US Airways to Customers--NO IFE for You!
- Thread starter Art at ISP
- Start date
trvlr64
Veteran
I'm not confusing anything. I recently flew UA and US. I paid extra for my E+ seat because I wanted the extra legroom and comfort of that extra space. And then I flew a US connection where I also paid extra for my "choice seat" that was nothing more than closer to the front of the plane.
The WHOLE POINT of my postings about this is ....................there is NO REASON to pay extra for a seat closer to the front of the plane. Although I did pay extra for it I wish I had that $$$ back in my pocket.
The "choice seat" was uncomfortable (unlike COEWRFA likes to claim) on US. There's no reason for US to promote "choice seating" when there really is NO CHOICE. If I sit in row 6 or row 16 the seat pitch, width and discomfort are the same.
CLT-Douglas
Advanced
- Feb 12, 2003
- 179
- 2
Parker's comments are true, but someone needs to tell him he is running US Airways, not UPS. His philosophy works well with flying boxes, but people expect respectable level of service included in with the ticket, not added on countless times after the initial purchase.
If you would like to understand Mr. Parker's philosophy on customer service read this article on Spirit Airlines and Indigo Partners. Doug Parker of US Airways was groomed by Bill Franke just like Mr. Baldanza of Spirit. Doug Parker mentored under Mr. Franke who, was Chairman and CEO of America West Airlines, and served under Franke until he took over his position as CEO.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/business...ref=todayspaper
H
HottootrotNyc
Guest
Everyones opinions differ on airlines and seats. Although I am a F/A for another airline, when I travel I pay to travel. I still like US Airways and have no problem giving them my money. Do I wish they would of stayed the navy blue Airways I loved to fly? 100%! But in the end it's still the same lovely people who have always treated me as best they can with what they are given to offer. I find the old seats and the new seats comfortable. Although I would like to see alot more changes for Airways it won't happen till they have new minds making the moves in PHX. Till then I find for the price I usually pay and what they offer, I get what I pay for.
If Airways brought back more amenities and raised prices. I would still fly them since I like the airline and the people who make up the airline. Considering that I know what it is like to not only be the employee and the customer, I find it hard to complain about anything knowing what I pay to fly, on a full fare in my opinion it hardly covers the costs of fuel, landing fees, salaries, and other various things it costs to run a airline. If all of us that pay to fly were paying enough to actually fly, airlines would be making money. I find it joke what people still want airlines to offer and what they want to pay. Time and time again airlines such as EOS, MaxJet, and Midwest have shown most of the Americans flying want the cheapest price and then to complain when they get nothing for the $250.00 PHL-LAX roundtrip they paid for.
I think the best thing for Airways to do is strike up a deal with Luminex or LiveTV like Continental has OR add the DigE players for sale such as Alaska has done. I also feel airlines should unbundle fares and allow customers to choose what they want when they enter a economy cabin. Such as, it will cost $400.00 to get you from point A to B, after you choose your destination and fare, have the ability to add in things like, DigE players, food, drinks, and checked luggage. This way those that want those amenities have the option and those that just want to fly from A to B and bring on a small roller board have that option.
This would be a great way for airlines to aviod wasted food and remove tons of weight from the aircraft. If you don't pay for the option at the time you book your ticket or a certain amount of time before check in, nothing will be boarded for you, if you chose for it not to be there. So say out of 150 people only 20 choose DigE players for the flight then 20 will be boarded, and if 100 people decided they want to eat and have 2 drinks during the flight, then 100 meals (specific options during the ticket purchase) and 200 specific beverages will be boarded. I really think this would be a great way for airlines to start running things.
For First Class, if you are a paid F Class Pax, you should be given free food, drinks, and video entertainment and such. If you are just a free upgrade, you get just that a bigger seat. If you want food and drinks you should have the option to pay for that at the time of your upgrade or before hand when you are awarded the upgrade say 24 hours before the flight. This way you can choose what service you would like for the flight.
This would aviod the ability to complain and threaten to not fly a specific airline. This would also allow alot more people to walk away and say, I got what I paid for!
The management handbook.
Some managers are known to mass-distribute copies of the book to employees, some of whom see this as an insult, or an attempt to characterize dissent as not "moving with the cheese". In the corporate environment, management has been known to distribute this book to employees during times of "structural re-organization", or during cost-cutting measures, in an attempt to portray unfavorable or unfair changes in an optimistic or opportunistic way. This misuse of the book's message is seen by some as an attempt by organizational management to make employees quickly and unconditionally assimilate management ideals, even if they may prove detrimental to them professionally. Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams claims that patronizing parables are one of the top 10 complaints he receives in his email.[2]
PEOPLExpress reincarnated
HP was model after PEOPLExpress
Hula Girl
Advanced
Now hold on Art, didn't they send out a survey and the burdenous customers decided that plastic cups were what was more important to them than a clean sparkling glass like the real airlines have? Get real. This is about nothing more than running a crippled horse in the ground with no care of its well being, just biding their time until the poor creature falls over dead or has to be euthanized but gleefully pocketing any profit they can no matter what the cost. Riding on other airlines, it is amazing how much customers REALLY MATTER!! There are smiles all around and FAs offering to assist (kudos to the usair fa who watched me with an amused expression as I struggled with my broken foot, my pocketbook and mybriefcase to get to my first class seat and then spent the entire flight in the last row working on his bidsheets which I witnessed when I hobbled back to the lav as the first class lav was inop). Anyhoo, I am voting with my dollars. They don't need to send out a survey.
Here is US's explanation of what a Choice seat is.
What are Choice Seats?
Choice Seat assignments on the aisle or window in the first several rows of the Coach cabin are be available for as little as $5 per flight. Passengers may select a Choice Seat during Web Check-in (from 24 hours and up to 90 minutes before departure.) Choice Seats will be available to our Dividend Miles Preferred members any time after booking at no charge.
I feel it's important to note that they made no mention of it offering any additional comfort than any other seat on the aircraft. It is solely a preferred seat assignment. For some people the ability to guarantee a seat closer to the front of the aircraft is a bonus that they are willing to pay extra for.
I'm sorry that it was not what you were expecting. Though to be fair to US, they never stated that it had extra seat pitch, width or comfort.
vantheman63
Senior
The whole "choice seat" thing is a scam....UA and FI have the only real program, from my vantage point.
The way US does it is just one more reason we keep our employees off US Airways. And in fact, just last week....maybe two weeks ago, out of SRQ, we were part of the tiny 1% that doesn't book on pirce or time and booked a team member, last minute on DL....even though we would have saved $$$ booking on US.
Memo To Mr. Kirby: "We're part of the 1%! Hooray for us! That makes us special!"
Somehow I don't feel like I'm part of only 1%.....call me crazy...
FrugalFlyerv2.0
Veteran
- Oct 29, 2003
- 2,931
- 3,341
Ofcourse it is a rip off. But nobody is forcing you to purchase 'choice' seats. Buyer beware. If people can't read & understand what they are purchasing how is that the fault of US?
vantheman63
Senior
Good point....
