Good things to say Re: America West
Sep 9th, 2003, 03:30 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good things to say Re: America West
I had to cancel a ticket pretty much last minute(2 Days) for an unplanned court appearence and Amer. West did not charge me the 100.00 change fee that I was told would be charged on a non refundalbe ticket!!!I was asked which court and the docket number so I don"t know if they looked it up or if they were just in a good mood that evening. I know when I rebooked (to Vegas) it was in the notes not to charge me ,just any differance in price. I LOVE AMERICA WEST!!!
Sep 10th, 2003, 04:54 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,711
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The phlebotomy is the ancient art of bloodletting.It arrived in the U.S. on the Mayflower.George Washington died of a throat infection as the result of a plebotomy which was thought to be the cure of all disease as known then.George was drained of 9 pints of blood in less than 24 hours........S
Sep 11th, 2003, 08:19 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I can help it, I will never fly America West again. Here's my story:
Last June, I needed a last-minute flight back east for a family emergency, and America West had a decent fare Portland, OR to Baltimore, so I jumped on it. Hadn't flown them in ages and wasn't really eager to, given some negative things I'd heard about them, but other options cost a few hundred more. How bad could it be?
This was a red eye flight with a connection in Las Vegas. The PDX-LAS flight (#799) was supposed to to depart PDX at 7:45PM, but just before boarding they announced that there was a "maintenance issue" and that they were holding up boarding. They said, "If we have the part here, it should be a short delay." No problem, I had a 90 minute layover in LAS - I'll still make it, right?
In the next hour they told us everything from "we found the part" to "we're still looking for the part". By 8:45PM we still hadn't boarded and I was getting nervous. They'd already sent some passengers back to the ticket counter for rebooking because they'd missed their connections, but they told everyone else to stay put. Even though they told the rest of us we'd make our connections (still no announced boarding time), people started lining up at the check-in counter to re-book on other airlines. The line was moving slowly, so I called American West reservations from my cell phone. I was told bluntly not to worry about it, that I would still make my connection, because my PDX flight was scheduled to depart at 8:45. Hmm, kinda doubt that as it's already 8:55 and we haven't started to board yet. I hang up and decide to take my chances when I finally get to the front of the line.
Just before I get there, the agents scramble and say, "We're boarding! We're boarding!" I was nervous about making my connection, but they told us they had called the manager (?) in LAS and asked to have our connecting flights held; it would be very close, but they could make up time in the air, blah blah blah. I was dubious (what about my bags?) but I felt I was being herded like a steer and didn't have much choice in the matter. I'm worried about getting stuck in Las Vegas.
So we get on the plane. Everyone boards quickly, but then there's some delay in departing. Mechanics come into the cockpit to tell the pilot something or other, but eventually they leave (are they *really* going to wait for us in LAS? I'm doing flight time/arrival calculations in my head) and they close the doors and push off. It's about 9:30.
The pilot comes on the intercom; he does not apologize for the delay but simply says "Flight attendants, please prepare for departure." We begin to taxi.
A few minutes later, as we're still moving on the ground, the pilot comes back on. "We are ready to take off, but we are taxiing back to the gate for a maintenance issue. It should be a short delay." No apology - but what about our connections? Surely we are getting off again.
We get to the gate; the female flight attendant in first class tells me we are not getting off. "What about our connections?" I ask. She doesn't seem to know what I'm talking about - as if she thought everyone's destination was Las Vegas. I ask her again. "On us or another airline?" she says. What? Then I realize: she's about to lecture me that America West isn't responsible for getting me to another airline on time...but I'm trying to make another AW flight (why would she think otherwise???). Many of us are. I am shocked that she is so uninformed, indifferent, and unsympathetic about our connections.
While they are clearing up the new "maintenance issue" I insist to her that I don't want to be stuck in Vegas overnight and finally convince her to find out what's the deal with our connections. About ten minutes later (we're at the gate, door open) she says, "Gate agents have determined that most of you will not make your connections. We'll put you up at a hotel for the night in Las Vegas. But any of you thinking of getting off - realize that everything is booked SOLID Thursday out of Portland. There's a chance you won't be able to leave on Thursday."
Portland outbound flights booked on a THURSDAY in June??? That didn't jibe with the checking I'd done earlier in the day. Did she mean all airlines or just America West? I called American Airlines from my cell and found there were plenty of seats on the first two possible flights to BWI on AA - so obviously they could have gotten us out on other airlines...
But she does concede, reluctantly, "Any of you who do want to get off and take your chances tomorrow, ring your call button and we'll get your bags off the plane." About four of us did. Oh, and: the latest "maintenance issue" turned out to be missing paperwork - I guess they forgot to get new flight orders or something after the delay, couldn't fly again without them.
So I get back to the gate where we'd departed from. The agents are surprised to see me. What's going on? I explain. They are apologetic and willing to help me change to a Thursday flight. I explain I'd rather fly to PHL instead of BWI anyway. No problem. In fact, every flight she *checks* on America West has availability on Thursday out of Portland. Obviously the "Portland is booked solid" story was completely false.
She puts me on PDX-PHL on Thursday, decent times, and first class to boot. I later learned that the next LAS-BWI flight available didn't leave LAS til the afternoon; otherwise, I'd be going through PHX and getting to BWI not much earlier than just leaving from PDX Thursday.
I know maintenance issues happen (the paperwork "issue" seems like incompetence though) - and I surely want the planes to be safe. But I think America West - except for the one cooperative agent - handled their customers badly. They lied to us and acted indignant when I didn't want to get stuck in Las Vegas overnight. Luckily, my flight PDX-PHL the next day did go fairly smoothly.
One more scary thing: as the agent was booking my PHL flight tonight, the agent reminded me that, "There's only more flight after that in case something like this happens again." I didn't understand what she meant - did she think I'd miss it? I asked her what she meant. Did these "maintenance issues" happen often? She gave me a discreet nod. Oh, great! I doubt I'll be flying America West again after this. Ever. In fact, I could have saved about $100 flying AW back to Portland but I flew Continental instead. Flying AW again wasn't worth the savings.
Andrew
Last June, I needed a last-minute flight back east for a family emergency, and America West had a decent fare Portland, OR to Baltimore, so I jumped on it. Hadn't flown them in ages and wasn't really eager to, given some negative things I'd heard about them, but other options cost a few hundred more. How bad could it be?
This was a red eye flight with a connection in Las Vegas. The PDX-LAS flight (#799) was supposed to to depart PDX at 7:45PM, but just before boarding they announced that there was a "maintenance issue" and that they were holding up boarding. They said, "If we have the part here, it should be a short delay." No problem, I had a 90 minute layover in LAS - I'll still make it, right?
In the next hour they told us everything from "we found the part" to "we're still looking for the part". By 8:45PM we still hadn't boarded and I was getting nervous. They'd already sent some passengers back to the ticket counter for rebooking because they'd missed their connections, but they told everyone else to stay put. Even though they told the rest of us we'd make our connections (still no announced boarding time), people started lining up at the check-in counter to re-book on other airlines. The line was moving slowly, so I called American West reservations from my cell phone. I was told bluntly not to worry about it, that I would still make my connection, because my PDX flight was scheduled to depart at 8:45. Hmm, kinda doubt that as it's already 8:55 and we haven't started to board yet. I hang up and decide to take my chances when I finally get to the front of the line.
Just before I get there, the agents scramble and say, "We're boarding! We're boarding!" I was nervous about making my connection, but they told us they had called the manager (?) in LAS and asked to have our connecting flights held; it would be very close, but they could make up time in the air, blah blah blah. I was dubious (what about my bags?) but I felt I was being herded like a steer and didn't have much choice in the matter. I'm worried about getting stuck in Las Vegas.
So we get on the plane. Everyone boards quickly, but then there's some delay in departing. Mechanics come into the cockpit to tell the pilot something or other, but eventually they leave (are they *really* going to wait for us in LAS? I'm doing flight time/arrival calculations in my head) and they close the doors and push off. It's about 9:30.
The pilot comes on the intercom; he does not apologize for the delay but simply says "Flight attendants, please prepare for departure." We begin to taxi.
A few minutes later, as we're still moving on the ground, the pilot comes back on. "We are ready to take off, but we are taxiing back to the gate for a maintenance issue. It should be a short delay." No apology - but what about our connections? Surely we are getting off again.
We get to the gate; the female flight attendant in first class tells me we are not getting off. "What about our connections?" I ask. She doesn't seem to know what I'm talking about - as if she thought everyone's destination was Las Vegas. I ask her again. "On us or another airline?" she says. What? Then I realize: she's about to lecture me that America West isn't responsible for getting me to another airline on time...but I'm trying to make another AW flight (why would she think otherwise???). Many of us are. I am shocked that she is so uninformed, indifferent, and unsympathetic about our connections.
While they are clearing up the new "maintenance issue" I insist to her that I don't want to be stuck in Vegas overnight and finally convince her to find out what's the deal with our connections. About ten minutes later (we're at the gate, door open) she says, "Gate agents have determined that most of you will not make your connections. We'll put you up at a hotel for the night in Las Vegas. But any of you thinking of getting off - realize that everything is booked SOLID Thursday out of Portland. There's a chance you won't be able to leave on Thursday."
Portland outbound flights booked on a THURSDAY in June??? That didn't jibe with the checking I'd done earlier in the day. Did she mean all airlines or just America West? I called American Airlines from my cell and found there were plenty of seats on the first two possible flights to BWI on AA - so obviously they could have gotten us out on other airlines...
But she does concede, reluctantly, "Any of you who do want to get off and take your chances tomorrow, ring your call button and we'll get your bags off the plane." About four of us did. Oh, and: the latest "maintenance issue" turned out to be missing paperwork - I guess they forgot to get new flight orders or something after the delay, couldn't fly again without them.
So I get back to the gate where we'd departed from. The agents are surprised to see me. What's going on? I explain. They are apologetic and willing to help me change to a Thursday flight. I explain I'd rather fly to PHL instead of BWI anyway. No problem. In fact, every flight she *checks* on America West has availability on Thursday out of Portland. Obviously the "Portland is booked solid" story was completely false.
She puts me on PDX-PHL on Thursday, decent times, and first class to boot. I later learned that the next LAS-BWI flight available didn't leave LAS til the afternoon; otherwise, I'd be going through PHX and getting to BWI not much earlier than just leaving from PDX Thursday.
I know maintenance issues happen (the paperwork "issue" seems like incompetence though) - and I surely want the planes to be safe. But I think America West - except for the one cooperative agent - handled their customers badly. They lied to us and acted indignant when I didn't want to get stuck in Las Vegas overnight. Luckily, my flight PDX-PHL the next day did go fairly smoothly.
One more scary thing: as the agent was booking my PHL flight tonight, the agent reminded me that, "There's only more flight after that in case something like this happens again." I didn't understand what she meant - did she think I'd miss it? I asked her what she meant. Did these "maintenance issues" happen often? She gave me a discreet nod. Oh, great! I doubt I'll be flying America West again after this. Ever. In fact, I could have saved about $100 flying AW back to Portland but I flew Continental instead. Flying AW again wasn't worth the savings.
Andrew
Sep 12th, 2003, 04:49 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Andrew - interesting story... but sounds like the sort of thing that can happen on any airline when you're connecting through their hub.
Obviously, the cheapest option for AW was to get you to LAS, thus avoiding extra costs for rebookings on other airlines. Also, hotel accomodations in LAS are much cheaper than PDX (especially for AW which must have negotiated special rates for stranded passengers in LAS).
In the end, you still got to your destination a day late, same as if you'd spend the night in LAS. As a matter of fact, you even got an upgrade thrown in for your trouble - not something to be taken for granted.
The main question is: does AW have a worse record when it comes to delays than the majors? I don't know, but think there are statistics published on this.
Andre
Obviously, the cheapest option for AW was to get you to LAS, thus avoiding extra costs for rebookings on other airlines. Also, hotel accomodations in LAS are much cheaper than PDX (especially for AW which must have negotiated special rates for stranded passengers in LAS).
In the end, you still got to your destination a day late, same as if you'd spend the night in LAS. As a matter of fact, you even got an upgrade thrown in for your trouble - not something to be taken for granted.
The main question is: does AW have a worse record when it comes to delays than the majors? I don't know, but think there are statistics published on this.
Andre
Sep 12th, 2003, 05:20 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,711
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Andrew...sorry to hear about your debacle.I travel every sometimes multiple trips per week.So I dont like to see fellow travellers having difficulties.I have learned thru experience and thru having been told by savvy and experienced travellers that only those who are at an airport know what's going on with my flight.On a few occasions I have called a reservations dept as you did from the airport only to find out that they in fact knew less about the situation than I did.One of my rules of thumb is never to do that.Yes they look into their computers and read you the flifo,but I have found that it never helps the situation.Either I call my trusty crusty TA or I just tough it out at the airport.
Sep 12th, 2003, 11:13 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think my biggest complaint with AW was that they LIED to me. Or at least, they pretended to know stuff they didn't know just to keep us quiet. "Everything is booked solid out of Portland tomorrow." Oh, BS - just a lie to get me to sit down and not get off the plane. I don't know about you, but there's nothing I hate more than being lied to as a customer. They lost a customer for life - was it worth it to them?
Andre, in the end I wound up getting to my destination at about the same time as I would have had I let them send me to Vegas overnight - but this way, I got to sleep in my own bed and didn't have to stay at the airport for hours waiting. And it didn't cost AW anything more, since I still flew on their planes (I didn't cost them a hotel room or meals, either). I would have been a happier customer (even without first class) had they given me that option in the first place.
Andrew
Andre, in the end I wound up getting to my destination at about the same time as I would have had I let them send me to Vegas overnight - but this way, I got to sleep in my own bed and didn't have to stay at the airport for hours waiting. And it didn't cost AW anything more, since I still flew on their planes (I didn't cost them a hotel room or meals, either). I would have been a happier customer (even without first class) had they given me that option in the first place.
Andrew
Sep 12th, 2003, 08:01 PM
#9
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Andrew- sorry about your mess in Portland. We frequently fly America West and have NEVER had a bad experience with them. Maybe we've been lucky... Last winter, we had 7 seats booked on America West for a ski vacation. I ended up staying home with a sick child, but the rest of my party went to the airport as scheduled. I called the airlines and asked to leave a day or two later, fully expecting to be charged the $100 change fee per person. The agent happily volunteered that she would waive the change fee and expressed sympathy for my situation. As it turns out, the flight the rest of my party was booked on was overbooked. They volunteered to give up their seats in exchange for $500 vouchers each and First Class seats on a flight to leave the next day (the flight my child and I were rebooked on). The agent at the airport even went so far as to upgrade the two of us to First Class as well so we could sit with the rest of our group. I LOVE America West!!!
Nov 10th, 2004, 08:37 PM
#10
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bad experience this past weekend with America West. Flying from IAH through PHX to SMF. Connected in PHX and after everyone was on board, airline decided they had a broken aircraft part that was not replaceable. Everyone had to get off the plane and we had to wait another 2 hours for a replacement plane. Yeah - could happen to any airline but what was amazing to us was that while we were waiting for our "replacement", no less than three other Am West planes broke and passengers filed off or their flights were cancelled. Terminal was a madhouse. All flights were jammed. Left me a bit jittery about flying on America West again. Don't want to be falling out of the sky (remember Value Jet?).
Ken
Ken
Nov 11th, 2004, 04:11 AM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's my AW nightmare.
Flying home to Phoenix from Miami on the redeye flight. When we get to the airport the flight is already delayed due to the plane coming in getting off late. When the plane finally gets there they need to get a part for something, one time they said it was a problem with the toilets and one time it was somethin g else. We are assured we will still get out that night.
A couple hours late we board, but not for long, whatever was the problem is still not fixed. It is now about midnight and all other flights have gone out already so we have to wait till the am (when we are scheduled to be back at work).
They put us all up at the hotel in the airport but that takes a couple more hours to sort it all out. They rebook us on a flight out first thing in the am.
After getting about 4 hours sleep we arrive again and the checkin and it is chaos again, still no flight. What do they do now ? Tell us to get on the bus to drive to Fort Lauderdale to catch a flight which is leaving shortly but we are assured they will wait for us. We are ordered to leave all our luggage on the curb so it can be loaded on a different bus.
Off we go trying to make the flight, and what happens ? The bus gets a flat tire of course. They change it and go on to FL. The flight did not wait. Now finding ourselves in Fort Lauderdale, there are no more flights to Phoenix, unless we want to make some crazy connections which we did not.
They call a taxi service and we are back to Miami where they finally find us a flight out of there on AA with a connection in Dallas. We ask AW to put us in first class after all this and they say they dont have the authority to do that. They tell us to ask AA which we do and very kindly give us the last first class seat.
We finally get to Phoenix over 24 hours late. I realise this can happen on any airline but they way the delays were handled (or not) was what really made me mad.
Flying home to Phoenix from Miami on the redeye flight. When we get to the airport the flight is already delayed due to the plane coming in getting off late. When the plane finally gets there they need to get a part for something, one time they said it was a problem with the toilets and one time it was somethin g else. We are assured we will still get out that night.
A couple hours late we board, but not for long, whatever was the problem is still not fixed. It is now about midnight and all other flights have gone out already so we have to wait till the am (when we are scheduled to be back at work).
They put us all up at the hotel in the airport but that takes a couple more hours to sort it all out. They rebook us on a flight out first thing in the am.
After getting about 4 hours sleep we arrive again and the checkin and it is chaos again, still no flight. What do they do now ? Tell us to get on the bus to drive to Fort Lauderdale to catch a flight which is leaving shortly but we are assured they will wait for us. We are ordered to leave all our luggage on the curb so it can be loaded on a different bus.
Off we go trying to make the flight, and what happens ? The bus gets a flat tire of course. They change it and go on to FL. The flight did not wait. Now finding ourselves in Fort Lauderdale, there are no more flights to Phoenix, unless we want to make some crazy connections which we did not.
They call a taxi service and we are back to Miami where they finally find us a flight out of there on AA with a connection in Dallas. We ask AW to put us in first class after all this and they say they dont have the authority to do that. They tell us to ask AA which we do and very kindly give us the last first class seat.
We finally get to Phoenix over 24 hours late. I realise this can happen on any airline but they way the delays were handled (or not) was what really made me mad.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
lcuy
United States
5
Nov 16th, 2006 11:33 AM
