USAir gives a smarta** reply to Navy man

[john john]

I think you're being a bit dramatic. EVERY airline has its time on some talk show host's opening monologue. And, I'd bet, that US Airways has had more positive than negative exposure with the media.

And thanks for seasoned employees like Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III; First Officer Jeffrey Skiles; flight attendants Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh and Donna Dent

 

[john john]

A pax will do anything or say anything to save a buck.

And how many years do have in actual person to person contact in providing customer service

 

[john john]

So if someone calls you at home right now claiming to be military, how would you go about confirming his status? How do you expect Airways to?

It’s called experience in customer service. Something that is exercises everyday. With or without the right tools it can have overwhelming effects

 

[N965VJ]

A lot of good a voucher will do for someone serving in Afghanistan.

This is an airline message board, and the term "pax" is industry lingo.

Were you around during the Wolfe era when the term “passengerâ€￾ was replaced with “customerâ€￾ in internal communications? You know, back when US was winning awards for its service levels?

 

[SparrowHawk]

US is very miltary friendly. We regularly upgrade military personel if space is available. Once again I feel we look for every possible thing wrong and pile on. We have no proof this individual is in the miltary. One would think if it was a DOD purchased ticket it would have been a government fare which is easy to figure out.

TRUE, you have no proof!

TRUE, you have a Customer Relations process that while improving still has a bit further to go as it's entirely too dependent on getting legitimate issues in front of the right person.

TRUE, you do upgrade Military regularly as I've often asked an agent to do it as a CP companion traveler. Again it's to G/A dependent. The Stepford often can't, don't or flat out won't for reasons known only to them. I suspect many are so new and ill trained they might not know how. The experienced agents like john-john will do it in half a heartbeat.

TRUE, A DOD issued ticket does make things easier. However once again we're talking in this case about exceptions process and that's where it gets to tricky in any company. This is IMO one of US Airways greatest failings! US does many things quite well, however if it is remotely out of the ordinary as a customer you had best be fully aware of the escalation process and perhaps even have a specific persons name and number.

TRUE, there is a tendency to pile on at times and IMO the JAX media was piling on. Bottom line based on what I read is that in the end US Airways did do the right thing by the soldier and in the end that's what really counts. My point is that while significant strides have been made in the area of customer relations there is still more to be done.

There are certain things that will NEVER be improved upon as to Sr Management customers and employees are never factored into the equation. The ONLY reason IMO that US has undertaken an effort to improve customer relations is to:

• eliminate bad PR
• save money by lowering compensation costs
• to stop the flow of elites away from US Airways
• Response to competition Customer relations standards

Another way to say it is if a Customer Relations effort or policy change can be shown via spreadsheet to impact revenue or profitability then do it, if not screw the customer and if we can fire a few TOS agents that's great too!

 

[N965VJ]

Check out this comment in the news article:

I have flown US Airways with my husband who is in the Navy and they charged us a 20 dollar baggage fee, unless he showed that he was on orders. Flying Delta (which is what we normally do, but US Airways was cheaper this time around) only charges 15 per bag, but for military/spouses (as long as the bags don't go over limit and are in the military service members name, they will not charge you. Oh, and we ended up wanting to switch days that we were travelling and US and United were going to charge us almost double the tickets to switch... so instead we skipped the flight and paid less somewhere else and still saved money by switching to Delta or Continental 🙂

 

[WhatBag?]

I am up on the military but that doesn't entitle me to kiss your loving butt because you just say "I'm in the military". Big deal. I'm Donald Trump. So?!

 

[john john]

We have no proof this individual is in the miltary.

Again seasoned experience FRONT LINE employees need to be empowered

 

[john john]

I am up on the military but that doesn't entitle me to kiss your loving butt because you just say "I'm in the military". Big deal. I'm Donald Trump. So?!

18 years old with manners that are proper away from home for the first time and going/coming to/form War.I know we own them nothing except point A to B with there bags I get it

 

[N965VJ]

Big deal. I'm Donald Trump. So?!

O rly? Your ex-wife was tossed off a DL flight the other day for being a moron.

 

[tadjr]

Check out this comment in the news article:

US does not require orders to check bags for free, only active military id. Family members are not active so they will have to pay whether on orders or not. Family members on orders are given a receipt and will be reimbused by the govt if they are within their acceptable limits on their orders. US waives for active military, but needs to make money somehow and since the family members on orders are reimbursed, I dont see the problem other than them having to complete the paperwork and be reimbursed. Everyone gets their money that way. I had someone tell me the other day that one airline in particular requires active military to have their orders in hand in order to get the bags checked free and very often they are sent last minute without having a chance to get their orders so they have to pay as active (and get reimbursed).

 

[SparrowHawk]

US does not require orders to check bags for free, only active military id. Family members are not active so they will have to pay whether on orders or not. Family members on orders are given a receipt and will be reimbused by the govt if they are within their acceptable limits on their orders. US waives for active military, but needs to make money somehow and since the family members on orders are reimbursed, I dont see the problem other than them having to complete the paperwork and be reimbursed. Everyone gets their money that way. I had someone tell me the other day that one airline in particular requires active military to have their orders in hand in order to get the bags checked free and very often they are sent last minute without having a chance to get their orders so they have to pay as active (and get reimbursed).

Thanks for the timely information. This is good to know. care to share that airline that requires orders? I'd love to put them on my personal "No Fly" list.

I know you're a highly seasoned airline employee and sorry but I can't help but wonder what percentage of your junior agents even know the policy.

 

[HPDriver]

It’s called experience in customer service. Something that is exercises everyday. With or without the right tools it can have overwhelming effects

You didn't answer the question.

 

[HPDriver]

And how many years do have in actual person to person contact in providing customer service

Enough to confidently make that statement.

Do you disagree?

 

[john john]

Enough to confidently make that statement.

You didn't answer the question.