I got "THE NOTICE!"

[bonniejoy03]

Well, I periodically check my flights for the next few months. I got the notice from USAIr that my one trip will not be operating on the way back! I would have to overnight or take 5 million flights to get home. I am working with USAir right now to reschedule the return flights (yes, FLIGHTS!) They are very kind and working with every other airline known to man to try to get me home the same day from Barbados. Great service from USAir....hard to be cranky.

[lhbrown]

Hi Bonniejoy,
What a bummer to have to deal with that inconvenience after you thought you were all set with your flights. This happened to us once with United flying home from Paris. Our United FF flight Paris to Tampa was scrapped and we wound up taking Air Canada to Montreal then catching an Air Canada flight to Toronto, switching to US Air from Toronto to Baltimore, connecting to another US Air flight to Charlotte and yet another US Air flight to Tampa. It took us from 5:30 AM European time leaving our Paris apartment to arriving well after midnight US time. We were absolutely dead by the time we reached our Sarasota condo.
At least US Air is working with you trying to reschedule your flight.. Keep insisting and be friendly but firm that they have an obligation get you home the same day or at least pay for the overnight hotel cost if you have to since you had confirmed reservation, and they changed your flights not you.
I wish you good luck and let us hear how you made out in the end.

[bonniejoy03]

HORRIBLE outcome. After working with "Sue" at Usair for over 1 hour on the phone, USAir said NO to overthing....no to another carrier, no to paying for a hotel, no, no, no!!!! This means that my only choice is to get my money back (can't confirm about penalty!) or take the flight, overnight in Charlotte at my expense, then take the next flight home. Is this absurd? I am planning to call USair customer relations tomorrow morning. (they are closed on the weekend.) Anyone out there offering any suggestions? Do I have a leg to stand on? Thanks for any input.

[lhbrown]

Hi bonniejoy,
Rather than calling USair customer relations tomorrow morning try to write to the President with copy to the Customer Relations Officer and document your case. State clearly what has happened and what you expect them to do for you. Tell them you have worked with Sue and others and the outcome is unsatisfactory. Go to the top and I am sure, they will look at your case and you may get satisfaction. At the link below, you will find all the US Air Officers names and bios. Hope this helps.

http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...utivebios.aspx

Message Edited by lhbrown on 08-03-2008 06:10 PM

[bonniejoy03]

OK...two more issues to add:



First: I received a "response" back to my letter to USAir President. (I really listened to all of you and took your advice to send one!) Well, it was a "sorry but" letter that had the guts to end with directing me to customer service for a response if I ever had an issue (vs sending a letter to the President.) GOT ME MAD UNTIL..........................





Second: I checked my flights on my new favorite airline Delta for my May trip...Guess what.,,, change of schedule with a 31 minute connection time to go through customs, grab the bags, and recheck in for the next flight. I called Delta and the very ARROGANT young clerk said it was fine connection but would double check because I was pestering him! He checked and said ....not enough time you are stuck overnighting it in Cleveland or Cincinnati!!! (the original flight was St. Maarten to Atlanta to Harrisburg. Now, he was going to add St. Maarten to Atlanta to Ohio to Harrisburg as a two day trip and thought this was a solution with us sleeping in the airport!!! He got so beligerant that I got him on speaker with my husband. He keep talking TO my husband saying that I couldn't understand this situation (basically I was plain stupid so he couldn't direct the call to me.) My husband, being the gentleman, decided it was best to end the call. Can you believe this.



Thanks all for letting me vent. Am I the only one out there feeling completely helpless, frustrated and down right angry for this level of service?

[LL_Travelfan]

Hi bonniejoy,
If I were you, I would wright right back to the US Air President, saying that his response to your problem was unsatisfactory. You were writing to him personally in the first place because you derived no satisfaction from his customer relations department and you were disappointed how he handled your request. Ask him, to please look personally into the matter instead of redirecting you to the customer relations department. Be firm, tell him you are angry at his response, say you are disappointed, and don't take no for an answer. If you make enough of a nuisance of yourself to him, he might just give you what you want, just to have you and the problem go away....
On the Delta episode, contact someone at their customer service in writing explaining your situation and your conversation with this clerk. I hope you got his/her name. Ask their customer service to help.
Are USAir and Delta the only airlines that can get you from St. Martin to Harrisburg?

[bonniejoy03]

Hi LL. Thanks for your suggestions. I am exasperated! I gave up...they broke me down! AA is pulling out of the Harrisburg in November. We can always use a larger city airport but then we would need hotels before and after the trip due to the times. Because of this, overnighting doesn't seem TOOOO bad! I am still hoping Delta schedule will change again.



As to USAir, I cannot believe the response and still disappointed. We will be flying with them shortly so let's see if they improve!

[LL_Travelfan]

Hi Bonniejoy03,
Don't give up yet, and especially don't let on that they got you. Give USAir "Hell" for messing with your flights and not serving you better. I did some checking on my own and found some reasonable flights on sidestep.com on USAir in Nov. without over-nigthing, but flying into BWI to get you home. Cheapest price was $690 R/T. Have a look at your personal messages, I sent you one.

[thepiranha]

I didn't believe that this thing really happened until I talked to my brother-in-law this week. He had planned to fly U.S. AIrways into Eugene, where we live, for Thanksgiving. Just last week, they informed him that they would no longer be flying into Eugene after October 2, so he could fly on United, their partner, who would honor his ticket. He called United, and they told him that he could fly on United, but the ticket would cost twice as much since he had booked his ticket way in advance and now it's getting closer to Thanksgiving and very few seats are available. My brother-in-law is a very experienced flyer since he flies all over the world on business, so he knew how to handle the situation. Or at least he thought that he knew. He spoke to a superviser, who was unable to help him. He called back and spoke to another superviser, who told him the same thing.

It's really a shame that there are no good alternatives to long distance flying or the airlines would not do this to us. It's almost getting to the point where air travel is so uncomfortable and our rights are so trampled on, that it's not worth flying.

[travel2fun]

Oh my, oh my, bonniejoy03. The example you have outlined is just one of the many, many reasons travelers have gotten sick of putting up with USAir and why I believe they will eventually fold and their routes will be absored by a better airlines.