Bad experience with Airline, never fly again?
Oct 8th, 2004, 06:36 PM
#41
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Northwest sucks, but I would fly them if they had a really low price, and I didn't need my luggage right away (they ALWAYS screw up my luggage - I mean they have a 100% track record of not getting my bag on the plane).
Oct 8th, 2004, 07:27 PM
#43
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I flew domestic first class on Continental last year - I went on a friend's companion ticket. So, that was a good deal. But I didn't care for their service or food. The breakfast I had was on par with what you would expect from a cafeteria.
I've never had any problems flying on AA. Since I only carry one bag with me on any trip, I never had any lost luggage problems. As others have noted, the flight is a small part of the vacation. As long as I get there and get back home safely is the only thing I'm really concerned about.
I've never had any problems flying on AA. Since I only carry one bag with me on any trip, I never had any lost luggage problems. As others have noted, the flight is a small part of the vacation. As long as I get there and get back home safely is the only thing I'm really concerned about.
Oct 8th, 2004, 09:47 PM
#44
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I've read those kinds of posts too. I would guess they come from peope who really don't fly that much, because if they did they'd know all airlines have hiccups. I generally go with whoever has the best schedule (e.g., nonstop) even if I have to pay a little more.
Oct 9th, 2004, 09:05 AM
#45
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I've flown several times a year since 1963 (sometimes commuting 2000 miles weekly), and I fully realize that every airline occasionally screws up. But certain carriers manifest patterns of incompetence or lack of attention that a traveler can notice within very few flights.
Only one (Southwest) publicly acknowledges that in a dispute with a passenger, the company always takes the side of the employee. I guess they figure customers are easier to find than good help. I also don't think that their cattle-stampede seating is worth the few bucks it saves.
Only one (Southwest) publicly acknowledges that in a dispute with a passenger, the company always takes the side of the employee. I guess they figure customers are easier to find than good help. I also don't think that their cattle-stampede seating is worth the few bucks it saves.
Oct 9th, 2004, 11:09 AM
#46
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for sfowler- How did an airline lose students? Were they being transported with the cargo? I was a little confused about that one. As far as the airline situation if I get there alive and in one piece I can't complain too much. Sure I have missed flights, been changed to at least 3 different planes in Atlanta due to mechanical difficulties, had my luggage lost, but it is the risk you take when you fly. There are too many planes and people to not have mistakes ever made.
Oct 9th, 2004, 12:17 PM
#48
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Robespierri, well I have not taken a flight in years that didn't have a problem of one kind or another. So now I just "hope to get there alive and in one piece". My standards for flying have gone waaaaay down. If I ever do get a flight without some problem or another I will be in a state of shock, but happily so!
Oct 9th, 2004, 12:32 PM
#49
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ilovetulips. LOL. Because, we had a high school student from Italy stay with us one summer. Returning home his flight went from San Francisco to Detroit (I believe it was Detroit) to change planes to fly to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam he was to change planes to fly into Milano.
First he called us from Detroit. Do not remember the reason, as this was many years ago, but he ended up with something like 8 hours wait in Detroit.
Hours and hours later we called his mother in Italy to make sure he arrived home. He had not. His mother did not speak English. She, of course, was so worried about her son.
We called Northwest to see what had happened. They advised me that he had arrived in Amsterdam but had not flown on to Italy. They had no idea where he was. He was suppose to have flown on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Milano Had had one ticket for San Francisco to Milan.
After 2 or 3 phone calls to Northwest finally got a supervisor who said "well, he seems to be lost"...and yes it surely did seem that way. They did not seem to care he was a teenager. No concern at all.
Finally (back when Alitalia was a great company) I called Alitalia in LosAngeles and explained the problem and the worries that we and his dear mother had. Alitalia was terrific. They called their desk in Amsterdam, found our young Italian and put in on their next flight to Milan which was leaving very shortly. When Alitalia called me back to give me this news they said KLM had overbooked several flights, that the poor boy had been sitting by the KLM gates for hours and hours. I could not thank Alitalia enough. Sometimes words just don't seem to do it. The response from Alitalia was "but signora, you know we always get our children home to Italy".
Obviously Northwest hadn't even bothered to call KLM in Amsterdam.
This Italian is now a grown man and travels constantly in his work. We still laugh over when "he was lost" although it sure was not funny for any of us at the time.
First he called us from Detroit. Do not remember the reason, as this was many years ago, but he ended up with something like 8 hours wait in Detroit.
Hours and hours later we called his mother in Italy to make sure he arrived home. He had not. His mother did not speak English. She, of course, was so worried about her son.
We called Northwest to see what had happened. They advised me that he had arrived in Amsterdam but had not flown on to Italy. They had no idea where he was. He was suppose to have flown on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Milano Had had one ticket for San Francisco to Milan.
After 2 or 3 phone calls to Northwest finally got a supervisor who said "well, he seems to be lost"...and yes it surely did seem that way. They did not seem to care he was a teenager. No concern at all.
Finally (back when Alitalia was a great company) I called Alitalia in LosAngeles and explained the problem and the worries that we and his dear mother had. Alitalia was terrific. They called their desk in Amsterdam, found our young Italian and put in on their next flight to Milan which was leaving very shortly. When Alitalia called me back to give me this news they said KLM had overbooked several flights, that the poor boy had been sitting by the KLM gates for hours and hours. I could not thank Alitalia enough. Sometimes words just don't seem to do it. The response from Alitalia was "but signora, you know we always get our children home to Italy".
Obviously Northwest hadn't even bothered to call KLM in Amsterdam.
This Italian is now a grown man and travels constantly in his work. We still laugh over when "he was lost" although it sure was not funny for any of us at the time.
Oct 9th, 2004, 12:47 PM
#50
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Spygirl, couldn't agree more with your comments. Most airlines that I have flown with around the world, are good.
I must say, you will always find a grump or someone who likes complaining about something on an airline, whether it be food, itinerary, cabin staff, etc, etc.
I find if your treat the booking staff or cabin crew staff, they way you would like to be treated, ie. polite and not demanding, they treat you the same way.
I must say, you will always find a grump or someone who likes complaining about something on an airline, whether it be food, itinerary, cabin staff, etc, etc.
I find if your treat the booking staff or cabin crew staff, they way you would like to be treated, ie. polite and not demanding, they treat you the same way.
Oct 9th, 2004, 01:35 PM
#51
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tropo, I agree with all you say. I always just "go with the flow". I know the gate attendants, the flight attendants, the pilots etc. do not want problems anymore than the passengers do. I try to pack as little as possible, have what I need in my carryon without overpacking and don't fret when things go wrong. Believe me, you don't want to book on a flight with me because you be assured something will go wrong. LOL.
I never have a problem with airline employees because I always treat them with courtesy and know they do the best they can. They do not cause the problems.
IMHO it is people that hardly ever fly or take very many trips for that matter that fume and fuss when things go wrong because some (not all of course) expect that their vacation will be "perfect" because they have saved and planned for their vacation for so long.
So flight problems, bad weather, illness etc. become very upsetting.
Of course a serious illness or injury is upsetting, especially far from home.
I am amazed that more airline employees do not post threads on this forum complaining about passengers because as we all know, some passengers can sure make a flight miserable.
I never have a problem with airline employees because I always treat them with courtesy and know they do the best they can. They do not cause the problems.
IMHO it is people that hardly ever fly or take very many trips for that matter that fume and fuss when things go wrong because some (not all of course) expect that their vacation will be "perfect" because they have saved and planned for their vacation for so long.
So flight problems, bad weather, illness etc. become very upsetting.
Of course a serious illness or injury is upsetting, especially far from home.
I am amazed that more airline employees do not post threads on this forum complaining about passengers because as we all know, some passengers can sure make a flight miserable.
Oct 10th, 2004, 06:47 AM
#52
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For those posters who think that I expect too little from a flight- It really comes down to I need a mode of transportation that will get me there as quickly and safely as possible. I go into a flight thinking if I can get that then the rest is just details. Now I will add I don't have to fly for business just pleasure so that might explain why I don't have "high" expectations. Sure I have been in situations that make me mad, but the bottom line is there are some destinations that I need an airplane to get to and that is why I fly. It is not about the "experience" for me.
Oct 10th, 2004, 06:53 AM
#53
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I never like to say "never", but I will do anything I can to avoid ever flying BA. I can put up with inconveniences, mistakes, and problems with any airline, but when an airline deliberately puts over 300 people on a plane they know they can't fly and holds them captive while they feed them lunch on the ground and then announce the flight is cancelled and lets them back off -- is more than I can stand. We already heard a mechanic tell them the plane couldn't be fixed and would not fly and they already knew that as well, yet when questioned they still kept saying, "oh yes, it's only a delay." Was this just to use up the food they had put on the plane and to avoid giving out food "coupons"? I can put up with a lot, but deliberately lying to the passengers is past my limit.
Oct 10th, 2004, 06:54 AM
#54
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Yes, but getting there safely should only be a <i>minimum</i> requirement. Why fly with a bunch of spoiled brats throwing orange drink and peanuts at you when you can get to your destination just as quickly, safely, and inexpensively with some people who like their jobs and care about your welfare? It's a question of value for money as far as I'm concerned. And when you're talking about a 15-20 hour flight (I commuted to Asia several times a year in the '80s), the attitude of everyone from the ramp agents to the cabin attendants matters a lot. Why get pushed around by Northwest (for example) when you can be pampered by Singapore for the same price?
