Anyone flown US air recently from NY?

[lauren0309]

I just booked a flight with US Airways for a different trip (not cruise) despite the negative reviews I've been reading on epinons.com . Is it really that bad? I am worried that I will arrive at the airport and they will tell me my flight is cancelled?

[greatam]

I just booked a flight with US Airways for a different trip (not cruise) despite the negative reviews I've been reading on epinons.com . Is it really that bad? I am worried that I will arrive at the airport and they will tell me my flight is cancelled?

 

I absolutely refuse to fly US Air anymore. They royally s****ed me in June (PHX/Reno). I used to fly them at least twice a month to LAX. NO MORE.

 

I could save a lot of money and time flying US Air from Phoenix to NYC for my monthly meetings. I absolutely REFUSE. What was once a good little airline (America West) is now somewhat merged with a bankrupt airline that had major union problems long before the bankruptcy. Now you have a decent company dragged down by the bankrupt company and neither company is succeeding.

 

You purchased the tickets so you really don't have a lot of choices. Just be prepared for flight changes, canceled flights, dirty planes, bad attitude from the FA. Have a contingency plan to get to your destination. And good luck!!!

[montana200024]

Oh please don't tell me that..I am booked with them in February...:eek:

[greatam]

Oh please don't tell me that..I am booked with them in February...:eek:

 

US Air has had more than their share of problems since the merger. And it shows in their planes and the attitude of their employees.

 

Just be prepared with a contingency plan. They are not quite as bad as Delta for flight changes, but they are very bad for canceling flights. Keep an eye on your reservation weekly, arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight, and have a contingency plan-other airlines which will accept your ticket (one of the legacy airlines) and have flights that will get you to your destination.

 

Remember when making up your contingency plan-you DO NOT have to go in a straight line to get to your destination. Think out of the box-fastest, best way to get from NYC to FLL if the flight is canceled/delayed may be NYC/DFW/MIA. Please see this thread for ideas to enhance your contingency planning. Good advice from quite a few frequent fliers.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=614104&highlight=%22standing+line%22

[JayoftheSeas]

My wife and I flew US Air for our cruise last month. We travled from Akron/Canton to Miami, with a stop in Charlotte. When we arrived in Charlotte we were informed that the flight to Miami was overbooked, and if anyone was willing to give up their seats they would be compensated w/ free roundtrip tickets and be given seats on a flight leaving a few hours later to Ft Lauderdale (and given a free transfer to MIA to get their luggage). Since we were staying at a hotel in Miami for a couple days prior to embarking on the cruise, we decided to take them up on it. There was also some sort of problem with the original plane that we were supposed to take our of Charlotte, so we had to change gates and the original flight ended up being delayed.

 

When we went to check in for the Ft Lauderdale flight, we were informed that the plane had been "downsized" and that this flight was also overbooked, so we were given standby seats. We were beyond mad. Luckily they were able to get others to give up their seats, so we made it on the plane OK.

 

Once we arrived at MIA to claim our luggage, we found that no one was around in the US Air luggage claim area and our baggage was locked up in their office. We had to wait about 1 hour for someone to finally come and let us in.

 

When we got to the hotel we found that one of our pieces of luggage was smashed (the hard sides were crushed). I guess that happens, but kind of annoying.

 

The trip home was pretty uneventful. There was something wrong with the A/C on plane in Miami, so it was unbearably hot and it took forver to takeoff. Again, they had overbooked the flight from Charlotte to Akron/Canton, but my wife and I knew better than to give up our seats this time.

 

I have to agree with the previous poster who mentioned that the planes are dirty. If it weren't for the free roundtrip tickets we received, I would never fly US Airways again.

[lauren0309]

I've never had a flight cancelled on me before and a contingency plan was mentioned. How do you go about getting on another airline if the flight is canclled when you arrive at the airport? Do you just walk up to another ticket counter or call another airline?

[greatam]

I've never had a flight cancelled on me before and a contingency plan was mentioned. How do you go about getting on another airline if the flight is canclled when you arrive at the airport? Do you just walk up to another ticket counter or call another airline?

 

Please read the thread I posted. It will give you some ideas.

 

But first you must find every flight/flight combination that will possibly get you to your destination on time. Example: You are flying NYC/FLL nonstop (these are AA routings-as posted, I don't fly US Air anymore). But the NYC/FLL is canceled/delayed.

 

At about the same time, there is a flight leaving NYC to Dallas, ORD, and RDU. Check if there are continuing flights out of those airports to FLL. If so, write down flight numbers of EVERY combination of flights you can put together to get to your destination close to your original arrival time.

 

This is your first line of defense. If your flight is canceled, go to the gate where the other flights depart and inquire if you can't fly standby. You may be told there are no standby seats, so keep trying gates until you find one that works. But if you go to a gate where there are few people, you are bound to get some help, much more rapidly than standing in line with 100 other people.

 

If this fails, you will have to have US Air ENDORSE your ticket to another airline. But before you do this, you will have to know that you have an ENDORSABLE ticket (cruise air tickets ARE NOT, as are some consolidator tickets-most purchased from the airlines directly are.) Then you must present a plausible scenario to US Air-what airline, what flight, etc. etc.

 

Yes, it's a lot of work to prepare yourself in case of cancellation or long delay. Your other option is stand in line with everyone else. Hope you are at the beginning of the line, as the people at the rear may be spending a day or two at the airport, waiting for space available seating on US Air. Very rarely will an airline VOLUNTEER to put you on another carrier, unless you have elite status as a FF or have a high dollar/first class ticket. You really must help yourself. Good luck!!!

[FlyerTalker]

To echo the prior post -- yes, it is a lot of work. It is also the price you have to pay to be prepared for the "disaster" that may befall you in your travels. Consider this analogy: are you the type who will prepare for a natural disaster (hurricane, flood, earthquake) and be able to help yourself if it strikes, or are you the type that will wait for someone else to come along and help you??

 

How to do the research: Download the electronic and PDF timetables of your airline. Consider alternate routings through their other hubs. For example, with US you could look at flights through PHL, CLT and even PHX. If flying to/from BOS/NYC/WDC, look at double connects utilizing the Shuttle. Take the flights from your origin city to the hubs and list them out. Then, look for connections from those other hubs to your final destination. Pair them up (putting in enough time for a legal connection) and you now have alternates that might be possible.

 

The next step is to do the same thing for other airlines in the same alliance. (more likely to be given a reroute to an alliance/codeshare partner than one outside) For US, that would be UA. Look at using UA from your origin to ORD or IAD or DEN, then onward to your final destination.

 

Finally, if there is another airline with a large presence at either your origin or final destination, consider constructing possibilities on them. Because of the volume of flights, they may be the ones that have the open seats to put you on. Most airlines view "other airlines" as the last resort, but don't let that deter you.

 

Other actions to take:

1) Program airline phone numbers into your cell phone. If you are waiting in a line, use that time to be talking with phone agents.

2) Download the Contract of Carriage from the website of your original airline. Read the section on irregular operations/canceled flights/delayed flights so that you know the rules the airline operates under. If you wish, print it out and have it in your carryon for reference. Remember, this is the baseline minimum that the airline has contracted for -- you might get more, but you have every right to insist on getting at least what they have written. If you are on a LCC with a very consumer-unfriendly CoC, it may say you get bupkis -- in that case, know that you have little standing and are at the mercy of the agents.

3) Look up availability through ExpertFlyer, SeatCounter or other sites, so you are prepared on the day of your flight.

4) Keep your cool. Knowledge is power. If you can present alternatives to an agent, he is often better able to help you. Remember to NEVER get angry with the agent....at the time of your troubles, you need to keep him as an ally in getting you on a flight. Think how much effort you would give to a stranger who is yelling at you and calling you names??

[FlyerTalker]

Some thoughts on a prior post:

When we went to check in for the Ft Lauderdale flight, we were informed that the plane had been "downsized" and that this flight was also overbooked, so we were given standby seats. We were beyond mad.

When you take the bump, you are now a passenger on the second flight. If you waited to check in for that flight, you were at the back of the line. Just because you took one bump doesn't give you special status on the next flight over the other ticketed passengers. You were among many that were affected by the downsize.

Once we arrived at MIA to claim our luggage, we found that no one was around in the US Air luggage claim area and our baggage was locked up in their office. We had to wait about 1 hour for someone to finally come and let us in.

Probably far better to have it this way - if your luggage had just been left out, you would still be looking for it --in someone's garage. And did you just wait for someone to show, or did you seek out an agent or supervisor?

When we got to the hotel we found that one of our pieces of luggage was smashed (the hard sides were crushed). I guess that happens, but kind of annoying.

Always inspect the bags at the airport - this can happen with any airline. I assume that US paid for the damage - you did file a proper claim?

If it weren't for the free roundtrip tickets we received, I would never fly US Airways again.

Know that if you take a "free" ticket for a bump, you can only redeem them for seats in the FF redemption inventory. So for any times of high demand, it's unlikely you will be able to use them. It is almost always better to ask for a voucher in some dollar amount -- you can use that like cash to buy tickets to anywhere the airline flies, regardless of the inventory situation in the FF buckets.

[lauren0309]

Thaks for all the information. I will write down all the other airlines numbers and flight numbers. Maybe since I have a non-stop flight I won't run into problems. (hopeful thinking!)

[Jade13]

I just booked a flight with US Airways for a different trip (not cruise) despite the negative reviews I've been reading on epinons.com . Is it really that bad? I am worried that I will arrive at the airport and they will tell me my flight is cancelled?

 

I take the shuttle all of the time and it is always on time....It is my favoritte airline besides AirTran (which I only use for a direct flight in/out of Baltimore).

 

I have gotten so many free flights with USAirways over the years and the customer service has been great that it's hard to complain (sure Luftansa -used USAir FFmiles - had me on the wrong flight out of Rome this summer but fortunatelythey got me on the right one - stuff happens if you fly enough).

[lauren0309]

Well at least one positive note. :)

[Jade13]

Hope you are at the beginning of the line, as the people at the rear may be spending a day or two at the airport, waiting for space available seating on US Air. quote]

 

That is pretty negative regarding this one airline and getting stuck at the airport for a day or two. Trying to scare some folks that don't fly very often:rolleyes:

 

Btw, one of the worst experiances I had was on American Airlines coming back from Ecuador in business class. I haven't been on AA since. But, I think there are bad/untrained employees in a lot of places.

[Jade13]

Once we arrived at MIA to claim our luggage, we found that no one was around in the US Air luggage claim area and our baggage was locked up in their office. We had to wait about 1 hour for someone to finally come and let us in.

 

quote]

 

Much safer that the luggage was locked. I would have been at the counter etc trying to get someone at USair to radio someone else to open the area - my DH especially has no patience.

[megr1125]

Just be prepared for flight changes, canceled flights, dirty planes, bad attitude from the FA. Have a contingency plan to get to your destination. And good luck!!!

 

 

i don't always agree with greatam....but in this case....i would rather walk than fly USscare! attitudes are awful-understandably since people are, in general, working more for less, but there is no need to take it out on the Pax and to have filthy cabins, some of which are literally falling apart! every airline has its fans and those who avoid it at all costs....but USair really goes out of their way to lose customers...just my opinion!

[greatam]

 

That is pretty negative regarding this one airline and getting stuck at the airport for a day or two. Trying to scare some folks that don't fly very often:rolleyes:

 

 

It has been US Air that has had most of the one or two day delays getting people in and out of airports (NOT counting weather). The luggage fiasco in PHL, the computer shutdown when US tried to merge AmWest/US computer systems, the computer problems in March which stranded thousands. Should I go on????

 

US Air does not have enough capacity to re-accommodate everyone they displace with cancellations/delays. So some will wait until there is space available, which may be a day or two. US keeps sending a larger and larger percentage of planes overseas and is giving short shrift to domestic pax.

 

Not trying to scare anyone. But trying to make people realize that you better have contingency plans for air travel in this day and age. Any airline can let you down-some do it more often then others. And some are just badly run companies. US Air spent a fortune on lawyers trying to buy Delta, instead of spending the money trying to solve their diverse union and customer service problems.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117305541270226502.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

http://news.cheapflights.com/airlines/2007/03/us_airways_retu.html#more

[billybob123]

Know that if you take a "free" ticket for a bump, you can only redeem them for seats in the FF redemption inventory. So for any times of high demand, it's unlikely you will be able to use them. It is almost always better to ask for a voucher in some dollar amount -- you can use that like cash to buy tickets to anywhere the airline flies, regardless of the inventory situation in the FF buckets.

 

Incidentally, for those that are interested, US Airways "Free roundtrip" vouchers are now also able to be used for $200 off a domestic flight ("Zone 1" voucher), or $300 ("Zone 2") or $400 ("Zone 3") off international flights. You're not limited to using the almost-impossible-to-find frequent flyer bucket seats that they used to need.

 

I've been the recipient of several US Airways vouchers - I've flown enough with them over the last few years to accumulate a few.

[JayoftheSeas]

When you take the bump, you are now a passenger on the second flight. If you waited to check in for that flight, you were at the back of the line. Just because you took one bump doesn't give you special status on the next flight over the other ticketed passengers. You were among many that were affected by the downsize.

 

That's fine, except that the person who arranged the bump assured us we had seats when we asked. When we went to the gate for the new flight, we found out from the person there that we never should have been offered this flight since it had been downsized earlier in the day and was already overbooked. US Air dropped the ball here. The person who we dealt with on the original flight only cared about clearing room on his flight without regard to how it may inconvenience others later.

 

Probably far better to have it this way - if your luggage had just been left out, you would still be looking for it --in someone's garage. And did you just wait for someone to show, or did you seek out an agent or supervisor?

 

No, far better would have been to have someone around to save us further inconvenience. We searched high and low for someone. Finally, I think some maintenance person was able to let us in. We had didn't have to prove who we were and could have taken anyone's luggage if we chose.

 

Always inspect the bags at the airport - this can happen with any airline. I assume that US paid for the damage - you did file a proper claim?

 

No, we did not. Figured we were SOL.

 

Know that if you take a "free" ticket for a bump, you can only redeem them for seats in the FF redemption inventory. So for any times of high demand, it's unlikely you will be able to use them. It is almost always better to ask for a voucher in some dollar amount -- you can use that like cash to buy tickets to anywhere the airline flies, regardless of the inventory situation in the FF buckets.

 

As stated by another poster, the vouchers do have a stated value that can be applied towards flights.