US Airways on time?

[raynla]

Does any frequent flier know if US Air is usually on time? I'm stressing out about my connection from NO to NC then on to Miami w/only a 55 minute layover which has us scheduled to land at 1:35. (on Saturday, 8/4) The boat leaves for 5:00. US Air says the second flight is 70% on time and that makes me nervous. I really wish I had booked a flight for a day earlier, like everyone suggests, but I didn't. The more I read on these boards, the more nervous I get. Thanks in advance for hopefully positive and reassuring feedback!

[JJPNYC]

Does any frequent flier know if US Air is usually on time? I'm stressing out about my connection from NO to NC then on to Miami w/only a 55 minute layover which has us scheduled to land at 1:35. (on Saturday, 8/4) The boat leaves for 5:00. US Air says the second flight is 70% on time and that makes me nervous. I really wish I had booked a flight for a day earlier, like everyone suggests, but I didn't. The more I read on these boards, the more nervous I get. Thanks in advance for hopefully positive and reassuring feedback!

 

I believe that US Airways through Charlotte is pretty good. Just be grateful you're not going through Philadelphia! Also Charlotte is not too big of an airport so connections there are pretty easy.

[raynla]

I'm feeling better...... thanks for the reply!

[parody]

By August, US Airways should have resolved all their merger problems with America West and will be back to normal operation.

[raynla]

Merger? I must live in a cave. I certainly hope everything is resolved by then, but thanks for giving me the heads up. I'm going to need a cruise w/lots of drinks w/umbrella's in them by the time August gets here!

[tnsail]

I hate to be a kill joy :o . But US Air "rescheduled" our flight plan for this May. Put us on a flight from BNA to CLT with connections to SJU. There wasn't but 50 minutes between the 2. Our TA didn't love it at all. Spent the next 2 days working out a new schedule with US Air.

 

If you plan on keeping this itienary do some checking and have a back-up plan in mind. Other airlines leaving CLT to MIA after your flight is scheduled to leave would be a good place to start. You are 1 thunderstorm or a in-flight emergency from needing a back up plan. Airlines have no control over the weather or problems with other airlines.

 

You will most likely have no problem with your present schedule but it never hurts to have a plan in your pocket if the need arises. It will keep panic from setting in I assure you.....;)

[hdawson]

Literally all the low cost carriers have better ontime performance. And much newer planes. And better baggage handling. Cross pack.

[raynla]

I hate to be a kill joy :o . But US Air "rescheduled" our flight plan for this May. Put us on a flight from BNA to CLT with connections to SJU. There wasn't but 50 minutes between the 2. Our TA didn't love it at all. Spent the next 2 days working out a new schedule with US Air.

 

If you plan on keeping this itienary do some checking and have a back-up plan in mind. Other airlines leaving CLT to MIA after your flight is scheduled to leave would be a good place to start. You are 1 thunderstorm or a in-flight emergency from needing a back up plan. Airlines have no control over the weather or problems with other airlines.

 

You will most likely have no problem with your present schedule but it never hurts to have a plan in your pocket if the need arises. It will keep panic from setting in I assure you.....;)[/quote

 

Thanks, I'll get a backup in place and say alot of prayers between now and August!

[hdawson]

This is the latest information I could find. It's at least a couple of months old.

 

 

BUSINESS online print edition

 

Print ArticleEmail ArticleMost PopularBigger TypeSmaller TypePhone AlertsRSS FeedsAirline service rankings hit 2006 low point

Delta doesn't fare much better in report

 

Dawn Gilbertson

The Arizona Republic

Jan. 4, 2007 12:00 AM

 

If US Airways was looking for ammunition to counter Delta's claims that US Airways has substandard service, the Tempe airline didn't find any in the government's latest customer service rankings.

 

Delta, which the Tempe airline is trying to buy, didn't shine, either.

 

US Airways ranked 17th of 20 airlines in customer complaints in November and 14th in the categories of on-time performance and mishandled bags, according to the Department of Transportation's monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. advertisement

 

 

 

 

It continued a trend seen throughout most of 2006, with the airline ranking in the bottom half of the industry for the entire year in customer complaints and baggage handling.

 

It ranked as high as third and fourth in on-time arrivals early in 2006 but spent most the year in the middle of the pack and slipped badly in November for its worst ranking of the year.

 

Even excluding the 10 smallest airlines in the survey, which US Airways does in an internal incentive program, the airline fared poorly. It ranked 10th of 10 major airlines in mishandled bags, eighth in complaints and seventh in on-time arrivals.

 

Employees get a bonus if the airline ranks in the top three of any of the key categories, a feat not accomplished since March. A special $50 payout was made for a smooth Thanksgiving weekend operation.

 

US Airways President Scott Kirby, in a memo to employees about the results Wednesday, glossed over the poor monthly rankings. Instead, he noted that the airline showed improvement from a year ago in the rate of mishandled bags and customer complaints and still ranks No. 2 among major airlines for on-time performance in the first 11 months of 2006. He also touted improvements in baggage delivery times at its chaotic Philadelphia hub.

 

Delta, which has formally rejected the merger and is fighting US Airways' continued advances, ranked slightly better than US Airways in the three major categories but was still ranked in the teens in all three.

[raynla]

Thanks for the info. I'm really wishing I had booked a direct flight on AA to get to Miami. I should always go w/my first instinct.......

[hdawson]

raynla. Or AirTran thru Atlanta. #2 in customer service and #1 in baggage handline for the last two years. And generally very good prices.

[raynla]

Thanks for all your input. :)

[tnsail]

raynla,

 

Everything will be fine. Prayers never hurt even when things are going good. We even have a backup plan written down for our connection between CLT and SJU and we have a 90 minute lay-over. Some "professional" travelers advise this even if you have a overnite layover. Don't stress too bad, but I think stress is part of air travel. That is unless your Bill Gates and have your on jet on stand by...... lol

[hdawson]

Even Bill's private jet can be effected by mechanical or weather conditions.

[hdawson]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=519551

[raynla]

Thanks?:(

Iamthisclose to eating my tickets and moving onward........

[greatam]

Thanks?:(

Iamthisclose to eating my tickets and moving onward........

 

Before you eat the tickets, see if there is space available the previous day. If there is, call US Air, explain that you feel the 55 minute connection will just be too stressful and that you CHOOSE to book the flight a day earlier. Don't in any way make it seem like you distrust US AIR-flight connections or luggage issues. The worst that could happen-you get charged the change fee (most likely $100.00pp). The best-the US Air rep reduces the change fee or makes the change for free. Even paying the change fee is cheaper than new tickets.

 

Book a Priceline hotel, relax the evening before and ENJOY your cruise.

[greatam]

dup post

[ERICV82GO]

Raynla - I hate to be the heir of bad news, but I have just returned from a 5 day cruise and I was one of the 100,000 people stranded by US Airways over the weekend. I will be posting the entire horror story in a later post when I get some time, but LONG story short, my flight from Pittsburgh to Charlotte was delayed by 3 hours due to lack of a 2nd flight attendant (this was a recurring theme at Charlotte airport and US Airways, no flights left on time), which in part caused me to miss my connecting flight in Charlotte. US Airways was unable to accomodate me in any way to get to San Juan that evening, and they we equaly unable to get me to St Thomas the next day to meet the ship. Therefore I had to fly to St Maarten the next day to meet my ship on the 3rd Day of the cruise!!!

[ERICV82GO]

By the way, they also lost my luggage!! My girlfriend received hers with 1 day remaining in the cruise, I still haven't received mine.........

[CapHillGuy]

You've probably heard of USAir's meltdown the weekend of March 16, when a snow/ice storm affected operations throughout the Northeast. What struck me the most was the unapologetic attitude of USAir employees and lack of information.

 

On Saturday, 3/17, I arrived at SJU 2-1/2 hours ahead of scheduled departure and stood in first-class line for two hours before getting boarding passes. People bumped from flights were told that they might get out on Tuesday or Wednesday, but would have to cover expenses in San Juan during high season on their own. Flight to PHL finally left about four hours late -- agent in SJU did not even attempt to re-book connection, which I was sure to miss. Arrived in PHL and hightailed it to gate to stand by for next flight leaving for DCA. Computers were down, and none of the notice-boards at USAir gates were working. 737 was about 2/3 full. Even with an hour between flights, luggage did not make it. Waited around till midnight, then gave up and went home. Back the following afternoon. Chaos with bags strewn all over the baggage claim area. Stood in line for almost two hours to register. Finally went back yesterday (Thursday) and found bags. Turns out USAir cannot scan its bags so has no way of tracking other than entering information manually into computer. Website tracking system had not been updated since I filed claim.

[raynla]

Wow.......

Thanks for letting me know all of that. We had trouble in Charlotte last year w/missing flight attendants and late departure, but it was on the way home so I didn't really worry too much.

Now I'm back to thinking about eating the tickets again. I keep asking myself how much piece of mind is worth to me and my answer keeps coming back that's it's priceless.

Maybe they will cancel one of the flights and my problems will be solved? Can it be that easy? I don't guess I can utilize my flight insurance in a case like this? :confused:

I really should take greatam's advice and just try to arrive a day earlier.....

As you can see, indecisiveness is a major flaw in my personality!!!:D

[parody]

As much as US Airways has had problems, many recently, I thought I would pass on a positive experience that I had with them. I was using frequent flier miles to fly free from San Juan to Boston. As is typical in these situations, the flight I was able to get well in advance involved a connection through Charlotte. I knew that they have a nonstop flight but FF seats were not available. However, the night before I was scheduled to return, I called US Airways and was able to use the same FF miles and switch to the nonstop flight at no additional cost. The nonstop flight back to Boston was normal in every respect.

[cmich068]

I'm going to quote a ex-America West phone rep in response to a missing baggage claim

 

"haha... you actually checked your bags at PHL?"

 

Avoid PHL like the plague and you'll be fine.

[Nuncie]

Here is my experience with US Air.

Our flight from NH thru Charleston to Ft. L. for a cruise. We left the day before in a snowstorm but everything went smoothly.

On the way home was a nother story. We were to leave at 1:50 pm out of FL airport. Got thier in plenty of time but the line for checking in was thru the terminal and out another door down a block. It seems there was a computer issue. Ten minutes before our flight they pull us out of the line to go up front only to find lots of people ahead of us. We hardly moved and people had no idea of what was going on. While standing waiting I thought I heard someone behind the counter tell flight No___to pull away from the gate. It was our flight. They had held it as long as possilbe and left half empty. Pepole were having fits, thery were put on standby and because it was the beginning of spring break we were told there were no rentals, no hotels nothing available.

It was our turn, 6 of us in our late fifties there is no way we wanted to spend the night in an airport after a beautiful cruise. I don't know how it happened but we were very lucky with the outcome. US Air put us up at the Embassy Suites for the night paid for all our transfers, a

and gave us food voucher, plus made reservations for our flights the next day. whew!!!

On the way home we did change in Philly and our luggage didn't No problem who needed summer cloths in NE in Mrch. The luggage arrived at midnight.

The only bad part was that we had to call our bosses to tell them we had to stay in Florida and bad weather had nothing to do with it and and yes all the money we spend on tipping numberous people.