Marv's Neighbor Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 PTR has a point. I was diagnosed with cancer and had a bunch of flights scheduled with USAir during my treatment and recovery time. They didn't ask for any verification and just refunded the whole lot of the tickets. I was very appreciative and only flew USAir for the next few years. This was 6-7 years ago and I know times have changed, but a decent human at least looks into a way around a penalty when health is concerned. I had a similar situation with United. They were decent and they continued to get my business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 The feel good thing works if more people tried it. You'd be amazed what a smile and a $20 bill can get you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 Being a "Frequent Flier" helps also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 [quote name='Dwight Drane' date='Oct 16 2008, 08:05 PM' post='1172379 The feel good thing works if more people tried it. You'd be amazed what a smile and a $20 bill can get you. While I'm not certain it would have helped PTR in this situation...you are absolutely right. Right before 911, when security was still reasonably tight and you definitely needed a photo ID to fly, a smile and a $20 got me to Hawaii, even though I discovered (at the Newark airport) that I had no photo ID in my wallet. And a smile and another $20, got me booked into a room at the W Hotel (Diamond Head) even though I had no credit card (left it on the counter at home), and only about $100 in cash on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 The feel good thing works if more people tried it. You'd be amazed what a smile and a $20 bill can get you. esquire had an article a few years ago about a guy who spent 3 months just trying to see what he could get with $20. It was pretty funny - everything from better tables at restaurants, upgrades and driving an NYC street sweeper at 3am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsWatch Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 PTR has a point. I was diagnosed with cancer and had a bunch of flights scheduled with USAir during my treatment and recovery time. They didn't ask for any verification and just refunded the whole lot of the tickets. I was very appreciative and only flew USAir for the next few years. This was 6-7 years ago and I know times have changed, but a decent human at least looks into a way around a penalty when health is concerned. USAir is no longer same airline. For Katrina I was scheduled to fly to New Orleans for Bills game. Flights were canceled and I got a credit good for 1 year. It ends up that the credit was good only for one year from booking date which cut 5 months off the usable range. I was scheduled for work and could not use it and lost all of my money. I have not flown USAir again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spun Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I will be flying Southwest for the first time next week for a round trip from San Diego to Buffalo and back. I booked within two weeks and it cost $330. What should I expect with the no seat assignment deal? A free-for-all? The lack of a charge for checked baggage was an incentive. I do recall that after 9/11 Southwest was one of of few if not the only airline not to lay off their employees. I used to trade off between USAir and American. Then both airlines pulled their stunts after oil prices got crazy. USAir threatened to take away my 60,000 frequent flier mileage unless I flew by a certain date. Then USAir had the nerve to try to sell my mileage back for a $50 fee. I am sorry to about your ear situation. More importantly than the air (dis)credit, I hope the surgery works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I will be flying Southwest for the first time next week for a round trip from San Diego to Buffalo and back. I booked within two weeks and it cost $330. What should I expect with the no seat assignment deal? A free-for-all? The lack of a charge for checked baggage was an incentive. I do recall that after 9/11 Southwest was one of of few if not the only airline not to lay off their employees. I used to trade off between USAir and American. Then both airlines pulled their stunts after oil prices got crazy. USAir threatened to take away my 60,000 frequent flier mileage unless I flew by a certain date. Then USAir had the nerve to try to sell my mileage back for a $50 fee. I am sorry to about your ear situation. More importantly than the air (dis)credit, I hope the surgery works out. I used to fly SW out of San Diego pretty frequently. It's a bit of a cattle herd, but not horrible. Get there a little early, get your group assignment and get in line. Don't do the backwards seat thingy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spun Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I used to fly SW out of San Diego pretty frequently. It's a bit of a cattle herd, but not horrible. Get there a little early, get your group assignment and get in line. Don't do the backwards seat thingy though. The backwards seat thingy? What is that? Not like dinner table seating is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 I will be flying Southwest for the first time next week for a round trip from San Diego to Buffalo and back. I booked within two weeks and it cost $330. What should I expect with the no seat assignment deal? A free-for-all? The lack of a charge for checked baggage was an incentive. I do recall that after 9/11 Southwest was one of of few if not the only airline not to lay off their employees. I used to trade off between USAir and American. Then both airlines pulled their stunts after oil prices got crazy. USAir threatened to take away my 60,000 frequent flier mileage unless I flew by a certain date. Then USAir had the nerve to try to sell my mileage back for a $50 fee. I am sorry to about your ear situation. More importantly than the air (dis)credit, I hope the surgery works out. Thanks for your concern for my ear. It should be fine. I fly SW all the time and I think they are great. Definitely not a free-for-all. Not sure what your expectations, but I never have a problem with SW, ever. They give you free soda and a snack. Longer fights they give you a snack box with a couple of things. They got beer/alcohol but its extra. If you think you'll get hungry, grab something at the airport and bring it with you. The key is checking in online early. That means exactly 24 hours before your flight. Is your flight at 9am on a Friday? Then be at your computer at 8:55am Thursday with your Conf.# ready. If you check in within the first 15 minutes you'll have your choice of seating. But know that SW fliers are wise to the drill and are all ready to check in at the same time, so if you snooze you wind up at the end of the "A" group or in the "B" group. SW has changed their lineup system so there is no more grabbing a place in line. Wen you check in you get a letter and number: "A27" or "B14" etc. When it's time to board you will line up with your group by your number. if you try to cut, they make you wait your turn. Once on your plane you get you choice of what's left. I know some flyers won't fly SW because they don't reserve seats. To me, if you're flying coach, one seat is the same as the next. The emergency exit row seats are the only difference. Most of my flights are 1-2 hours. I look at it like a bus ride. You get on, you get off. Land the plane safely, don't charge me a fortune, and I'm happy. P.S. to Spun: SW does not do the backward seat thingy anymore. He's referring to being able to reverse your seat so if you are flying with a group of 4 you can all face each other during the flight (like trans sometimes do). They stopped doing that. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spun Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for the tips! I fly SW all the time and I think they are fine. Not sure what your expectations are. The key is checking in online early. That means exactly 24 hours before your flight. Is your flight at 9am on a Friday? Then be at your computer at 8:55am Thursday with your Conf.# ready. If you check in within the first 15 minutes you'll have your choice of seating. But know that SW fliers are wise to the drill and are all ready to check in at the same time, so if you snooze you wind up at the end of the "A" group or in the "B" group. SW has changed their lineup system so there is no more grabbing a place in line. Wen you check in you get a letter and number: "A27" or "B14" etc. When it's time to board you will line up with your group by your number. if you try to cut, they make you wait your turn. Once on your plane you get you choice of what's left. I know some flyers won't fly SW because they don't reserve seats. To me, if you're flying coach, one seat is the same as the next. The emergency exit row seats are the only difference. Most of my flights are 1-2 hours. I look at it like a bus ride. You get on, you get off. Land the plane safely, don't charge me a fortune, and I'm happy. P.S. to Spun: SW does not do the backward seat thingy anymore. He's referring to being able to reverse your seat so if you are flying with a group of 4 you can all face each other during the flight (like trans sometimes do). They stopped doing that. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 The backwards seat thingy? What is that? Not like dinner table seating is it? On some SW jets they have backward facing seats at the bulkheads. It just feels funny to me flying backwards (really notice it on takeoff and landing). Of course, if a very cute woman happens to sit in the seat facing the backward seat you should be encouraged to sit across from her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 USAir is no longer same airline. For Katrina I was scheduled to fly to New Orleans for Bills game. Flights were canceled and I got a credit good for 1 year. It ends up that the credit was good only for one year from booking date which cut 5 months off the usable range. I was scheduled for work and could not use it and lost all of my money. I have not flown USAir again. They had moxie, back when they were Allegheny Air. In 1977, an allied outfit of theirs - Cumberland Airlines, landed a turboprop 12-seater into Latrobe PA airport during a terrible snowstorm, to pick me up and shuttle me to the PGH airport. I was the lone passenger, and the pilot asked me if I could swim, because the stiff westerly headwinds were draining the fuel and he might have to abort into the Allegheny River. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thanks for your concern for my ear. It should be fine. I fly SW all the time and I think they are great. Definitely not a free-for-all. Not sure what your expectations, but I never have a problem with SW, ever. They give you free soda and a snack. Longer fights they give you a snack box with a couple of things. They got beer/alcohol but its extra. If you think you'll get hungry, grab something at the airport and bring it with you. The key is checking in online early. That means exactly 24 hours before your flight. Is your flight at 9am on a Friday? Then be at your computer at 8:55am Thursday with your Conf.# ready. If you check in within the first 15 minutes you'll have your choice of seating. But know that SW fliers are wise to the drill and are all ready to check in at the same time, so if you snooze you wind up at the end of the "A" group or in the "B" group. SW has changed their lineup system so there is no more grabbing a place in line. Wen you check in you get a letter and number: "A27" or "B14" etc. When it's time to board you will line up with your group by your number. if you try to cut, they make you wait your turn. Once on your plane you get you choice of what's left. I know some flyers won't fly SW because they don't reserve seats. To me, if you're flying coach, one seat is the same as the next. The emergency exit row seats are the only difference. Most of my flights are 1-2 hours. I look at it like a bus ride. You get on, you get off. Land the plane safely, don't charge me a fortune, and I'm happy. P.S. to Spun: SW does not do the backward seat thingy anymore. He's referring to being able to reverse your seat so if you are flying with a group of 4 you can all face each other during the flight (like trans sometimes do). They stopped doing that. PTR Sorry about your JetBlue experience. I fly a lot and the only airline I fly, whenever possible, is JetBlue. I love them. Direct flight from NYC to anywhere, I pay extra for the aisle seats in the front of the plane with more legroom, reasonable priced drinks in flight, great DirectTV in front of you (Godfather Parts I and II made a long flight to Seattle far easier to take) and generally very friendly service. I will pay xtra for an aisle seat to stretch out in, and refuse to queque up in line for a long time, hence I will never fly Southwest. When waiting for a plne, I am usually on the otehr side of security grabbing a smoke...JetBlue actually has a bar on the other side of security. I was told its a convenience to smokers and people waiting for others. They will continue to have this at the new terminal at JFK. My kind of airline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Sorry about your JetBlue experience. I fly a lot and the only airline I fly, whenever possible, is JetBlue. I love them. Direct flight from NYC to anywhere, I pay extra for the aisle seats in the front of the plane with more legroom, reasonable priced drinks in flight, great DirectTV in front of you (Godfather Parts I and II made a long flight to Seattle far easier to take) and generally very friendly service. I will pay xtra for an aisle seat to stretch out in I noticed that option, for the first time, when I flew to Buffalo this past summer. I think it was $20 or $40 per segment. I laughed, of course, as I am fairly short, and have plenty of leg room in the regular Jet Blue seats. Nice option, though OTOH, if they offered an option to pay for a seat with extra STOMACH room... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 I noticed that option, for the first time, when I flew to Buffalo this past summer. I think it was $20 or $40 per segment. I laughed, of course, as I am fairly short, and have plenty of leg room in the regular Jet Blue seats. Nice option, though OTOH, if they offered an option to pay for a seat with extra STOMACH room... Whats great about it is that people book up the regular seats, leaving the entire front of the plane open if you are willing to pay a little more. This is even a few days prior to takeoff. I love it, since I will pay for the convenience of being comfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Whats great about it is that people book up the regular seats, leaving the entire front of the plane open if you are willing to pay a little more. This is even a few days prior to takeoff. I love it, since I will pay for the convenience of being comfortable. What about the people that cant afford the comfort? We have to spread the comfort to everyone on the plane and you have to share the expense. Use the train instead. Plenty of leg room. Climb aboard for the ride of your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 What about the people that cant afford the comfort? We have to spread the comfort to everyone on the plane and you have to share the expense. Use the train instead. Plenty of leg room. Climb aboard for the ride of your life. LOL!! I have taken the train, but usually don't have the time it takes. Also, when they had a bar car that allowed smoking it was fun. Sit in a bar for x hours and arrive at your destination. Now, probably not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 Sorry about your JetBlue experience. I fly a lot and the only airline I fly, whenever possible, is JetBlue. I love them. Direct flight from NYC to anywhere, I pay extra for the aisle seats in the front of the plane with more legroom, reasonable priced drinks in flight, great DirectTV in front of you (Godfather Parts I and II made a long flight to Seattle far easier to take) and generally very friendly service. I will pay xtra for an aisle seat to stretch out in, and refuse to queque up in line for a long time, hence I will never fly Southwest. When waiting for a plne, I am usually on the otehr side of security grabbing a smoke...JetBlue actually has a bar on the other side of security. I was told its a convenience to smokers and people waiting for others. They will continue to have this at the new terminal at JFK. My kind of airline. Like I said in my post, the new numbered boarding passes mean you can sit in your chair until the very second they start boarding. You aren't standing in a line any more than any other airline. Look, I enjoyed flying JetBlue the few times I've flown them. Too bad they don't serve Manchester NH. (They fly out of Logan.) I'm just pissed at their policy and not cutting me a little slack because of medical reasons. Maybe it's just me but I thought the whole idea of customer service is to bend the rules to maintain customer loyalty. It's one thing if someone constantly jerks around canceling flights. It's another when a customer asks for a mulligan one time with good reason. Like I said in my post, I hope their strict adherence to policy works for them because they have soured me on their company, official airline of the Bills or not. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Maybe it's just me but I thought the whole idea of customer service is to bend the rules to maintain customer loyalty. It's one thing if someone constantly jerks around canceling flights. It's another when a customer asks for a mulligan one time with good reason. Depends on the industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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