Feedback from the Frontlines of Travel
We welcome reader feedback on issues related to travel generally and frequent flyer programs in particular. Please use this link to submit comments.
A Timeshare Owner Responds to Dave T.'s Comments Last Week
"We Owners pay a price to own. Part of what we purchase is not only the room, but preferential treatment at our purchased resort and other resorts in the network. If you would like this preferential treatment, feel free to purchase a timeshare, as many of us have.
"I agree, the resort should have refunded your 'ocean view' room fee if there were no ocean view rooms available. The way timeshares work is the resorts rent to non-owners to keep occupancy full and reduce costs of operation, but only when there are open rooms not booked by owners.
"Perhaps next time you would consider booking at a NON-timeshare hotel or resort." [Chris C.]
Another Comment on Amex's Upcoming Rate Increase
"I have just received the same notification from Amex, for my Blue card, which states that my APR will increase beginning in October 2009 due to the 'economic environment.' After being a customer for more than a decade and free of any late payments, I must bid Amex adieu." [A. B., Ph.D.]
In Response to DeeBee's Complaints Regarding Northwest Service
"I relayed the complaint the passenger made [in last week's Crier] about the service to Europe to our daughter who is with NWA and she wanted me to post this response.
"Not sure if this passenger was conscious on his flight to Europe, but all lies. In coach, there is still free liquor to Europe but only free beer and wine to Asia which is an improvement since we used to charge for all liquor. We still have the hot egg sandwich which is the second meal before landing but now comes with a banana instead of a sickly sweet dole fruit cup. As far as the chicken wrap, that again is just a snack before landing in the U.S. and it comes with an ice cream cup. And the sizes of all the meals haven't changed in the 30+ years that I've been doing that route so let him take 3-4 connections to get on his foreign carrier instead of non-stop flights offered by NWA aka Delta." [Loretta C.]
NWA/Delta 'Monkey Business as Usual'
"Every time I call my Platinum Help Line and get put on ignore, I hear the same spiel about the merger and 'business as usual' and 'check in like you always have.' BAH! Recently having a Delta & NWA flight in the same itinerary to ATL, I found checking in to there eventually worked on my NWA web site, but coming back, no way, Jose. I called the number for 'on-line help' and the rude Delta person told me to report to the NWA ticket counter at ATL. Guess what? There is no more NWA counter there. So, take my bags across the airport to the other side and check in at Delta. Of course that slid me out of the 'pool' for a first class upgrade, as it is contingent on when you check in (why I like to do the 24-hour thing). The gate agent helpfully found me a good coach seat and life moved on. Uncomfortably.
"Last week there were people lamenting food on their NWA/Delta planes to Europe. No kidding! In every aspect, they are dwindling the 'meals' to a point where they are much closer to 'snacks.' Domestic and international are, apparently, the same, according to writers and my own experience.
"They are also beginning to downsize the planes and the service in September. My local airport (DLH) has, currently, about 500 seats a day to MSP, a NWA hub allowing travel to literally anywhere. In September it goes to roughly 225 seats. Three CRJ's and an E-175. So, from 40 - 56 first class seats a day to 12. The CRJ's are the -200's, no first class available. They won't listen to logic or reason when taken to task on this, choosing to indicate the usual canned response of 'less travelers in the winter.' I wonder how they justify removing almost 100 flights a day in/out of MSP, a NWA hub? That's a number I got from a very reliable airport manager source.
"We see it coming, and have seen it coming, for a very long time since the merger was announced. Another bankruptcy is in the works and the top management will again screw the employees and travelers while giving themselves huge bonuses. The bonus should be to us. In every case of corporate bankruptcy, the 'reorganization' should begin with the firing of all those top management folks who screwed it up in the first place. So, when it happens again, you read it here first. Poor customer service that gets worse by the day, top management touting 'business as usual,' and weary travelers caught in the middle, just trying to get to work or vacation destinations. Maybe Delta's goal is now to simply disappear. Hey Delta, we won't miss you. Change the names to 'Hellta' instead, and the 'WorldJerks' program." [Kevin D. - Two Harbors, MN]
United Runaround
"I booked a United Flight 322 on usairways.com from SNA to SFO. Although booked on usairways.com, the flight was operated by United Airlines. I have flown United (LAX to SFO, Monday) and United Flight 931 (SFO to LAX, Thursday) for work every week since March 2009.
"On August 3, 2009, I chose to fly to SFO from SNA. Passengers were told the flight was delayed originally due to weather complications in SFO. Once passengers boarded the flight, we were told there were mechanical issues being analyzed so they could determine a resolution. Around 9:30 AM PST, passengers were told there was a part of the plane that needed to be fixed and the estimated time of completion was unknown. We were kept on the tarmac until further notice, with no beverages or snacks provided. At this point I had been on the plane for almost 2 full hours. Passengers were finally allowed to get off the plane around 10 AM to fend for a quick snack.
"The representative at the gate soon after told passengers that a part for the plane would be driven from LAX and the plane would be fixed and we would be allowed to take off around 1:00 PM PST. This would come out to approximately a 5 hour delay. When I learned this I got in line at 11:00 AM PST in an effort to rebook on another airline so I could get to my work site before the day's end. I can guarantee at least 5 people ahead of me were rebooked on American Airlines flight 805 that departed sometime around 12:50 PM PST. I was hoping I too get rebooked except that I had to wait in line for well over 45 minutes just to speak to someone since there was only ONE representative helping 50+ people. When I reached the counter, I was denied rebooking as well as a denied a meal voucher for the current delay of 3+ hours.
"Knowing that the lack of manpower at the counter could result in decreased flight options out of SNA, I chose to speak to a Customer Service Reservations Specialist on the phone. I called US Air and United 3 times each, starting at 11:00 AM PST. When I spoke to United Reservations Supervisor, I was told since my ticket was booked on usairways.com, she could not help me and advised I call US Airways to rebook my flight. I called US Airways and again spoke to a Reservations Supervisor, only to be told the opposite - that I needed to speak to United to get rebooked. Just to see if stories were consistent, I called both US Airways and United back. I was given the runaround once again.
"At the end of the day, both United and US Airways Supervisors sent me running in different directions and the United Counter Representatives were rude and selective in rebooking passengers on competitor airline's flights.
"This is unacceptable. I hope both airlines will take my complaint as a high customer service matter and drive towards a resolution to avoid this in the future." [Payal L.]
Until next week...
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