Got a very interesting comment in response to my recent blog post on flight delays, and I thought Id share it with you:
Hank says,
Folks, I work for a major airline, and I chuckle when you say that you will pay more for more legroom, better food, wider seats, etc. A few years ago, we invited our Platinum and Gold Medallion passengers to a luncheon to garner their suggestions as to how we can improve our customer service.
They suggested these same things, plus better airport lounges, better onboard entertainment systems, faster check-in procedures, improvements to frequent flier programs, and so on. My airline spent millions based on these suggestions only to learn that the customer will only follow the lowest priced ticket. So based on our experience - yes, you would certainly like for us to provide all of these things to you; BUT, you will fly AirTran if they have a cheaper ticket.
Hank, you have a point, but I also have to say, as a “Whistle Blower” you left a serious cookie crumb to your airline identity. Hmm, Medallion…Could that possibly be Delta? And surely many of us know that AirTran is one of the competitive thorns in Deltas side.
That said, I have to agree that your comments were well-taken; you only have to look at all those small-town stores that had to shut down because customers flocked to the uber-cheap Wal-Mart. Its not always convenient to shop Wal-Mart; most of the stores are on the outskirts of town, but no one seems to mind, as long as the price is right!
So where does that leave us? Is PRICE the only thing? Could airlines add some comfortable touches without raising prices, and create new brand loyalty? Will we have to pay for every bit of customer-service?
I’d like to hear from readers: is price all you care about? This question fascinates me, because I get so many conflicting responses, I’d love to get a big discussion going on this.
Hey Rick,
I think maybe the tide is starting to turn a little on this. I’ll still fly some airlines I don’t like, if the price and schedule are great. But more and more often I’ll pay extra - at least a little extra - to fly an airline I like better. I mean those that provides more leg room, decent entertainment systems, a bigger plane, power outlets and that least quantifiable of commodities, customer service.
Jeanne
Comment by Jeanne Leblanc — September 14, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
Hi Rick
We have the same price vs service debate over here in the UK, and as a frequent flyer myself I have observed a direct link between customer service levels and employees perception of their treatment by the employing airline.
The most notorious example is that of BA, often referred to as ‘a pension fund with an airline attached’. The disastrous BA strikes in the last couple of years represent prima facie evidence of the execrable relationship between employees and the company, something that is reflected in attitudes to customer service. Long-serving BA employees think that the airline operates solely to provide them with a comfortable retirement package and that the fare-paying passengers are scum that can be lied to, cheated, deliberately misinformed, denied their legal rights, left waiting, etc,etc.
Here’s an important tip for FareCompare devotees travelling to Europe. If using BA, try to pick the youngest employee for your enquiry, they are on different conditions of service to the long service folk and will generally be more helpful.
Better still avoid BA completely and use British Midland, or Virgin.
There is
Comment by Silver fox — September 15, 2007 @ 4:16 am
Comment by Rick Seaney — September 15, 2007 @ 9:12 am
Ive long thought it was a combination of your age and economic situation. In my twenties and thirties cost was a primary concern; I could even handle red-eyes and always flew coach. But sometime in my forties comfort became more of an issue and red-eyes were avoided if at all possible. Now Ill pay full-fare for first or business class if I cant finagle any other way to avoid coach.
Comment by Rick G. — September 17, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
Hank doesn’t get it. I would pay more for a ticket if, according to Hank, “…. better airport lounges, better onboard entertainment systems, faster check-in procedures, improvements to frequent flier programs, and so on.”
However, how do I find all this information (plus leg room, meals, etc.) without doing hours of research? The only convenient information is price and on time performance (which is a lie anyway). No wonder people just select the lowest price.
Comment by Bernie — September 20, 2007 @ 8:29 am
Hi folks,
Legacy vs. low cost carriers, that is the question. Whether it is nobler to be loyal to one of the big air lines or give your allegiance to an inexpensive seat?
We are loyal (both elite level) customers of one of the legacy carriers and use the low cost carriers only when our preferred carrier does not provide service to our destination or meet our time restrictions (e.g. working late New Years Eve and needing a late flight from FLL to MCO or traveling non-stop with my 89 year-old in-laws from SRQ to IND). We even adjust our travel schedule to ensure we fly our preferred carrier.
When my mother passed away in February of this year we opted for FC tickets to fly cross country as they were only $200 more than the least expensive coach tickets. None of the flights were memorable nor did the FC crew do anything worthy of writing letters commending their performance although I still remember the FA in coach from a 6 June PHX trip and I did write a letter about their excellent customer service immediately upon arriving in PHX.
On a flight to PHX 8 September (we paid mid-way between full coach and the least expensive coach ticket) we were the only ones on the upgrade list for FC and were informed by the gate agent to take our coach seats as FC had checked in full. We noticed two empty seats in FC while boarding. Later during the boarding process we observed two young men joking with one of the FA. Just as the boarding door was closing the FA the young men were joking with came to coach and told them (they were sitting directly behind us) that they could move to the two empty seats in FC. Needless to say we were not happy.
Recently we have experienced numerous mechanical delays and a reduction from six to three daily flights in and out of our local airport which indicates that our carrier is stretched extremely thin. FA who act as though they are robots instead of human beings. Staff in the air line club rooms who are very cold, curt, impersonal, not smiling or even greeting customers. Maybe it is time for us to try something other than vanilla, cut the legacy umbilical, be daring and explore our other options.
Comment by George Wilson — September 20, 2007 @ 9:15 am
I have abandoned two carriers during the last 10 years, the more recent being US Airways (who were my preferred carrier before the Steve Wolfe era) primarily because their frequent flyer miles have become virtually worthless. The other carrier (Air Tran) stuck me with an egregious service failure, wouldn’t rebook me for three days, and wouldn’t refund my fare either. I had to pay another carrier to get home two days before Air Tran would have.
So, bottom line, I haven’t given up on a carrier because of late flights, crowded conditions, no food, etc. But unreasonable policies will cause (and have caused) me to quit using a carrier.
Comment by Bill — September 20, 2007 @ 9:44 am
Has anyone else considered safety. I would certainly pay more for an airfare if I knew that safety was their number one priority.
We have gotten along without meals, we can certainly get along without nicer lounges, as long as we get there!
Comment by Carol — September 20, 2007 @ 9:46 am
Price is definitely not the only thing. And I say that as someone who just graduated from school, so let’s just say, doesn’t have the largest budget.
I don’t necessarily need the lounge, or First class at this point (though being a FF on UA, E+ doesn’t hurt). I would absolutely pay for a better experience. For example, this year, I went to New York on AA, yes, because of a low price, but after that experience, would not do it again.
The flight itself was ok, though on one leg, sitting in the back of an MD-83, it is quite loud. But on both legs, the check-in area is disastrous, with kiosk’s seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and no sign of where/which line to go to drop bags off. Agents were yelling people’s names out from all over the place to take checked bags. It was almost like there was no system - just chaos. At LGA, when I was able to finally drop off my bag, I asked the agent how this is supposed to work, because it was ridiculous. She told me she agreed, but that AA won’t listen to the agents who tell them these problems. When I complained after my trip, AA sent me a canned message about how I should use the check-in kiosk’s next time (I did this - this is where the problem is). It also took over 40 minutes for the first bags to come out, on both legs. I’m not flying AA again until I see that they have improved these areas. I’d definitely rather spend $50+, and maybe even more, to go on UA, and check-in where there is a system in place for it, and bags come in a decent amount of time. I cant even imagine what would happen in irregular ops. I have forgone AA when they are cheaper on several other trips since then.
I just want an experience where I can get from check-in to out the other airport door in a decent fashion, occasional problems do happen - I know that. I’ll pay for the service that can treat me somewhat like a human being. It’s surprising that there are few choices in this business that permit this anymore.
Comment by Elliot Campbell — September 20, 2007 @ 10:25 am
I have blacklisted several airlines over the years due to bad experiences. Now, even if they have lower prices than my preferred carriers, I STILL won’t consider flying them.
I’m willing to pay a bit more for my preferred airline, United. That said, I’m not willing to pay hundreds more. On a recent trip to pick up my son in SLC, I looked at United. However, their prices weren’t competitive. $200 more than everyone else on a route is not competitive … especially when I have to buy multiple tickets. $50 or maybe even $100, sure I’ll bite. Delta got my cash that time.
I’m looking at taking a trip to LA in November and I’m strongly considering Virgin America. Price is a consideration … they’re about $100-150 cheaper than United on the IAD-LAX run. However, what really intrigues me is their onboard services and new interiors. Good in-flight entertainment (good free and some more premium offerings), new seats, mood lighting. I’ll probably have to pay for food on VX, but I do on United anyway. For me, I’m leaning toward VX because of what they bring to the table for the price. Price UA competitively with VX, and I’ll probably at least give VX one trip to see how they are.
For me, the bottom line is this: price is A factor, but it’s not THE factor. Southwest is often cheaper (not always) and I won’t touch them with a 10′ pole. I’ll pay more for good service, IF I can get it. However, a lot of airlines are losing that focus. So if I’m going to be treated like cattle no matter which airline I fly, I might as well not pay more for that privilege than I have to. UA is still my preferred carrier, but I do comparison shop. And Delta does have a competitive coach product. As long as UA gives me what I want at a fairly competitive price (that doesn’t mean cheaper, but it doesn’t mean $100’s more either), I’ll still give them my business.
Comment by Kris — September 20, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Well , i look for the cheapest, then what i save goes on another trip, having leather seats, and more wine/ spirits, doesnt do anything for me, and actually, when a plane crashes its usually, the front end which goes first, service, well as long as i can get a drink and use the wc, i dont mind, but again , i am paying for this out of my money, not the firms, as for luggage its taking longer throughout the world, i noticed hong kong are now using radio tags for the bags a greatidea, they know where it is in the building
Comment by roamin fred — September 20, 2007 @ 10:49 am
While price is always a consideration, there is one airline that I will not travel on at any price. Customer service (or rather, lack of) is the issue at hand. Somehow, seeing an entire planeload of passengers being treated much the same as a load of cattle just doesn’t sit well (a couple of fairly long stories here). Add to that, the fact that on two occassions (same airline), ‘meals’ consisting of take-out salads prepared by Chilies were offered at nearly twice the price we had recently paid in the airport dining facility (already overpriced there). On top of that, they were the only meal option offered there weren’t enough available for everyone who was willing to pay the inflated price.
Comment by Dennis Holtby — September 20, 2007 @ 10:52 am
For me it is as simple as this…one stop max, reasonable layover time (2 hours ABSOLUTE max), arrival early enough to reach my final destination by midnight (including car travel ), and then PRICE.
Too often I have found great rates with 4-5 hour layovers (even over-nights) or red-eyes at one end. No thanks, my time is worth more than a $20 bill.
Comment by Roger — September 20, 2007 @ 10:53 am
I believe there are two types of travelers out there — those that fly infrequently and base their decisions solely on price and those that travel frequently, have preferred status (or are earning status) on a particular airline, and base their decisions on allegiance to that frequent flyer program.
I have been in both groups. When I had Platinum status on a particular airline for four years, I flew that airline religiously, regardless of ticket price. Now, I generally shop by price, with flight schedule also impacting my decisions.
I think the flaw in “Whistle Blower’s” thinking is that the Gold and Platinum Medallion members base decisions on ticket price - I can’t imagine many of those Medallion program members giving up their mileage bonuses and free upgrades to go fly Air Tran because the ticket price is cheaper. I beleive this is especially true because most preferred frequent flyer members fly for business reasons and often pay top dollar for their tickets.
Comment by Lynn Nelson — September 20, 2007 @ 10:53 am
The question depends on whether I fly for business or with my own cash!
For my own travel, price plays a big role, BUT, that being said, I am willing to pay extra for an airline in my FFlyer program which is a reputable airline. For example, I have just booked flights for 88GBP on a SkyTeam airline that I could have got for 30-50GBP on a budget carrier.
For business, schedule, route and FFlyer program are most important (in that order), unless the price or price difference is not justifiable (more than say 50% on flights upto 125GBP, 20% on flights over 125GBP).
Comment by BigLotto — September 20, 2007 @ 11:00 am
Hi Rick
Reference Carol’s comment re safety, check out this site for forums reviewing service and safety on low cost airlines.
Comment by Silver Fox — September 20, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Having flown last night with an empty seat between me and the window guest, I pondered this exact issue since this is the first flight where I didn’t go out of my mind because of close, cramped conditions. I would gladly pay an extra $100 for a free seat next to me and if the window guest felt likewise, the airline would garner an extra $200, which is probably very close to the fare the occupied middle seat would generate anyway. So my conclusion is that people would pay more for specifics: $100 more to ensure open middle seat next to you? YES!!
$100 more for food, or anything else for that matter, with the small, cramped claustrophobic seat configuration…no. More legroom is not the same as having the person next to you who’s jabbing into your arm, crowding next to you, etc. ; actually not be in that middle seat.
I haven’t been on a 2-3-2 aircraft in a long time. Everyone’s using smaller, older, crowded aircraft these days.
We want space; all around us. For space, I’ll happily pay a higher fare. Why do you think first class upgrades are highly prized? It’s not because they give you a biscotti instead of stale pretzels, and one “free” drink; it’s because the seat isn’t the equivalent of a smashed sardine can!
Comment by flipflopbride — September 20, 2007 @ 11:22 am
I agree with Carol, who mentions safety as priority; but, perhaps, unlike some others, I must fly as inexpensively as possible; because of the frequency, the need, & my budget. Keeping all those in perspective and adjusting my attitude accordingly, helps my flights be enjoyable. I try to be a congenial passenger and have always been treated kindly in return.
It’s difficult for me to relate to the complaints folk have about comforts. I am 61 years young & find that most things affect me for good or ill in great part because of my own attitude.
Comment by Barbara — September 20, 2007 @ 11:34 am
I and my wife are not frequent flyers. We fly several times a year to visit kids and grandkids plus an every other year longish trip abroad. As retirees we can’t afford to waste money but we also really don’t like flying very early and very late and we certainly don’t like long layovers. The bottom line is that we look at price first and schedule second. We will pay a bit more for a better schedule. All other factors being equal (i.e. roughly the same price and schedule) we will choose an airline that has better amenities or avoid an airline with which we have had a bad experience.
I always assumed that the airlines played the amenities game a) for the business traveler and b) to obtain a competitive edge over rivals by differentiating their product.
Comment by David Mandel — September 20, 2007 @ 11:39 am
Greetings!
My wife and I are both elite level members of American Airlines (I mention them by name because we consistently have a good experience with them) and we almost always try to fly with them. Regularly, AA is not the cheapest option for us but we pay more to fly with them often and also because they offer the most direct flights to the destinations we travel (AUS to LAX, AUS to SEA, AUS to SJC, etc.). Does AA have short-comings? Of course, their lounges leave us wanting for more (complimentary bar would be nice) and we would love having a section on the planes like United’s Economy Plus.
Speaking of United’s Economy Plus, that is something worth paying more for. I recently flew United from AUS to MOD (Modesto, CA) as they are the ONLY carrier that serves that airport. I paid more for the economy plus section as the additional space seemed worth the cost. Post flight, it is completely worth the cost. The seat pitch was better and the legroom was fantastic. The United flights were the most comfortable domestic economy flights I have ever flown (sans the SFO to MOD portion where I was on a small prop plane).
Back to AA, American has given us some very memorable flights. On one occasion where the wife and I were in first, we had the usual warm nuts, lovely meal (for airline food), fantastic drinks (Glenlivet Scotch … the only carrier I have found to date to carry such a good single malt), and all the usual comforts of first class. What set the flight apart was that apparently things were getting rough in coach and one of the FAs had to get on the over com and ask people to be patient and please remain calm. While up in first class it was a mini party. I am not kidding, everyone was chatting with one another over drinks, the FAs from the back came up and joined us for a little while (they needed a break from the unruliness of coach … one of them proceeded to give me a big hug “because they needed it.”), and it turned out that I knew one of the flight attendants from 14 years ago when I lived in Dallas. What a flight. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.
Long story short, we definitely pay more to fly the carriers we love. Although there are people who fly on price alone I would say those tend to be more the infrequent travelers and not the coveted elite-level fliers. I believe some airlines get this and the others need to come to that realization.
Cheers and many good flights to you my friends. And, Rick, keep up the great work. I love your e-mails, your blog, and your site.
PS. My wife just chimed in and told me that her non-profit had to just pay more than double the lowest fair for four consultants to fly on United because they fly Economy Plus. Since the consultants are donating their services they got their wish. Another case of service over price.
Comment by Paul Phillips — September 20, 2007 @ 11:39 am
Price is not the only thing I care about, service and number of stops play a bigger factor. And yes, I do refuse to fly on a couple of airlines - in fact, if the choice is to use one of those airlines or don’t fly, I won’t fly. And yes, I have paid more to not fly with a cheaper airline.
I do agree with Rick G. in that my ability to tolerate poor service and attitude vs price is a function of age. At a younger age, I put up with a lot of things to get the cheapest price. But now, at a more advanced age
I don’t. I expect the airline employees to at least act like they enjoy what they are doing. There is nothing more annoying to me than an airline employee that I have to interact with acting like a petulant child or a disinterested employee at McDonald’s.
And please don’t nickel and dime me for things that should be included in your base price.
Comment by Dean — September 20, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
I am a price shopper for my company so quality is important but I need the bottom line price with some flexibility.
Thank you for your time.
Comment by j — September 20, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
Dear Rick,
I just read the comment by Hank who works for a major airline and sings the company song about how duplicitous their customers are. Always the same refrain; My airline spent millions based on these suggestions and BUT, you will fly AirTran if they have a cheaper ticket. As always the customer is wrong. The customer is the problem. Well to me thats a load of toilet flush.
As you point out Rick, this has to be a Delta employee and THEY have a lot of nerve criticizing ANY airline, major or otherwise. You are wrong Hank. If you work for Delta you do not work for a major airline. You work for a legacy airline.
I flew AirTran (Hanks bad example) this year and they are terrible. As a result of that experience I will not fly them again unless no other airline services a given air port. I have a choice as I am in the Chicago area. As long as I have a choice AirTran is not an option for me regardless of price. Just to be clear about my feelings toward the airline industry, it is not only that flying school bus airline AirTran I will not fly. I have a few thousand miles with Northwest and I will avoid them whenever possible as well. I made that decision when they left a plane load of customers on the tarmac in Detroit in 1999. I vowed then to not use Northwest for 10 years; I only have two years and a few months to go.
Hank says My airline spent millions based on these suggestions only to learn that the customer will only follow the lowest priced ticket. Hank, I could have told you that for free, before the money was spent. By the way, while this market research was being conducted upper management was VERY well compensated for their bad decisions.
In the end this is not about two-faced customers as the airlines like to portray us. It is about customer service and respect for your customers. The airline industry has problems. OK, fix the problems. You run the airlines, you are the experts, fix the problem. Dont blame the customer; offer the customer a better product than the other guy. There is a reason why Southwest Airlines prospers while their customers stand in line for seats. Say what you will about Southwest, at lease they have a sense of humor and they pretend to care. Maybe the major airlines might try the same tactic. It doesnt cost millions to be nice.
Comment by 2old — September 20, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
The execs - and Hank - claim airline travel has become a commodity, competition based strictly on price. When buying the ticket, it’s difficult/rare for the consumer to actually measure other aspects (customer service, expected delays, even seat spacing) as they relate to a particular flight.
As soon as I see the results on a search, though, I know certain airlines would need to be significantly cheaper for me to fly them than other airlines, based on bad experience or general policies. I do pay more if I think it’s going to make the difference I want, but unexpected, negative issues (weather delays, change of equipment, unhelpful employees, etc.) that plague all the airlines can often make much more of an impact than the expected, positive ones. It takes a lot of flying to discern the airline service on a given route that is actually *typically* better.
Comment by Tim — September 20, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
The biggest factors I consider (no particular order) are:
(A)total price of ticket including taxes and fees,
(B)flight time and schedule convenience,
(C)FF miles or elite membership,
(D)service and safety record.
I steer clear of some airlines due to previous bad experience, reputation or insufficient access to my nearest airports. Sometimes I will make a spur-of-the-moment trip just because I found a super cheap airfare special to a place I had not specifically planned to go but that only happens a couple of times a year.
I will not suffer 3 plane changes and 8 hours of layovers to save $50-$100, although my savings “point” does depend on the overall airfare. I won’t pay extra for aisle/exit row seat and mostly skip the buy-onboard food since it is limited/unappealing. I will pay a few bucks for a movie on a flight if I have not previously seen it and will pay more for a flight with a decent IFE system. On long-haul flights I always choose flights with IFE over those without.
Comment by ChrisNOC — September 20, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
Rick,
I think the metrics are wrong in Hank’s E-mail. I don’t contest a word of what he said, but it’s Delta’s approach to analyzing and solving the problem that is so screwed up.
Let’s just take the leg room example. I’m 6′3″ tall, although on most airlines I can get by with the leg room. I have no problem on Southwest, which is what I usually fly.
Occasionally I’ll get on a plane where literally the person putting their seat back will put my knees in pain. That’s an exception, but it happens from time to time. If it happens more than once on the same airline–American–then it registers that American airlines is a problem when it comes to legroom.
I’m not sure but I think it was American that came out with a plan where I could pay an extra $50 or so for a couple extra inches of legroom. Am I going to pay this? No way! In my eyes, American puts me through hell for their cheap seat (which isn’t all that different from other airline’s prices) and figures that once I’ve been through that I’ll pony up more money for their “better service.” Of course not, I’ll just fly a different airline that has more legroom at every seat.
When I go to book a ticket I look first as to whether my flight is non-stop, second if I can fly out of Midway instead of O’hare (I live in Chicago), third is the most convenient flight times. I routinely pay 10-20% for a ticket that offers the best of these criteria (fortunately, Southwest is often the best and the cheapest). If the price spread is more than 20% than I’ll go with the cheapest ticket unless its an airline I just don’t want to fly.
So Hank may roll his eyes that customers are only chasing the cheap tickets, but that’s not it really. Hank’s research will show that a customer like me will only chase the cheapest ticket, but in reality I just won’t pay an extra $50 for a seat that’s standard everywhere else.
Comment by Douglas Johnson — September 20, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
I really had a bad experience with Delta`s call center which is overseas and staffed by people who cannot speak good English. I spent 52 minutes trying to get 3 simple questions answered and each had to be referred to a supervisor as the rep. had no clue. They made no effort to solve the problem and certainly had no concern about the problem. I went to one of their code share airlines & they resolved .I will fly on virtually anyone else even if they are within 15% of Delta`s price.
Comment by Phillip — September 20, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
I have read through all these comments and in addition to my own comment above, I really liked this from Bernie:
Comment by Douglas Johnson — September 20, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
Will I quit an airline? You bet. After being stranded by BA due to a strike, and watching them deal with strikes at the same time each year for the following three years, I will not fly them no matter what the price. I will also pay more for services. I look for VA tickets to London whenever possible and will even alter Euro flight plans to fly through London just to fly them most of the way. When you’re looking at a 12 hour flight from LAX, service really does matter (with young kids!) way more than price.
Comment by lkensok — September 20, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
Sorry folks, my quote from Bernie didn’t register and my own words were block quoted. I don’t know how to use the HTML I guess.
Comment by Douglas Johnson — September 20, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
I WILL not frequent airlines I am treated badly on. I still look at Southwest and prefer Alaska Airlines. Even looking one day later adds maybe $200 to a ticket. I only fly when I have to-to see my daughter in NM. I live in Wa. state.
Comment by LJ Leatherman — September 20, 2007 @ 1:08 pm
Who I fly with depends upon many things, not just price. In the winter months I fly on Delta to visit my parents because of the two airlines that service the town I fly to, Casper, WY, United goes through Denver and Delta flies through Salt Lake and Salt Lake CIty Airport has never had a closure that I know of. I pay more, but I gladly pay more, knowing I WILL get there as Delta has time and time again, held a plane for us when our plane was late. I have never had that happen on United.
I am also a personal assistant. Up until recently, per my employer’s request, I tried to put her solely on United flights when she had to travel, for miles and elite status and such. So, at times, the price had been a bit more, but we paid it for the loyalty factor. No more. After this summer’s travel nightmares, I will be booking her on flights other than United. I have recently discovered that the voucher system of Southwest is so much more user friendly (no $100 change fee and I can rebook on the internet as opposed to going to an airport to ticket) that I actually look at Southwest now because I know cancellation is not a problem.
So, yes, even though I know it will cost a few more dollars, I am booking the airlines that have good customer service policies in place. That extra $10 or $20, whatever is worth it to me.
Comment by Catherine — September 20, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
Rick, price may be the first thing I look at but it’s not the ONLY thing. There are 2 major airlines I will never fly, regardless of price. One due to horrible service and one on principle. I also frequently take upgrades if available at the ticket counter to fly in comfort. Hank’s attitude reflects the disdain for customers that so many airline staff exude. Air Tran has been great so far…
Comment by Orvette — September 20, 2007 @ 2:04 pm
Customer service should not even be an issue for airline travel. Good customer service is a requirement of any business. It doesn’t matter what the business is. I don’t sell anything because I work at a University, but we are all here to give good customer service to our students. It is also a matter of treating a fellow human being with courtesy. Unless I am desperate, I will never fly US Air again. I am not very happy with Northwest either. I have always had good experiences with JetBlue. It seems to me that if they can afford to give cheap airfare and still have a drink, snack, music, and TV; the other airlines should also be able to do it.
Comment by Sandi Goodwin — September 20, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
Hi and thanks for letting me give my input. Yes, customer service is still a major, contributing factor as to what airline I will fly. Making it short, I no longer fly United or Lufthansa over collecting miles flown for an overseas flight. After jumping through their hoops I was told, months later, that they couldn’t find my paperwork and couldn’t help me. (My error for not making my own copies of the ticket receipts before forwarding to United). Being told United wouldn’t credit me the miles and my experience with a Lufthansa agent at FRA, I chose some years ago not to ever fly them again. Unfortunately for them, they lost a very steady customer.
Also, like a lot of other people, I do some research and try my best to get “cheap” tickets. However, whatever the cost of the ticket, the customer service could still be number one if an airline wants me to return.
I do not fly Southwest any longer because I always got the feeling I was flying a Greyhound bus in the sky and herded like cattle and though organized, I felt like I was not being treated professionally but like a kindergarten child. My problem, but I don’t like nor do I appreciate standup comedy routines at the beginning of a flight when they or any other airline comes on the loud speaker. At one time it was entertaining. However, now because the whole experience is so unpleasant to me that I don’t feel like being humored but enjoy it when someone gives me a bit of “unsolicited” TLC.
It’s unfortunate that the “affair” of flying is no longer one of excitement, being treated with utmost dignity nor something I look forward to. It will be interesting to see how the airlines will be attempting to gain the millions of babyboomers growing older and wanting to travel. It seems to me I see more of my friends, despite the cost of gas, driving instead.
Comment by John — September 20, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Safety, schedule, layovers and price factor together for the airline selection. I most always fly coach knowing seating is cramped with the exception of the exit rows regardless of the airline selected. I am exuberant if the middle seat is open. Snacks and amenities other than in first class seating are commonly charged regardless of airline. On a straight flight from San Francisco to Boston, snack boxes could only be purchased with credit cards accepting no cash! The recent television ad where the flight attendant lists charges for food, beverage, magazines and toilet facilities made me laugh. I carry a snack on long flights but I am not interested in paying for restroom priviledges. Flying has not been a luxury for many years. Rude staff attitudes, displaced luggage and overselling capacity are not a bargain.
Comment by Sher — September 20, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
No, price is not the only thing! I repeatedly fly Continental, despite paying slightly more, because of the quality of service and in flight amenities. Give me back the time when it was common to dress nicely for travel instead of dirty sweats, and when it was an event to look forward to. And no, I’m not older myself, I am in my mid 30s! We are taking our 2 young sons to Hawaii in a few weeks, and I am looking forward to getting them excited about air travel.
Comment by Jenn — September 20, 2007 @ 4:12 pm
Rick,
I recently flew to Las Vegas from Indy. American Airlines was the carrier. They missed my connection in DFW because they left Indy an hour late. On the return, they left Las Vegas an hour and a half late, and I missed my connection in Chicago. In both cases, when I talked to Americans reps at the gates, they told me it would be tight, but I would probably make the connections. Ha, Ha.
If they gave me a ticket, I would still fly with another airlines. This was my first and will be my last experience with American.
Comment by Kathi Sherron — September 20, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
I have come to absolutely HATE American Airlines because they are, for DFW, “tho only game in town”. And boy, do we pay for that!! Their fares are horrendous and they only go WHERE and WHEN they please. Their on-time percentage is dropping like a rock and THEY DON’T CARE!! It is not convenient to drive to Love Field (I live West) and then Southwest can only take you a few places because DFW got such a sweetheart deal from the US Congress in the Wright Amendment. So, whatever other problems there are, other airports at least have some CHOICE - DFW is 95% American Airlines.
Comment by Charlene Roberson — September 20, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
Ditto to comment #13 by Roger, I take time of departure, length of layover and convenience of arrival location to my final destination first and THEN $$. My time is worth a lot as a business traveler so being late, long commutes and travel fatigue are HUGE factors in my decisions. First class and nice lounges are great but pleasant customer service means even more.
Comment by bug girl — September 20, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Price is important, but service and amentities are as well. However, with the US airlines, they’ve drifted back to as bare a bones as can be. I’ve eliminated the following from my list so far…US Air/America West, United, Delta, American for reasons of poor service and/or what you don’t get. Gone are the days of even having the pilots telling where you are and it’s a joke when flight attendants thank you for flying with them and when your plans call for travel to choose {name of airline} after keeping your plane on the ground for 45 minutes (United) and giving you a single beverage on a 4-hour flight (American). Do they really believe that customers don’t notice these seemingly small and sometimes free courtesies???
Comment by Brian Doennebrink — September 20, 2007 @ 6:56 pm
I will never fly Delta again as their overseas partner airline advised me my direct international flight had been cancelled and I was forced to re-book a later, connecting flight with a 4-hour layover when, in fact, my original Delta flight took off on time. Unfortunately, being under the impression that my original flight had been cancelled, I arrived at the airport in time for my later re-booked flight and missed boarding my original flight by 15 minutes. Because I was traveling with an animal in the luggage compartment (Delta wouldn’t allow my pet in the cabin), the re-booked flight with a 4-hour layover really traumatized my animal who is like a child to me so I was really angry when I found out about the error. When I complained to Delta about it, they figuratively shrugged their shoulders and basically said “&*#% happens”. No apologies, no commiseration about the trauma caused to my animal, just really an “I don’t care attitude”. Consequently, Hell will have to freeze over before I fly Delta again. I don’t even glance at Delta ticket prices at all when I book a flight these days so I couldn’t say whether their ticket prices are cheaper or not.
Comment by Jazzybluesy — September 20, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
To put a number on it. I generally am willing to pay about 5% (maximum 10% over lowest cost) to fly on an airline that I prefer. My main concern is customer service (if something goes wrong).
I generally fly out of Taipei, Taiwan. For the last 2 years I have been flying Vietnam Airlines (to Europe) and North-West Airlines (to New York) exclusively due to their positive customer service.
I used to fly Eva Air — and was on their Silver Elite — until they spelled my name wrong on my airplane ticket. I noticed the error when I picked up the ticket at their office. I mentioned this to the lady and she said on this class of ticket, it was not a problem. I had my doubts, but since my Chinese is not that good, I went home and called them about the spelling. They told me that: “Once a ticket is issued you can’t change the spelling. You need to buy a new ticket.” When I mentioned what the lady at their office said they simply replied: You cannot prove it.” I needed to buy a new ticket. I now avoid that company–even if cheaper.
Comment by Jonathon David White — September 20, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Comment by Rick Seaney — September 21, 2007 @ 12:38 am
We travel back and forth across the Atlantic about once a year on average, plus occasional domestic flights. There are many factors I consider when buying a ticket. The biggest factors are these: Now that we have a 2 year old a direct flight is a big factor. And frequent flyer miles (which sort of relate to price in that they have value towards a future free ticket) are a factor as well. We recently paid about $70 more a ticket (a little over 10%) to fly direct on an airline that gave us frequent flyer miles.
Here are some lesser considerations: We look at carry-on luggage restrictions. BA is much less likely to get our business because I can’t take carry-on plus my laptop. When we have to make a connection, the airport we connect in a factor too (we avoid Paris if at all possible). And finally the plane itself is a factor, which I guess is finally related to customer service. More comfortable seats, private movie screens, etc all are considered. But all these probably would not make us pay more than 5% more for a ticket.
Actual customer service (at the check in counter, on the phone, in the air) is a very small consideration because we have just seen too much variation. It may just depend on who is having a bad day. For example AirTran has been great when ever we have flown with them - but folks above have talked about how terrible they were. From other airlines we have gotten GREAT people that went out of their way to help us, then from the same airline got treated only slightly better than dirt. I suppose we would consider this if we got consistent great or bad service from one particular airline, but that just does not seem to happen.
Comment by Scott — September 21, 2007 @ 4:14 am
I am willing to pay a few dollars more to avoid flying through Atlanta.
Comment by Charlotte — September 21, 2007 @ 10:23 am
I check price first my homework and pay attention to all the details. Check before I leave get there early and relax.
I really haven’t had any major airline problems. In the last year I have been to the UK, France,Crotia, Greece, Aruba, etc. as you see I travel quite alot and have been successful.
If it goes to my destination I use price.
bg
Comment by bob goodwin — September 21, 2007 @ 11:38 am
It was interesting to read Number 20. These folks were flying in first class and he mentioned that coach was unruly while they were partying in first class. I fly first class on long trips because we are generally (not always) treated a little better in FC. Maybe they were unruly in coach because they had no courteous flight attendants back there.
As several others mentioned, to fly non-stop out of DFW, you will probably fly AA. We have very little other choice for non-stop. They have gotten too big for their britches and the attendants can be surly in coach.
We flew to Quito, Ecuador last month on Continental and made a flight change in Houston. We did fly in FC, but I watched the attendants in coach whenever I could. I went to the back a couple of times just to see what was going on. The attendants were smiling and seemed to be gracious and attentive in coach. I plan to fly Continental when I can — even if I have to stop along my route.
American had better wake up. Smiling, courteous and attentive flight attendants can go a long way in making a flight a great experience and bringing me back as a customer.
Comment by Nancy — September 21, 2007 @ 11:48 am
I’m a cheap flier but I have my standards. I recently flew United for the first time and was disappointed. Other than lack of comfort in their seats, the most uncomfortable thing to deal with were the employees. One steward actually said “I don’t get paid enough to deal with this sh**!” about a customer complaining about the rows and rows of “economy plus” seats that were empty while the plane was full and we were cramped and not allowed to move. The pilot was sarcastic over the PA about the air traffic controllers. Anyway, the attitude of the employees made it less than pleasant to fly United. So maybe it would help if they improved the planes(more money), but I would have left with a much better perception of United if the employees had been more professional (FREE).
Comment by lisa — September 21, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
It’s not an either or question. I’d pay “more” to fly non-stop, especiallyon an international route (but how much?)For safety reasons I would not take the cheapest ticket on a no-name airline, especially a non-European or non-American airline.
I would never pay the price for Business or First Class - it’s the same plane and gets you there at the same time - no matter how long the flight.
If I had a REALLY BAD experience with an airline and I thought it was preventable or they were insufficiently apologetic I would not fly with them again - there are always other choices.
All things being equal (more or less) I stick with Star Alliance carriers to build up miles. But since redeeming miles is increasingly difficult, cost and convenience are, and probably always will be, the deciding factors.
Other than the plane getting there safetly and more or less on time there is not much else in the way of “service” that would entice me to choose one carrier over another or to pay more.
Comment by Chas — September 21, 2007 @ 8:24 pm
At age 62, I don’t fly that often but I start by looking at lowest price. Once I flew to NYC in January to get to Denver to save $40. Ridiculous. I would not do that again!
I look for lowest price but yes, I will consider convenience sometimes. I assume that every plane will be safe because I assume the pilot and crew want to fly safely and that the airline wants safety.
Last week I flew to Alaska on an airline that was serving a hot meal in first class and a spicy pack of crackers in coach (but I had eaten clam chowder in Seattle). Oh, and my bagggage did not arrive with me. It would arrive at midnight. We only had to drive thirty miles back to get it so we went the next day. There’s not a lot of choices to Fairbanks. I had seen lower fares to Anchorage but that’s a six hour or so drive.
I do like to accumulate flyer miles but still, price is my FIRST consideration. I don’t really care for making a bid then having to take whatever. I like to make a choice.
Comment by Cassandra — September 24, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
I don’t agree with the airline employee that price is the only thing. I fly mainly from Europe to the U.S. and Continental is ALWAYS 40-50 dollars more than comparable flights from Paris, Madrid, London, etc. Continental generally has better service and I think most people know it. Otherwise, why would people fly Cont. if it is always a little more?
Maybe this only applies to long flights as it doesn’t matter much for short flights.
Comment by Bill — September 25, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Uhh, Hank: I have flown Delta once or twice a year for the past seven or eight years. So where are those wider seats, and more legroom? Food? What’s that? Ditto entertainment. Faster check-in? I still see folks standing in lines if I don’t use curbside check-in….
Well, yes, they do serve food in first class, but my meager accumulation of skymiles won’t get me there (even though my once-or-twice-a-year loyalty has been in your computers for a while). And the upgrade price usually $300+ puts FC out of my range.
And the planes … no more full-sized jets from my home airport (STL) and apparently none of those amenities…. They’re small, they’re crowded in seats that certainly not only don’t have any more legroom but also have less room under the seat ahead of me and definitely have less overhead storage. Then there is the reduced schedule that makes my typical one-stop trip longer.
Air Tran has arrived in St. Louis and I’ll be checking it this year, for price, for schedule and for comfort. I already know what I can get at Delta…..
Comment by Cool Callie — September 27, 2007 @ 4:41 am
Price is a priority, but I look harder at arrival, departure, and layover times. Why bother saving $50 on a ticket if you have to spend 4 hours extra sitting around airports or take the 5:30 am flight. Also, if I am traveling with my wife and kids (2 yr old & 7 month old), I pay extra attention to time management on the trip.
I guess it is worth it for me to spend the extra cash to make the trip less of a hassel versus saving a few bucks.
Comment by Robert Wheaton — September 27, 2007 @ 8:54 am
Yes - I will pay more to avoid three things.
First is an airline with no customer support via phone, or you must wait on hold for hours to get through.
Second is no help in getting to my destination if my flight is delayed/canceled.
Third is not getting my checked baggage to my destination when I do.
I book 50-100 trips out of Detroit each year.
First - if I can’t get through to the airline by phone, I will avoid that airline as much as possible. Recently, I was stuck on a freeway going to the airport and freeway shut down to accident, delayed a couple of hours, knew I was going to miss flight, wanted to rebook on another flight, could not get through via phone to airline. Impact was that I was delayed an additional day, which would not have been necessary if I was able to get through to airline via phone!
Second example leads me to the airline that I avoid like the plague, which is Spirit. When my recent Detroit to Orlando flight was delayed for one hour, then an additional hour, then a third additional hour, then no staff at the gate to let us know what was going on (the monitor finally told us the flight was canceled), there was no Spirit staff to assist to rebook. I booked myself on another airline, then could not find anyone at Spirit to tell me where to get my checked bags with my business trip materials (they cannot be carried on). Another passenger found out from his travelling companion and informed me (thank goodness for cell phones!!) that we could pick up the checked baggage in the baggage claim area (another disaster as the carousel was full and they would not put any more baggage until bags on the carousel were claimed!)
Third example - recently I booked three weekend trips on the same weekend for different people - one to Winston-Salem, one to Minneapolis and the third to another city, all on Northwest (different travellers). Our business items must be checked - too large (camera tripods). One business checked case did not arrive in Winston-Salem - took a whole lot of complaining upon arrival, and eventually the case arrived one day later - business disaster. Same weekend, on return trip from Minneapolis, another business checked case disappeared. Northwest staff at airport told me to call Northwest baggage claim toll-free phone number. This number had recording that they could not take any phone calls, but I could email. I emailed Northwest, and got an automated email reply indicating that I should expect a response within 2 weeks. I wrote Northwest and did get a letter of apology back, and I have yet to fly them again enough to determine if things have been fixed.
Comment by Judy Uridge — September 27, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Price. That’s the bottom line at least when it comes to a flight home. Currently I work and live in the DC area. My hometown is Atlanta and there are rarely economical flights there. Often times I can get to SF or Chicago cheaper than I can get to Atlanta. With elderly infirmed parents and adult children there it is important that I try to go home as often as I can without going bankrupt.Put me in the belly of the plane with no snacks…heck the flight is only 1.5 hours. I can endure most anything for that.
Depending upon the length of the trip, I will pay a bit more for comfort. Heck I just want to get from point A to point B.
Comment by Kay Wood — September 27, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Price is a secondary consideration—and only when choosing between two airlines with similar services. Because I fly long-haul, comfort and service are paramount. There is inherent value in arriving at a destination and not losing a day (or more) from fatigue as a result of an exhausting, uncomfortable flight or stressful airport experiences.
As a general rule, I avoid U.S. carriers like the plague. Some of these employees of the American carriers should take a ride on an Asian carrier sometime to understand what the word “attitude” means. JAL, Cathay Pacific, Air Pacific, Singapore Airlines—-all are terrific and I can’t think of one bad experience I have ever had.
Just prior to Japan Air Lines entry into the One World alliance, I flew a first class round trip between Boston/Chicago/Tokyo which I booked (on the phone) with AA. The return from Tokyo to Chicago, to my surprise, was on JAL.
While AA’s first class 777 space was nice, JAL had nearly TWICE the space. More spacious and better seats, better menu, better service, cleaner bathrooms, etc etc etc.
But the true test came when I arrived back in Chicago and AA denied me entry into their first class lounge because I hadn’t come back from Tokyo on AA! Mind you, I had BOOKED THE ENTIRE FLIGHT exclusively through AA. I might also add, this was a $14,000 ticket.
The lounge manager was surly, unprofessional, and rude. All this effort to keep one passenger, who had payed a ton of money for her ticket, waiting out in the hall on a plastic chair because AA itself, not I the passenger, had booked me on another airline (I was indeed connecting from Chicago to Boston on AA, first class). Just because of this small experience, I will never fly AA again. It’s the attitude.
I wrote to the CEO of AA about this, and received a reply which stated that “this misunderstanding is a frequent problem”. Well if that’s the case, why the heck haven’t they FIXED it?
Comment by Marjorie Getz — September 27, 2007 @ 9:53 am
I think the question on lowest cost matters whether vacation or business. If leisure - I want the lowest cost because I do not consider commercial flights relaxing or comfortable experience. If business related, I want the best customer service and comfort.
I wouldn’t complain about a meal onboard because it usually sux, however, if I’m delayed for 4 hrs. anything besides peanuts is swell.
Unfortunately, in the US market I think Continental is the only stand-out. JetBlue is higher end of the discount carriers for leisure routes. I absolute will pay more for Continental because I think they have better customer service and cater to the needs of the customer.
US Air has horrible cust. service and trying to get anything done via their off-shore call center is an exercise in patience.
Comment by Roosevelt — September 27, 2007 @ 9:55 am
Cleanliness–on a recent plane trip on AA I noticed that planes are not as clean as they used to be. I really felt that I was sitting in a germ pit, with things left from the previous passenger, the magazine holder “sprung” so that it hit me in the leg, the bathrooms, etc. I love to travel, always am just finishing a trip or starting to plan the next one. But I am seriously thinking about trains now.
Comment by Ruth Dillon — September 27, 2007 @ 11:44 am
Hi again, Ok, I got it. Perhaps many of us needed to vent a bit and got off track as to “suggestions” to the airlines. I will do my best with the short amount of time I have to do this.
It looks like air travel is becoming just like anything else. One needs to, as much as possible, take things into their own hands and be pro-active. I’ve had to do this in several areas of my life already such as my medical care, and even in comparing prices at supermarkets, investigating things on the internet, etc. I hope everyone gets the picture. Excitedly, my hat is off to farecompare.com in helping me explore this.
Perhaps the airline could make it easier on their customers in helping them become pro-active by doing a few things. Perhaps agents coming on the loudspeaker in the waiting area to let people know ahead of time of possible glitches in their travel at a connecting city/destination. Examples might be advance weather conditions, possible canceled flights. These are just a few….I’m sure everyone has a few more to add. This might allow waiting travelers to phone ahead to make car reservations, hotel reservations or allow one to notify their loved ones ahead of time that they don’t need to start a 2 to 3 hour trek to pick you up because of a canceled flight or adverse air weather. Yes, they do this at times but at times when it is too late. I’ve seen monitors in waiting areas that change flight times and destinations……why not keep us up to date on what’s going on at your connection/destination? Monitors to let you see what the current layout looks like at your connection/destination. This could also be added to “our new little seat screens that are usually not working or have not been placed” on the the aircraft. A daunting task for you airlines?? Well let’s see who out does each other in this scenario.
Perhaps a few conceirge phones in the waiting area to be used. Yes, a airline concierge that might be able to assist you in car/hotel reservations or notifying of a loved one. The conceirge/s wouldn’t need to be available all the time but in crisis situations. People with cell phones, of course, would be able to do their own trouble shooting but this would certainly help the flier who doesn’t have a cell phone or help that elderly person, by giving them peace of mind that “things” have been taken care of for them.
ALSO….I’ve read of all the surly attendants and their remarks and horrible service. VERY GOOD POINT….! Another duty, perhaps, of these conceirges could be to take the customer service evaluations of passengers as they are stepping off their flights! What a concept to be handed a customer service questionnaire by your attendant at boarding. I bet knowing that they were being evaluated might at least keep a smile on their face!
Perhaps the conceirge might be a deserving agent/ attendant with years of counter service and/or flight hours of serving the public and know the ins and outs of the needs of travelers. Don’t you think that picking the brains of these long time, proved excellent service givers would be great. A sort of high esteem position given/rewarded to these people. A position earned!
This position would be for only the best of unionized employees. Not management. Allowing them a little leeway in helping out.
Yes….customer service could certainly get my business and at the same time with all the travelers the airline would attract could keep fares down.
Again, thanks for reading….John
Comment by John — September 27, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
I fly once or twice a year, and I always go for the cheapest ticket. I never buy any of the food on the plane; never sit in first class. On every flight I’ve ever been on, I’ve just slept for most of it. (Of course, I’ve never been on a flight that’s lasted more than 5 hours.) The flight is just to get me to my destination, and I’d rather spend as little as possible on the transportation so I can spend more at the actual destination. I think the success of the budget airlines like Southwest and JetBlue shows that people like me are more common than people who fly dozens of times a year, even though the responses in this blog would indicate otherwise.
Comment by Tommy — September 27, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
To reduce prices of tickets, how about reducing the number of flight attendants on flights less than 3-4 hours. There could be elimination of all in flight food and beverages except in first class, with one flight attendant managing the whole first class and main cabins. Small bottles of water couldbe handed out on the flight and people could dispose of them after deplaning. Almost all of the announcements and safety advisories are on a video screen now and the flight attendants don’t need to repeat everything the captain says. The captain’s assistant could help with securing the doors for cross check etc…I have been delayed on multiple occasions just waiting for the flight attendants to arrive from another flight, with everyone else boarded, baggage on board ready to go…Frustrating! Flight attendants are still needed for longer flights such as transatlantic ones, but this would reduce the airlines workforce and subsequently reduce their health insurance/disability exposures, possibly creating an ability to reduce airline fares.
Comment by david — September 27, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
I am a cheap traveler and only book economy seats. I have only traveled for vacation purposes. However, I am willing to pay $150 - 300 more when I fly long distance from Vancouver to Sydney, Frankfurt or London if it’s a direct flight. I am also willing to pay a little bit more if I knew that I had an empty seat beside me or more leg room. Comfort is very important when you are flying non-stop for 10 - 15 hours. It would certainly help to make flying pleasurable. That’s why I agree with flipflopbride’s comments about limited space onboard airlines.
Comment by Petra Mehner — September 27, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
Perhaps I’m just inexperienced, although I do fly at least 3 times a year on business or pleasure, but I haven’t found any airline that treats me any different than another. I harbor no preference as far as service goes,sofor me price is of paramount importance, but it’s not the only consideration. My schedule is probably the deciding factor when I’m traveling. I like to maximize my time, which means I like to leave earlier in the morning from a conveniently located airport rather than driving 2 hours from Colorado Springs to DIA so I can wait in a security line for yet ANOTHER 2 hours, just so I can make my 4a.m. flight on time. It’s ridiculous, and I just won’t do it. I also like to arrive at my destination at a decent hour, so I’m certainly not interested in a 5 hour layover at some random location. I will pay more, within reason, to have a decent flight schedule coming from the smaller airports that I’m close to. Customer service with a smile would be great, but I think that might be pushing our luck.
Comment by Jaici — September 27, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
Connecting to this thread late, but just back after several trips of late and had another uncomfortable and tiring experience. To save money (our first priority) we participated in a free flight program which sent us to our destination on a carrier we never choose (because of their prices and schedules). Never again, even for free. Example…a flight from door to door that usually takes 5 to 6 hours on our preferred carrier, just took us 12 hours iclusive of delay, delay, delay. Riding on these coach seats that have NO room, having the person in front of you lay back their seat and then arriving to an empty airport, but yet it took baggage claim 30 minutes to get our bags delivered was not a pleasant way to spend any day. I do not think the airlines should feed anyone. The food is not worth even passing out, much less all of the garbage it creates. My hubby and I think that if the airlines did not “give” food for “free” then most people would not bother buying what they might have to offer. The perception of free just keeps the crap coming. Pack a lunch. Guess we’re stuck with their beverages since you can’t take your own any more. On a two, three or four hour flight, I do not need anything to eat. Make the bathrooms bigger. I am not a big person, but what a chore to use one of those contraptions. Porta potties are more spacious. Seats have to be made bigger and more comfortable. I can’t believe there is not more airline cabin rage from everyone on this issue. NO ONE is comfortable, except maybe FC. I will go back to flying my favorite carrier (usually can get nonstop anywhere I go), accumulating miles and use them to soften the price blow occassionally. Our next trip, in three weeks, will be by car….even tho’ it will take us 22 driving hours, I need a travel break from the craziness of today’s plane travel. See the USA in a Chevrolet………………!
Comment by cory — October 6, 2007 @ 9:32 pm
I can give up the free meals, snacks, pillows, blankets, magazines, movies on long flights even, but what I would like retained is courtesy from the people at the counters. Even if I am not a first class or business class passenger, I would like to be treated with respect. I did pay for my flight too, not as much perhaps as they did, but my money is also green. I would hope the people at the counters would realize that electronic check-in can be a bit intimidating for us older passengers who do not fly often. One counter agent snapped at us that we had done things wrong and that thousands of other customers that morning seemed able to work the electronic check-in screens. He had told us to use any credit card to check in. Well, I did and the computer required the same credit card we had used to purchase our tickets originally. Anyway, please realize that not all of us are thoroughly adept with computers, or familiar with electronic check-in. My mother is 76 years old, has never gone online, and she never went to school. She would be intimidated by such expectations at the airport. I go with her and help her, and print out her ticket for her. So, courtesy is all I’m looking for, and I will give that in return.
Comment by E Marie — October 8, 2007 @ 3:03 pm