronesia flights later next year."
***************
From UA's website:

"With the new EasyPurchase program, we're making the search for exact change a thing of the past. United customers are now able to use credit and debit cards for all in-flight purchases. This service is available on all United flights, with the exception of United Express"
****************
Many major carriers that already switched to credit card only on domestic mainline are still accepting cash at their express affiliates. Keep in mind AA and CO and UA switched to 'credit only' over a year ago. Are a great many "confused and frustrated" over this grave injustice? Please let us know.

 

[Itestwell]

What happens to a UM?

Even if the company didn't have a formal policy for UM's (which they do), I have never, ever come in contact with a cabin crew that didn't make sure the UM's were never hungry or thirsty.

 

[john john]

complain,complain,complain...blah,blah,blah.

It’s a valid and legitimate point
Nine carriers all doing different procedures
Can’t say that about CO UA AA DL and all others
I get it

 

[Crzipilot]

Hey,

when you have to work the flights and deal with this BS then you can come talk to me about complain complain. Yes, the customers are confused and get pissed and then take it out on the crew. Just like the blankets....express carried them, and was probably the best seller. guess what, they take them off and now people are upset when they can't buy a blanket. (and yes I remember when the backlash was at the fact that they had to pay for the blanket) Now that they are used to it, they've taken it away and they can't buy it when they want to buy it.

If the press release would have made a note that express accepts cash only, that would have been great.....but it doesn't, it lauds how US takes only CREDIT on ALL it's flights.......Guess they forgot that the majority of the departures are express, and they don't take that credit stuff...

 

[john john]

complain,complain,complain...blah,blah,blah.

If the credit card device doesn’t work is cash an option

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

Looks like the F/A's won't be buyin on the ovrn'ts anymore! MM! And alot of boat payments will be missed.

 

[HP2USFA]

Looks like the F/A's won't be buyin on the ovrn'ts anymore! MM! And alot of boat payments will be missed.

My you are quite the pill aren't you.

Something tells me you weren't getting rounds bought even before the no-cash option.

Classic.

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

Something tells me you were! MM! Vintage! V