US Airways is predatory. My advice: Do not fly on US Airways.

Ray Lozano wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
Ray Lozano wrote:
US Airways is an example of big business gone bad. They have an ample
record of mistreating customers and employees. You can view my web
site at http://www.usairways.tv to read my story and others.

Businesses that behave like US Airways do not deserve to survive. One
gets the feeling US Airways is run by vultures picking over the
carcass of a dying business. Travelers beware!

I don't get it. You didn't have your travel documents, which are required by
law. You then went out and bought one-way tickets on a different airline
rather than following the instructions given by the USAir person to contact
your travel agency.

If you had called the travel agency they could have gotten you on the next
USAir flight, possibly at a cost of $700 but definitely not at a cost of
$4800.

Also, if you had talked with anyone about your plan to purchase the one-way
tickets on American they could have told you that your USAir return tickets
would be voided by failure to use the outbound.

And now you want USAir to pay you thousands of dollars?

You did not read my letter very well. I called US Airways the evening
before. I went to the ticket counter at 4:00 AM to show a good faith
attempt to make the flight. I called the travel agency who issued the
tickets the moment they opened. The problem: No one would help.

I read it plenty well. Just because you did something as a "good faith"
effort doesn't mean it's useful. If I give you a chocolate cake as a "good
faith" effort to have you sign your house over to me, does that create some
sort of obligation on your part?

You called the travel agency after you'd already panicked and purchased the
American Airlines tickets. If you had waited they could have helped. As it
was, it was too late because you'd already gone down that expensive road.

I don't blame you completely; these things are confusing and people aren't
always that helpful. But to try to turn it around and pin it on the airline
is absurd. At the end of the day, the cause of the problem was that you
didn't bring documents which are required by law for an international flight
- a requirement that is well-publicized, and described in every guidebook,
ticket confirmation, etc. Everything else is just a matter of how well other
people handled your mistake.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Miguel Cruz wrote:

I don't blame you completely; these things are confusing and people
aren't always that helpful. But to try to turn it around and pin it on
the airline is absurd. At the end of the day, the cause of the problem
was that you didn't bring documents which are required by law for an
international flight - a requirement that is well-publicized, and
described in every guidebook, ticket confirmation, etc. Everything
else is just a matter of how well other people handled your mistake.


I can't imagine attempting international travel without a passport.
I wouldn't even cross over to Nuevo Laredo anymore without mine.

--
¿...qué podemos saber las mujeres sino las filosofías de cocina? Bien dijo Lupercio Leonardo, que bien se puede filosofar y aderezar la cena. Y yo suelo decir viendo estas cosillas: Si Aristóteles hubiera guisado, mucho más hubiera escrito."

("...what can we women know, save philosophies of the kitchen? It was well put by Lupercio Leonardo that one can philosophize quite well while preparing supper. I often say, when I make these little observations, "Had Aristotle cooked, he would have written a great deal more.")

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, La Respuesta

In the past day or two, we have been told not to fly 3 different US
carriers. As this rate, we will be without a carrier to fly in a few
more days.

(Miguel Cruz) wrote in message .. .
Ray Lozano wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
[cut]
ticket confirmation, etc. Everything else is just a matter of how well other
people handled your mistake.

miguel

Miguel,

Your last sentence above sums up my primary reason for posting this
issue on the travel newsgroups. You are an experienced traveler, as
shown by your great web site (http://travel.u.nu), and I appreciate
your comments.

When you are at someone's mercy, you are powerless. Traveling long
distances involves taking risks and relying on the mercy of others.
During your many travels, I am sure you have encountered challenges
that were overcome only by the consideration of others. The greatest
experiences while traveling, I believe, are those very instances when
kindness to a traveler is extended. Those moments drive home our
common humanity.

In my view, this whole issue is not about the minutiae of law or
corporate policy. It's about human decency. I firmly believe that a
company owes its paying customers courtesy, especially a company --
like an airline -- that has been held afloat by taxpayers. Perhaps
such government assistance contributes to poor business practices, but
that's another issue altogether.

It is clear that a company's behavior, and profitability, has
everything to do with its employee satisfaction. US Airways has a
terrible labor record and its most-recent FAA ratings were near the
bottom of all airlines. My "flyer beware" message centers on the fact
that US Airways is staffed widely by unhappy employees under great
financial pressure and ready to strike at any moment. Therefore, I
believe the odds of a current traveler getting "bit" like me by US
Airways are abnormally high, and I want people to know.

How US Airways responds to me is irrelevant, really. My wife and I
made a simple mistake, and we realized it the night before our
scheduled departure. (We have small children and it has been years
since we have traveled internationally, so we're a bit out of
practice.)

In the end, US Airways blew an opportunity to create a loyal customer
by its cold treatment toward me and my family. Had they been
considerate, something could have been easily worked out. Instead, US
Airways' naked greed prevailed while I was at their mercy.
Nevertheless, it ain't over 'til it's over.

Sincere regards,
Ray Lozano
http://www.usairways.tv

Ray Lozano wrote:

In the end, US Airways blew an opportunity to create a loyal customer
by its cold treatment toward me and my family. Had they been
considerate, something could have been easily worked out. Instead, US
Airways' naked greed prevailed while I was at their mercy.
Nevertheless, it ain't over 'til it's over.

I am not sure of what US Air could have done, since it sounded like, at
the original checkin, that you didn't deal with a supervisor.
That is the first rule to follow. If unhappy with the first person, go
up the chain. If you can't reach someone at the airport, then call
customer service BEFORE leaving the airport.
At the airport, how high up the food chain did you go before
deteriming you had to buy one way tickets from AA? After you had done
this (bought the AA tickets), did you tell US and try to make
arrangements to keep the return ticket valid? While US may have done
some things wrong, most of what happened before and after this would
have been the same on any carrier. If you don't have the required
documentation, you aren't getting on the plane. If you do not take the
outbound flight, and make no arrangement with the airline regarding the
other flights on that carrier, you will most likely see those flights
canceled. If you don't want ticket restrictions such as these, don't
buy tickets with these restrictions and then expect the airline to waive
the restrictions.

Mike McKinley wrote in message ...
Miguel Cruz wrote:

I don't blame you completely; these things are confusing and people
aren't always that helpful. But to try to turn it around and pin it on
the airline is absurd. At the end of the day, the cause of the problem
was that you didn't bring documents which are required by law for an
international flight - a requirement that is well-publicized, and
described in every guidebook, ticket confirmation, etc. Everything
else is just a matter of how well other people handled your mistake.


I can't imagine attempting international travel without a passport.
I wouldn't even cross over to Nuevo Laredo anymore without mine.

Today, I'd probably agree with you. I don't have to go back very
far to find a time when crossing into Canada with a US passport
would probably have raised as many suspicions as anything. Within
the relm of international travel for many Americans, 2 years is the
blink of an eye.

(Ray Lozano) wrote in message . com...
(Miguel Cruz) wrote in message .. .
Ray Lozano wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
[cut]
ticket confirmation, etc. Everything else is just a matter of how well other
people handled your mistake.

miguel

Miguel,

Your last sentence above sums up my primary reason for posting this
issue on the travel newsgroups. You are an experienced traveler, as
shown by your great web site (http://travel.u.nu), and I appreciate
your comments.

When you are at someone's mercy, you are powerless. Traveling long
distances involves taking risks and relying on the mercy of others.

Not exactly. It does involve some risks, but less on the
mercy of others, than a trust in entities to deliver what is
promised. Risk can be extensively mitigated through preparation.
Additionally, one can prepare in many ways to deal with
contingencies.

During your many travels, I am sure you have encountered challenges
that were overcome only by the consideration of others.

The converse however, is I have overcome them by personal
effort. I don't "rely upon the kindness of strangers". I
don't mind it when I receive it, but when I don't, nor do
I blame anyone for the lack thereof.

[snip]
In my view, this whole issue is not about the minutiae of law or
corporate policy. It's about human decency. I firmly believe that a
company owes its paying customers courtesy,
[snip]

And for their discourtesy, they can be held to account. You,
however seem to want to hold them accountable for much more
than that.

My "flyer beware" message centers on the fact
that US Airways is staffed widely by unhappy employees under great
financial pressure and ready to strike at any moment. Therefore, I
believe the odds of a current traveler getting "bit" like me by US
Airways are abnormally high, and I want people to know.

Hmmmmm. Implicit in this statement is an assertion that you
were "bit" because of the condition of the staff. What happened
to you would have very likely happened upon many airlines. The
core reason why you got "bit" is because you were unprepared
and the airlines (plural) have limited finacial incentive, short
term or long term, in incurring additional costs due to your
lack of proper preparation.

[snip]
In the end, US Airways blew an opportunity to create a loyal customer
by its cold treatment toward me and my family. Had they been
considerate, something could have been easily worked out. Instead, US
Airways' naked greed prevailed while I was at their mercy.
Nevertheless, it ain't over 'til it's over.
[snip]

I'm a bit curious about this last point. What do you think they
could have done, when, at what cost to themselves, and were you
AT THE TIME prepared to accept? From your story, you seemed to
be reacting almost in panic and generally not in your own best
interests. You took several steps which didn't serve you
well and reduced others abilities to help you. So I'm curious how
you think it could have played out which wouldn't have had you
writing this screed?

"Ray Lozano" wrote in message
om...
(Miguel Cruz) wrote in message
.. .
Ray Lozano wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
[cut]
ticket confirmation, etc. Everything else is just a matter of how well
other
people handled your mistake.

miguel

Miguel,

Your last sentence above sums up my primary reason for posting this
issue on the travel newsgroups. You are an experienced traveler, as
shown by your great web site (http://travel.u.nu), and I appreciate
your comments.

I find somewhat amusing your posting to rec.travel.Latin-America, since
Jamaica is not technically part of Latin America, unless the British were
Latin...

Ray Lozano wrote:
It is clear that a company's behavior, and profitability, has
everything to do with its employee satisfaction. US Airways has a
terrible labor record and its most-recent FAA ratings were near the
bottom of all airlines. My "flyer beware" message centers on the fact
that US Airways is staffed widely by unhappy employees under great
financial pressure and ready to strike at any moment. Therefore, I
believe the odds of a current traveler getting "bit" like me by US
Airways are abnormally high, and I want people to know.

That's the most interesting question I see here.

What's the chance that the same scenario would have played out the same way
with a different airline?

How can we tell without repeating the experiment (which I don't recommend)?

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

David Eduardo wrote:

I find somewhat amusing your posting to rec.travel.Latin-America, since
Jamaica is not technically part of Latin America, unless the British were
Latin...


He also posted to rec.travel.usa-canada and Jamaica isn't in the US or
Canada.