A free hotel room? Ha!

[G2T]

I just want to start by saying, this is not a rip on SW, they just happen be the airline involved.

Last night I was cruising the channels and stopped on A&E. The show Airline was on. Even though the show usually gets me fired up and angry at the passengers actions, I cracked a beer and stopped to watch the action unfold anyway. There was a guy on who for one reason or another got bumped from his flight. The airline said they could put him on the standby list for a flight later that night, or they could book him on the first one out in the morning. He was extremely upset (which can be understood) and wanted compensation for the inconvenience. He demanded a hotel room for the night and dinner. My question is this: If you pay $89 dollars for an airline ticket, is it reasonable to demand a hotel room which will cost just as much, if not more from the airline? I could understand it if you paid full fare for a first class int'l ticket, but does anyone else find this ridiculous? :angryfire

On a lighter note, there was also a guy who tried to check his cat in a soft-sided duffel bag, that was entertaining.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

He should have put the cat in his carry on, in case he got hungry enroute.

I agree, take your $89 dollar coast to coast ticket and jam it up your a$s. No you can't have a freaking hotel room!

 

[81Horse]

I liked the witchy mom who showed up for an earlier flight, which she couldn't get on without paying for an upgrade. The early flight went out with empty seats -- and her confirmed later flight went out with Denied Boardings.

I so wanted to see her get bumped. Not the kids -- just her.

 

[G2T]

I so wanted to see her get bumped. Not the kids -- just her.

ME TOO. That's what i'm talking about, the whole attitude that the airline owes you. That lady tried to guilt the gate agent because she had so much time to kill with her kids. But really, it was the customers decision to SHOW UP 3 HOURS EARLY for her flight.

 

[GogglesPisano]

The guy with the cat should have been reported to the ASPCA.

 

[blackbox]

just to play devils advocate, You dont know how much he paid, He could have paid the 299 fare, instead of the 89 dollar fare u asssume. We dont know that.

but besides that, why does it matter how much they paid for their ticket? SWA offered a price for their product at 89 bucks, even if you think its worth 500. If you buy a stereo on sale at bestbuy for 50% off, you still expect it to work just as if you bought it at regular price right? so how is that different from an airline ticket?

 

[81Horse]

The guy with the cat should have been reported to the ASPCA.

And the druggie mom with the little boy should have been reported to Child Protective Services. (Agent: "We can only do what we can do ... ")

 

[G2T]

just to play devils advocate, You dont know how much he paid, He could have paid the 299 fare, instead of the 89 dollar fare u asssume. We dont know that.

but besides that, why does it matter how much they paid for their ticket? SWA offered a price for their product at 89 bucks, even if you think its worth 500. If you buy a stereo on sale at bestbuy for 50% off, you still expect it to work just as if you bought it at regular price right? so how is that different from an airline ticket?

Good point, he may have paid a full fare, and there are certain expectations that should be met when you purchase things, I'll give you that. I was just using him a general example for things that I see on a daily basis. There are so many variables in the business that the public does not consider, nor do they have any patience for(e.g. MX, WX). They just know that if their flight gets delayed or cancelled that they got screwed and want compensation. Do we (the airline) really owe them because we delayed a flight in the interest of THEIR safety? That's where I get frustrated, that there is ZERO patience on behalf of the customer.

 

[81Horse]

... nor do they have any patience for(e.g. MX, WX) ...

Which is why I think captains should make these announcements at the gate. "Folks, maintenance tells us we got a iddy-biddy 'problem' with our plane today. And the weather folks say it's blizzardin' somethin' fierce over at our destination. But I'll tell you what -- me and First Officer Biff are feelin' real sharp today, and we're willin' to give it the ole ABC Airlines try. We figure we got a solid 50-50 chance of getting where we wanna go, so y'all are welcome to come along with us. If you're feelin' lucky today. Otherwise, you got about a two-hour delay, minimum. So. Raise your hand right now if you wanna board this ole plane with me and Biff."

 

[G2T]

Which is why I think captains should make these announcements at the gate. "Folks, maintenance tells us we got a iddy-biddy 'problem' with our plane today. And the weather folks say it's blizzardin' somethin' fierce over at our destination. But I'll tell you what -- me and First Officer Biff are feelin' real sharp today, and we're willin' to give it the ole ABC Airlines try. We figure we got a solid 50-50 chance of getting where we wanna go, so y'all are welcome to come along with us. If you're feelin' lucky today. Otherwise, you got about a two-hour delay, minimum. So. Raise your hand right now if you wanna board this ole plane with me and Biff."

I love it! It would be very entertaining to hear that announcment. Although, I would almost be scared to look around and see how many people would raise their hand to go, since they weren't really listening and all they heard was "Raise your hand right now if you wanna board this ole plane with me and Biff."

 

[COOPERVANE]

I actually heard a southwest captain make a PA saying that he and the FO were 85% sure we would make it through the thunderstorm at the end of the runway if we took off now. But figured he would wait a little while until he was 100% sure. If that was O.K. with everyone!!

Classic

 

[wmuflyguy]

There are so many variables in the business that the public does not consider, nor do they have any patience for(e.g. MX, WX).

I was told by a gate agent that if it is a WX issue they do not provide any compsenation, no hotel room, no meal, no nuthin! I like it, Why do we owe you anything cause it is blizzarding in Boston.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Anybody else think that ALL airlines need
to do a better job of educating our passengers?

A few new rules:

-Dont show up for a 10:00 flight at 9:55, You WONT get on. Boarding denied!
-If there is a blizzard in MDW, and you are booked PHX-MDW dont look up and say "what weather?"
-Dont then DEMAND" compensation/hotel room/vouchers/car/hookers
-Dont get PLASTERED before your flight. You wont get on. Boarding denied!
-If you dial up your lawyer in front of the gate agent after getting bumped.....banned for life
-If you tell the flight attendant that just had you removed "I hope you crash!"..banned for life

Anyone else got any?

 

[FN FAL]

"Folks, maintenance tells us we got a iddy-biddy 'problem' with our plane today."

And you guys wonder why people go psycho and want to get off flights on the tarmac. Besides, "Folks" only ride on Low Cost Carriers.

 

[superatr]

I had a drunk say as he was boarding the aircraft, " I hope ya'll don't crash the airplane today". He was escorted off our aircraft. I think they put him on the next flight.

 

[blackbox]

Good point, he may have paid a full fare, and there are certain expectations that should be met when you purchase things, I'll give you that. I was just using him a general example for things that I see on a daily basis. There are so many variables in the business that the public does not consider, nor do they have any patience for(e.g. MX, WX). They just know that if their flight gets delayed or cancelled that they got screwed and want compensation. Do we (the airline) really owe them because we delayed a flight in the interest of THEIR safety? That's where I get frustrated, that there is ZERO patience on behalf of the customer.

I agree with you 100%. people think its so simple just to change something. If they have no experience dealing witha certain situation they just dont understand.

 

[Fred Rogers]

safety

You know I've thought a lot about this, and I think it's the fact that we've made the whole experience so routine. That is a good thing, but people forget that they are in a 100,000 lb hunk of metal going 500 mph 6 miles above the earth's surface. People get angry if the flight is delayed 10 min, regardless of the reason. Pilots are increasingly looked at like bus drivers (by passengers AND management), and the fares go down and the gas goes up.

It's really an interesting set of circumstances and I wonder how we go about fixing it. I have always been one who claims to people that you don't have to be John Wayne to fly an airplane, but you are a professional who is responsible for a good many lives (be it 19 or 390) in the aformentioned hunk of metal.

I don't know what the solution is, but I think it is an interesting / frustrating situation. Great thread btw.

 

[DX Rick]

I love the drunken hillbillies who scream "I am never flying Southwest every again!"
Happens atleast 3 times a show.

 

[Fred Rogers]

I love the drunken hillbillies who scream "I am never flying Southwest every again!"
Happens atleast 3 times a show.

ha ha.. yeah, until they want to go somewhere and they don't want to pay over $100 for the ticket. I can hear the gate agent's inner monologue "oh you'll be back you drunken moron, and then I'll have to put up with you again dammit"

 

[urflyingme?!]

I'm just hoping that the first drunk I kick off happens to be my old high school dean. There's something to dream for...

 

[smellthejeta]

My question is this: If you pay $89 dollars for an airline ticket, is it reasonable to demand a hotel room which will cost just as much, if not more from the airline? I could understand it if you paid full fare for a first class int'l ticket, but does anyone else find this ridiculous? :angryfire

My question is this: If you pay $89 for an airline ticket, is it reasonable to expect to actually get on the flight on which you've purchased a ticket?

If an airline oversells a flight, it is a risk THEY take, not the pax, even though pax are aware that "flights may be oversold." One of the reasons that last minute tix are so expensive is that the airline figures that if the flight is going to be put in an oversold situation, that the high revenue they generate from that last minute sale can be used to compensate the pax being denied boarding. EVERY airline that I've flown will pay for a hotel if they cannot get you out the same day.

Once upon a time, I was bumped by AirTran on a $111 (roundtrip) ticket. I had left my car at IAD and used mass transit to get to BWI (I had time to kill and too cheap to pay for parking and gas). I did not like the hotel accomodations (too far away from the airport for an early AM flight with uncertain security lines) so I talked them into paying for a $90 ticket out of IAD, where I could sleep in my own bed and use the express security line (employee) in the AM.

 

[g-code]

I love the drunken hillbillies who scream "I am never flying Southwest every again!"
Happens atleast 3 times a show.

Thats their bread and butter.

 

[dabandermac]

Does it really matter how much he paid for the ticket? Everyone is riding on the same plane and deserves the same service. Someone with a $300 ticket should be treated equally as someone who paid $89. Bumped from his flight (not his fault), buy the fella a hotel room. End of story.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Don't worry, when the airlines hit rock bottom the only thing left will be to compete in service.

 

[COOPERVANE]

Southwest supposedly almost used:

"We know you'll be back, because we're cheap, and you are too!!"

Priceless!!

It is amazing how SWA gets away with so much. The flight attendants play games, and are free to make non politically correct jokes. I have heard several people talk about "toilet paper roll races" down the isles during climbout. If Delta did that, the pax would freak "So, you have plenty of money to waste on TP, so why are our ticket prices so hi?" We can't even say "Merry Christmas" without getting letters. Good for them

lower expectations I guess

 

[PSPFAWILL]

How about the drunk when denied boarding who said "I am not abbreviated".