If you're a regular reader of my blog or my retired blog
www.blondacrossthepond.com then you know one of my favorite topics to blog about and therefore complain about is
air travel. There's no other service or product that we pay so much money for and get such a horrid return on. And really what's up with the lack of customer service? My troubles go something like this:
My friend checks my flight for me at work last night and finds out it is delayed 50 minutes because of a crew change. He determines the delay will cause me to miss my connection in San Fran and put me into Columbus at 9:26 p.m. Plenty of time to miss the "Christmas" dinner my mother and grandmother are lovingly preparing because I have to work on Christmas. Nooooo!
Note: I didn't get an update from the airline. We were being proactive in the situation.
My friend calls reservations and tries for 25 minutes to get me on the United flight through Denver so I won't miss Christmas. NO - because the only seats they have left on that flight are first class. So? The agent suggests I go out to the airport to talk with a United agent and see what they can do.
After work, driving 30 mph on icy roads, I make my tender way to the Eugene Airport. After I slide into the median trying to get into short-term parking, I'm really feeling sorry for myself. At the United ticket desk, there are no agents and the lights are off. I pick up the courtesy phone and after hearing my story and checking my reservation the man actually tells me to go to the airport to speak with an agent.
"Sir, I am at the airport. There are no agents here."
"Oh, that's because the ticket desk is closed."
"But didn't you just tell me to go to the airport?"
"Yes, but you need to go during opening hours, at 8am."
"My flight leaves at 6am."
"Let me see what I can do."
He comes back on the line 12 minutes later and says, "I can get you on the 6am San Fran flight which will get you to Columbus by 5:34 p.m.!"
"I'm in Oregon, not California."
"There's nothing I can do."
"But this isn't a weather delay, this is a crew change and not my fault!" I try not to raise my voice and hang up.
After sleeping for an hour and a half, I get to the airport (again) around 5am. I go through security because the line at the ticket desk is out the door and approach a United desk. I'm not even close to the agent, just hanging back smiling (hopeful I might be able to get to my destination at the time my reservations say I will) when he yells without looking up, "I'M NOT TAKING ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES!! EVERYONE NEEDS TO SIT DOWN!" Holy Hanna. This man was not to be messed with. After five minutes, I quietly asked from a safe distance, "Excuse me, is there any room on the Denver flight?" Again, not even looking up, "NO, NO ROOM!"
Absolutely heartbroken, I shrug over to a seat. I will miss Christmas dinner and even though I paid $500 for a flight and more to check a bag, United does not care and has no accountability. When I made it to San Fran, I waited in line to see if I could get a window seat. Again, the United agent wouldn't acknowledge me at the desk. Why?! He called up 8 stand-by passengers and when I finally asked for a window seat he said NOPE without checking the computer. The REALLY bad part of this? When I got on the plane, there was no room left for my carry on so the agent checked it through. I'm in Chicago with a magazine, my laptop, wallet, make-up bag, phone, laptop cord all just piled around me - with no bag.
I'm really thinking about permanently altering my mode of travel. Maybe trains, cars and ships are the way to go when possible. How else can we quietly protest the practices of the airline industry? Had I wanted to get into Columbus late on Saturday night, I would've purchased the
much cheaper ticket. But because United needed to do a crew change without planning ahead, I miss Christmas dinner with my family and get no compensation for my time, trouble or money. I can't even get a window seat or carry on a bag when I've already paid to check another one! Who conducts business like that and expects to succeed?
So what's fair? Air travelers should be able to reserve a reservation with a credit card and then pay once they arrive at their destination. If there are problems because of the airline, travelers should pay accordingly.
Are you flying for the holidays?