skybobb wrote:Tadpole, If I am in Vale, Or. you and your family are welcome to spend the night, on your trip to the Seattle area, It is only 16 miles off of I-84 just up the road from Ontario, Or.

I don't mean to compete with Skybobb, but your also more than welcome to stop over at my house, too. I'm about the same off I-84 northwest of Boise. I should be home most of the time in the fall. If you have some time, we can even go for a flight or two.

I have flown AirTran, Allegiant and JetBlue this winter. Excellent ontime flights good customer service with relatively cheap tix. I would add USAir to the suck list. I have lost my bag every trip with those rubberheads. Course you cant much of a bag carryon anymore because no one checks any bags anymore and try to cram their life belongings into an overhead.

Jim

You wanted a country and western song about United. Here it is!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

Thanks for the offer guys, but my wife is pretty set on flying commercial so far..haha.

Patrol Guy wrote

United is the worst airline in the business, bar none. You suck.

Well I have to agree with this, after flying United twice in the last year. Shit!

The only good part is I find myself surfing Barnstormers for Big fast airplanes and thinking
about getting my IFR ticket.

Kenny Chapman wrote:You wanted a country and western song about United. Here it is!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

LOL, thanks for that. That song had a really good beat and chorus.

Aside from checked bag fees that irritate me in general, Continental's been pretty decent long-haul service. Alaskan is good on the Seattle-Anchorage run. On the other end of the spectrum, never fly American outside the US, and United should fall.

Good song - bad airline.

Well, I fly for UAL. Sorry that patrol guy had a bad experience. I'm guessing that almost every one out there that travels much has had a bad experience on one or more airline. Mr. Scout hit the nail on the head though. Ramp up the ticket price and you'll get what you pay for. The sad fact is that 46% of our domestic flights are now flown by United express. We don't own these regional carriers, just let them fly our colors and use our name. In my opinion it has ruined our brand.

The mantra that competition drives service up and price down is a bunch of bunk. New airlines get government money and help (yes they do!) to start up under the banner of increased competition, better consumer prices and the creation of jobs. Well guess what, all it does is drive the guys that are trying to do a good job out of business and cost jobs. Airlines are enormously cash intensive and operate on a very thin margin. Under the current system maintenance suffers, training suffers and customer service suffers. The traveler wants to fly from LAX to JFK and expects to pay $300 or less to do so. How far can you fly your personal airplane for $300? That's not just fuel cost, be honest and figure in total operating cost. Also, when was the last time you took your plane on a long trip and didn't have to wait out a storm system or have a mechanical delay? Sometimes the weather sucks, even for the airlines. Sometimes the plane breaks, stuff happens. With the current cost of operating an auto, you cant drive your personal car across the state for what you pay to fly coast to coast.

Sometimes there is just no excuse for the poor service we provide on a given flight. Try to remember that we put about 2000 flights in the air every day and we actually do a good job on a vast majority of those. You don't remember the ones that go well but you sure as heck do remember, and rant about, the ones that don't.

Oh, and I do agree with the lack of human contact when you phone in. Once you navigate through the phone tree for 30 minutes you get someone that you cant understand on the other end of the line. Pisses me off too.

No comment from me on the flight attendant issue.

Better luck next time and I hope you'll give us another chance to get it right.

P.S. Write a letter to Glen Tilton. He's the head of UAL. Tell him what you think of the service you experienced and see what happens. I have no clue what might transpire but maybe he'll finally figure out what the right thing to do is and surprise us all.

In the last few years I have flown on Lufthansa, KLM, and Olympic Air - all of which delivered clean aircraft, on-time service, courteous cabin crew and included meals that resembled actual food as well as unlimited wine/beer/spirits (their stus were pretty easy on the eyes too). In contrast every United, Delta, and Continental flight I've been on in that time disappointed in every way possible - filthy aircraft, foul food (if they served anything at all), and sociopathic cabin crew. SouthWest is the only US carrier that seems to be capable of providing good service at a decent value.

So what's the difference? Do the euros get that much more subsidy that they don't have to worry about annoyances like margins and profits? If that's the case, can we at least look forward to a return to quality carriers when BO gets our tax rates where he wants them?

Interesting, I lived in Kodiak where for at least a few years of my tenure, AS was the only game in town. I lived in FAI for 19 years, all of which AS was virtually the only carrier in town. Every time a volcano hiccuped, or it got really cold, AS was the only airline that made an effort. During one extreme cold spell, they flew Day VFR from ANC to FAI, because the barometric pressure was so high they couldn't set their altimeters. They got an FAA waiver to fly VFR.

I've flown AS out of AKN, OTZ, DUT and OME and never once had a problem. Who else was taking 737's into Dutch Harbor???? They don't care about the bush?? Maybe not, but they cared about the revenue that is out there. Now, if you're being critical of the customer service reps IN those villages, I can't tell you much. I think just the fact that AS kept old 737 200's in service so long because they had gravel kits says something about their attitude toward the bush.

As the man says, you can always find SOMETHING to bitch about, and that's especially true in aviation.

When I first moved to Alaska from eastern Washington, Hughes Air Worst DESTROYED my dog kennel, complete with a VERY large Cheseapeake aboard it. I stepped into the terminal in SEA and heard the call "Hughes Air West passenger MTV, please proceed to the Hughes Air West cargo area IMMEDIATELY" When I got there, the dog was halfway out of that kennel, and he had blood in his eye. He was ready to kill someone in that bag smashing crew, and they were maintaining a respectful distance.

Got the dog calmed down, and told the HAW guys I needed a new kennel. They said they'd sell me one. I said no, and by the way my Alaska flight leaves in an hour. Conversation went on a while, and the HAW guys just blew me off. Said they'd sell me a new kennel for $200.

Meantime a guy in Alaska Air coveralls comes by, sees the dog, comes over to pet him, and listens to the discussion, which is by now sorta heated. Finally, he says to me "let's take this dog out for a walk, and get him some water." We did, and the AS baggage guy found a dish for some water, and got the dog some water, and we took him out on the ramp for a pee. The AS guy took me back inside, and left for a few minutes and came back with a new dog kennel. We assembled it, he put several AS blankets inside for the dog, and gave him some dog biscuits. He then had me accompany the kennel on a cart out to my jet, where we put the dog in the new kennel, and loaded him in the baggage bay of the jet. He then led me up the ladder, and boarded and seated me.

I asked him how I was going to pay for the kennel, and he said "Don't worry about it, it's a Hughes Air West kennel". But, he said "Just remember which airlines treats you right, and that's Alaska".

I haven't had a bad experience on AS since, and that is a LOT of miles.

MTV

Just returned to the DC area from a flight to San Diego. Flew United....several gripes but the biggest gripe is...do they think people that fly these days are midgets? I am not tall by any means and my wife is 5'4".....even her kness where crammed into the seat in front of her. I can not imagine the discomfort of much taller people trying to sit for a 4-6 hour flight crammed in this tight!!! I have made many trips all over this world of ours and this is the worse I have seen. I will also agree with the poster that said something about those people that seem to think they can cram everything including the kitchen sink into the overhead bin.

Best flights I have ever had are on military birds. The mighty C5 has enough room that you can sleep on the floor in fron of your seat if you want. Granted they are designed to carry troops with full battle gear...been there done that also but on the best bush plane there is....C-130! LOL

Rant over.

WW

I've been on board since 1982. That's when I took my last trip on United. I was an engineer for a telecom company and was often required to visit field locations. Back then, even lowly engineers had "admins" to do things like book flights. I got to the gate to check in for a United flight and found I was booked in a middle seat. I asked the gate agent if I could change it to either an aisle or window seat. I still remember his name - Mr. Boston. He tells me that he'll have to wait and see how full the flight is. OK, so far. I wait. And wait. Eventually they start boarding. I wait some more. Now they're calling standby passengers. So, I approach Mr. Boston, and inquire about my seat change, suggesting that if they're calling standby passengers, he knows how full they're going to be. His response was "I'm running this flight, not you! You'll sit where I tell you."

From that day forward until a swore off the airlines altogether in the aftermath of 9-11, I have never set foot on a United flight since. I wrote Frank Wolfe, United's CEO at the time, a letter describing the experience and concluded it with "I'm not fishing for a free ticket, so don't bother. I'll "Go Greyhound" before I fly the unfriendly skies of United again." Since then, I've been a frequent flier on several airlines to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars per year, including several years where I traveled the globe as head of international alliances for a fortune 500 company. Not a dime of that went to United!!!

Best,
O-2

Too bad you guys don't live in the South because Southwest Airlines is a pleasure to fly with. I don't know how they are able to keep tickets uber cheap AND offer great customer service.

Uh, Mr. Ed, as far as govt subsidies to the upstarts squeezing the "legacy carriers", I would respectfully point out that UAL dumped their retirement program onto the shoulders of us taxpayers...kinda the ultimate subsidy, actually.

MTV

mtv wrote:Interesting, I lived in Kodiak where for at least a few years of my tenure, AS was the only game in town. I lived in FAI for 19 years, all of which AS was virtually the only carrier in town. Every time a volcano hiccuped, or it got really cold, AS was the only airline that made an effort. During one extreme cold spell, they flew Day VFR from ANC to FAI, because the barometric pressure was so high they couldn't set their altimeters. They got an FAA waiver to fly VFR.

I've flown AS out of AKN, OTZ, DUT and OME and never once had a problem. Who else was taking 737's into Dutch Harbor???? They don't care about the bush?? Maybe not, but they cared about the revenue that is out there. Now, if you're being critical of the customer service reps IN those villages, I can't tell you much. I think just the fact that AS kept old 737 200's in service so long because they had gravel kits says something about their attitude toward the bush.

As the man says, you can always find SOMETHING to bitch about, and that's especially true in aviation.

When I first moved to Alaska from eastern Washington, Hughes Air Worst DESTROYED my dog kennel, complete with a VERY large Cheseapeake aboard it. I stepped into the terminal in SEA and heard the call "Hughes Air West passenger MTV, please proceed to the Hughes Air West cargo area IMMEDIATELY" When I got there, the dog was halfway out of that kennel, and he had blood in his eye. He was ready to kill someone in that bag smashing crew, and they were maintaining a respectful distance.

Got the dog calmed down, and told the HAW guys I needed a new kennel. They said they'd sell me one. I said no, and by the way my Alaska flight leaves in an hour. Conversation went on a while, and the HAW guys just blew me off. Said they'd sell me a new kennel for $200.

Meantime a guy in Alaska Air coveralls comes by, sees the dog, comes over to pet him, and listens to the discussion, which is by now sorta heated. Finally, he says to me "let's take this dog out for a walk, and get him some water." We did, and the AS baggage guy found a dish for some water, and got the dog some water, and we took him out on the ramp for a pee. The AS guy took me back inside, and left for a few minutes and came back with a new dog kennel. We assembled it, he put several AS blankets inside for the dog, and gave him some dog biscuits. He then had me accompany the kennel on a cart out to my jet, where we put the dog in the new kennel, and loaded him in the baggage bay of the jet. He then led me up the ladder, and boarded and seated me.

I asked him how I was going to pay for the kennel, and he said "Don't worry about it, it's a Hughes Air West kennel". But, he said "Just remember which airlines treats you right, and that's Alaska".

I haven't had a bad experience on AS since, and that is a LOT of miles.

MTV

Different times, different company. Try living in the Juneau market for awhile.

I have found the local agents to be great. The issues arise in Seattle. I once had a young customer service representative tell me that she was a "$7.50 and hour employee and could really care less". Nice. I have had a tour of their maintenance facility in ANC. Clean shop for sure. A dead - lined aircraft waiting to be repaired on "overtime" day is ever present. I agree that pilots are top - notch. They used to make or break them on the Juneau approach, not sure if that is still the case with the new RNP proceedures.

I guess the biggest beef with them comes in the summertime when we get the seasonal service here where I live. They pull in for that 2 and a half months, and the big corporate monster takes all the mail away from the local carriers. Everything gets screwed up since they only provide service once a day instead of getting multiple tries at it daily like the locals. Often times there are more TSA agents than passengers on the plane, but the costs are subsidized by the State of AK, so they come anyway. Really doesn't do anyone any good.

I agree that it is not a civil right to have a $99 dollar coast to coast ticket. When I ride Alaska Airlines, getting a cheap ticket is never a concern...there ain't none into SE!

gb

Reading this is getting depressing. The wife and I are supposed to fly somewhere warm for a week in April. Makes me want to stay home (which I want to do anyway). If the 182 wasn't on straight floats I would be taking that south in April. Guess I need amphibs. I agree with most gripes. My last time flying was to Boston. Time to come home, sitting in Logan waiting for Northwest, and out of the blue they cancel the flight back to MN. No second plane, no reschedule, nothing. You're on your own to reschedule it. Mass rush to the ticket counter, a day of boredom sitting in an airport hotel (on my own dime), and get home 24 hours late. No free tickets, nothing. Flying the big airlines suck. Period. I wish the government would just let the poor performers fail. New airlines with new higher prices and better service would eventually emerge. People got to be willing to pay more or just take the bus.

Shred the Deregulation of 78....

The real shame is that there is really not good rail service. Nothing can compete with the efficiency of a train. Passengers trains get in the way of freight trains, so that's the way it goes. Seems like it would make more sense to get a good rail system going than it does to bail out failing airlines, but what the hell do I know.

gb

Well, I think he has it correct