US Airways to Customers--NO IFE for You!

[aredeeyou22]

WN will have in-flight wi-fi on their flights as well....I can't remember the date they said.

Now, for the group that believes what Mr. Parker and Mr. Kirby pontificate.....

I can assure you of one thing: In flight wi-fi ABSOLUTELY will be a selling point to me...just as a First Class cabin is. I own my business...I like to, I NEED to be able to work when I travel, especially on long haul flights. Often, that is my one time....be it 3 hours or 8 hours, when I get relative peace and quiet, no phone and no other interruptions.

So, despite the friggin insanity I continue to hear, that we pax only care about the time and price of a flight 99.9% of the time, I'm here to assure you, WRONG. This is one high-yield, VFFer who does look for value. Sadly, I find little on board for former "airline of choice."

I'm all for inflight wi-fi; I hope that US will considering installing it. On other airlines it is not free to the masses, it is an a la carte item. Again to my point that the majority people are not willing to pay for inflight wi-fi in the price of their ticket. (Notice I said "majority", Van, clearly that does not include you.... )

I hope you do not include me in the group that solely follow what Parker/ Kirby say. While I don't agree with most of the "enhancements", including but not limited to closet removal, FC service downgrades, improper upcoming crew rest offerings, and IFE removal, I do believe that they are spot on with the idea of offering of many amenities, such as PTV's, in that the majority of travelers are simply not willing to pay extra for them in their purchased ticket. If it is true, however, that it costs "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to install the Lumexis system in each aircraft, it is financially irresponsible to begin installing this in the current economic environment, without proper financing.

I also do not remember hearing Parker/ Kirby saying that pax only care about on time/ bags. I just listened to the Crew News Session, and they say that the most important things, by far, that pax care about is being on time, with their luggage. This is a different statement than what you keep repeating. It may not be true for many on here, but for many others, I do believe that is true, especially in todays environment.

 

[Travelpro72]

There is definitely something wrong with this company. Just the overall view of US is VERY sad. I don't think it is the end of the world to not have a new inflight entertainment system but you have other airlines that have it or are having it installed in some or all of their fleet. The ONLY thing US is a leader in is hurting the customer and employee. We follow on EVERY other front. What a sad airline we have become. It's just one blow after another. They are succeeding in turning this company into nothing more than a pumped up Spirit Airlines. The direction and thought process of this current management is scary. There is a difference in being cost conscious in this environment but it has been this way since DAY 1.

 

[flybynite]

One of the things that America West has taken some pride in has been that they have dealt with Southwest effectively in and around PHX. That's a good thing as Martha would say.

Months ago Southwest announced they were going to install IFE's and we're standing here with nothing. Nothing.

I say reactivate the IFE's.

 

[vantheman63]

I also do not remember hearing Parker/ Kirby saying that pax only care about on time/ bags. I just listened to the Crew News Session, and they say that the most important things, by far, that pax care about is being on time, with their luggage. This is a different statement than what you keep repeating. It may not be true for many on here, but for many others, I do believe that is true, especially in todays environment.

You didn't listen very well or at least, very closely....sorry. Pretty sure if you take another spin through...you'll hear the words...unless you chose not to hear them. 99% sure.

Same way as Mr. Parker told INT rez agents, "if there's one group we will charge EVERY fee to, it's CPs" in 2005.

I knew it would be a war when I heard that with my own disbelieving ears...

To this day, I'm still just stunned, hurt and mad as all get out that I blew the $$$ I did on 2 MILLION miles on the airline, only to have the new team come in and, more or less, tell us they want us gone.

 

[LCC_#1]

Just more lies, deceptions, and disappointments from the sandflees! I don't believe a word they say! They get everyone's hopes up just to let them down! It's been going on for over three years. Why should this decision be any different?

 

[SolidCactus]

It seems that US is on it's way to end up becoming a "hub captive" airline only. Then WN arrives... Give WN enough time and they will overtake PHL... Does the management at US even fly the other carriers to see how out of line US is? Air Tran has a better product than US does... I also don't believe that the weight of the IFE was always the truth as to why it was removed. I think US didn't want to pay the prices for the licensing. The US planes are still flying with Air Phones hidden behind pieces of plastic. If weight was the issue, wouldn't they have removed those also?

 

[BoeingBoy]

In case anyone missed it, Parker spoke at the Aviation Summit in Washington, D.C., this past week and talked about the industry's "misguided focus" on customers.

JimG

 

[BoeingBoy]

The webcast link isn't working any longer on the Chamber of Commerce site (they sponsor the Aviation Summit) and it picked up little media coverage (other then LaHood's comments). But there's this that contains a link to a very poor quality audio of Parker's remarks:

AvWeek Blog Entry

Jim

 

[HottootrotNyc]

I'm sad yet again Us let down it's employes and customer's. At CO the new system we have on our 777's and 757's is amazing and all the passenger's and crew love it. The system we have on our 767-200 will be staying since it won't be in the fleet for much longer. The 767-400 will also be getting IFE update's, the thing is they are just updating the already there PTV's. I worked our first aircraft that is equiped with LiveTV and everyone loved it. The system was paid to be put in the aircraft by LiveTV and we split the money collected. It's free in First on all flight's and is $6.00 in coach. You get over 8 channels of TV, movies, sitcoms, and much more.

On delays of 45 minute's or more, you hit the free button and everyone watches TV for nothing. I was on a heavy delay and for the first time in a long time on a delay, no one harrassed the crew and complained. We gave them the food we had, drinks and TV. For Airways to not place this system on the aicraft, I don't care what they say, they are losing out in the long run. People DO care about this type of stuff, no matter what upper management says.

If they would of kept the drop down TV's, and put in new power port's and Wi-Fi, I think those little upgrades would be well recieved if they can't afford the PTV's right now. The planes finally look nice, ok paint job, better looking uniforms, pick an identity and stick with it. :angry:

Sorry Airways crew, I know how forward you all were looking to this upgrade.... :angry:

 

[vantheman63]

In case anyone missed it, Parker spoke at the Aviation Summit in Washington, D.C., this past week and talked about the industry's "misguided focus" on customers.

JimG

They've been more or less broadcasting how much they hate customers, especially high yield and VFFers for quite some time now....

If anyone is shocked by this, then they haven't been paying attention.

A company that hates its customers and employees....it is what it is.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Ya gotta admit, when a company lags it industry on the soft product but is doing will comparatively on the hard product, what better way to deflect criticism than to criticize the rest of the industry for focusing on the wrong thing...

Jim

 

[Travels2mch]

A company that hates its customers and employees....it is what it is.

........eventually will most likely be out of business.

 

[fudgerunyard]

Wow!!! I can't believe that he made such ignorant comments in a public forum. So by him saying this, does it mean that LCC never truly planned on delivering AVOD and their feigned interest in the Lumexis system was a poorly planned PR stunt? What a goober.

 

[US1YFARE]

I'm sad yet again Us let down it's employes and customer's. At CO the new system we have on our 777's and 757's is amazing and all the passenger's and crew love it.

Tell them about the transcon service in First on CO!

On delays of 45 minute's or more, you hit the free button and everyone watches TV for nothing.

Nothing is "free" on US...and don't you know that the motto at US is that it is always someone else's fault...usually the customer's fault and then the employees'.

 

[Art at ISP]

This is just proof that Parker and Kirby JUST DON'T GET IT.

I mean how do they know what the customer actually wants? THEY'VE NEVER ASKED!!!!!!

This is arrogance at its worst.

Once you begin to unbundle the fees, don't you realize the costs of collecting them goes up? How much good will and future revenue is lost when customers get frustrated, angry, and don't come back?

I have said this OVER and OVER--you need a simplified fare structure, similar to what AC and FL have---4 or 5 levels, some with services included, some unbundled. Let the CUSTOMER choose.

I am sorry to say, this company is headed in the wrong direction........and to think at one point we actually offered them FREE market research.........and we turned out to be right in the end..... go figure......pesky customers----almost as annoying to Parker and Kirby as those pesky employees......