Tempe forgets that there is no USAirways without YOU

[Richard]

I think we've all made our feelings known about the weight comment...let's get back to the real issue please....

 

[hp_fa]

Doesn't the airline say somewhere online that ticket prices may differ between the website and the counter? I am not condoning the practice, especially when the discrepancy is that large and I also think a $35.00 in-person ticket fee is unconscionable, but that is what it is.

During the 6-9 month period that I was the CSS assigned to the ticket counter the price differentials were just beginning and I would normally have the ticket manually priced in the very few instances that it happened. However I strongly suspect that the rules under which the CSR's and CSS's at the counter now operate are vastly different so my comparisons and resolutions are apples to oranges.

My advice to anyone who finds a great price online for a ticket, especially a last minute ticket, is to buy it right then and there and then check-in online immediately. If the flight is oversold you will hopefully have a seat assignment and avoid having paid for the ticket and then been bumped. Also remember that there might be TSA issues with last minute tickets.

 

[SS255]

Here is a big part of the problem, and it is not restricted to the airline industry: Bean-counters seem to confuse technology with efficiency. Wanna save a few bucks? Make 'em book online, or use the kiosk to check in. Punish 'em if they don't! After all, if we can eliminate physical assets (i.e. agents) and do business strictly via technology, we'll save a ton of dough. Unfortunately, technology is prone to glitches!

I was in a high-level meeting a while back, and I actually challenged one of our senior managers as to whether or not all of these digital files we were creating (without physical backups) would stand the test of time. How do we know that these widgets which are costing us a fortune to create will still be accessible to pull from a server 100 years from now.? You know what answer he gave me? "Good question. You know......I really don't know."

I understand the need to utilize technology to its greatest advantage (i.e. enables customers to book, pay for and check in for their flights on-line), but the ability to make a transaction at the airport with a friendly, helpful agent is just as important.

(I feel like I should also be cross-posting this in the "Kiosk" thread, but that's probably against the rules.)

 

[DrBeth]

I woul;d Not believe a Word this guys says...He Bashes US everytime he can but yet he Chose to fly US why? A CHEAP ticket? $148 ...Really?

I believe the OP said, "So I needed to get home quickly and wanted to get status miles on CO."

The agent's remark and attitude are an example of why customers move away from US and only fly them out of absolute necessity or because they're cheap.

 

[SparrowHawk]

I woul;d Not believe a Word this guys says...He Bashes US everytime he can but yet he Chose to fly US why? A CHEAP ticket? $148 ...Really?

Let's not address the OP's credibility but instead focus on the $148.00 ticket price. Imagine what the post might have been like if the agent in question had:

Addressed the issue differently along the lines of, "Mr US1 you know some fares are cheaper on line? I see you have a Blackberry and if you can get the fare you mentioned if I were you I'd do it."

Or, "would you like me to see if I can find out why there is such a difference in price while you check you Blackberry?"

The agent does those two things it creates a win-win. Also suppose the agent comes back and says "Best I can do is $349.00, how did you do? Then maybe the customer is having trouble booking on the Crackberry and says, "Book the ticket, I can't find the fare"

If the interaction is like the above then maybe an A&B gets sent in and the customer posts about what a positive experience he/she had.

 

[john john]

So I needed to get home quickly and wanted to get status miles on CO.

US1YFARE:I want to purchase a FC ticket to Philadelphia.

Grossly Overweight Airport Ticket Agent (hereinafter GOAT agent): Upgrade?

US1YFARE: No, I'd like to purchase a FC ticket.

GOAT Agent: $683 plus a $35 ticketing fee.

US1YFARE: But your website sells it for $148.

GOAT Agent: Then go buy it there. My computer says $683. Walk-up tickets are expensive.

Why would the USAirways website show such a huge price differential from the airport's pricing? So, I had to go on my blackberry and book the ticket and they lost out on the ticketing fee. I was tempted to just fly WN, but I wanted my status miles and the US flight was earlier.

WHAT ARE THE CITY PAIRS

 

[Hope777]

I asked that question 14 posts ago and still no answer!

 

[US1YFARE]

Oh the drama. Please people, lighten up.

I'm not telling you the city pairs and I don't care who believes what. The pricing was stupid. The agent was rude--I was not rude. I am have no problem admitting when I am rude.

The ticket price I paid was not a "special" or a "super saver" or a buy it now on the internet before it's snatched up. The price was a Full F fare--fully refundable. The station has a few good people and this person would be easily identifiable. My intention was not to "out" this person. My intention was to show how things have not changed since I stopped sending a lot of business to USAirways--Tempe's thinking continues to be insane and there continues to be unhappy miserable employees who dislike customers and their job.

 

[hp_fa]

The problem with your "please lighten up" request is that you may well have already identified the person with the various facts and bodily description that you already provided:

1. Grossly overweight
2. Works at the ticket counter
3. WN apparently serves that same city pair
4. Internet full price fare is (was) $148.00
5. Had to be a US city that had a non-RJ flying
6. It was a station and not a hub.

Based on the cities that WN also serves that go into PHL nonstop and the $148.00 Internet fare I offer up as suspect #1 Providence, RI. Also, don't you think that US Airways monitors this site and also probably knows who US1YFARE's real name is and can check their data base for 3/25/10 and 3/24/10 and see if there is a match.on let's say Flight 1403?

Mentioning the size of the person, the fare and WN narrowed the possibilities. I may not have the correct city, but you did provide sufficient information before you decided to clam up.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

The problem with your "please lighten up" request is that you may well have already identified the person with the various facts and bodily description that you already provided:

1. Grossly overweight
2. Works at the ticket counter
3. WN apparently serves that same city pair
4. Internet full price fare is (was) $148.00
5. Had to be a US city that had a non-RJ flying
6. It was a station and not a hub.

Based on the cities that WN also serves that go into PHL nonstop and the $148.00 Internet fare I offer up as suspect #1 Providence, RI. Also, don't you think that US Airways monitors this site and also probably knows who US1YFARE's real name is and can check their data base for 3/25/10 and 3/24/10 and see if there is a match.on let's say Flight 1403?

Mentioning the size of the person, the fare and WN narrowed the possibilities. I may not have the correct city, but you did provide sufficient information before you decided to clam up.

She very well may hire you to work for the firm. How much did the firm eat for the indignity of flying the U, FC to accrue CO miles?

 

[BoeingBoy]

How much did the firm eat for the indignity of flying the U, FC to accrue CO miles?

If HP_FA's guess is correct, US made money. 60+ cents per mile less at most 0.1-0.2 cents per mile to CO for the miles awarded.

Jim

 

[Ramp Rogue]

Reminds me of Bank of America back in the 80's charging non BofA customers to cash BofA checks. They actually said "we want people to stop thinking of banks as a place to cash checks.

BofA still charges to cash BofA checks if you don't have an account with them. That is why I got a BofA credit card that I don't use, so that I can cash my payroll checks for free.

Rogue

 

[28L_or_10R?]

On a somewhat similar note to the OP post, I once had to return from PIT to a former station and there were no seats available to get me back in time for work. Everything was great until a thunderstorm hit and my flight was canceled. Absolutely had to get back so I pulled out my Mastercard, went to the counter and said that I wanted a ticket for the next morning. The ticket agent knew I was a non-rev and he refused to sell me a ticket. He felt I was wasting my money, you see. "Did you check with the other airlines to see if they have space-available seats so you can get back to XXX?" "No. I just need to get back. Please sell me a ticket." This went on for awhile. He wasn't budging. "Why would any airline employee buy a ticket?", he wondered aloud. I ended up calling reservations and got a one-way ticket for $300.

My money is just as good as any passenger's if I pull out the Mastercard and buy a walk-up ticket. Sell it to me and shut your pie-hole.

 

[SS255]

If HP_FA's guess is correct, US made money. 60+ cents per mile less at most 0.1-0.2 cents per mile to CO for the miles awarded.

Jim

They would have made even more money had US1YFARE not had a blackberry.

 

[hp_fa]

ROFL.