Comments on: How US Airways Became My Airline-of-Last-Resort (And Why You Should Never Fly With Them, Too)

By: Peter Murray

Peter Murray — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:15:52 +0000

I appreciate all of the comments here, particularly right after my trip to get a sense that I wasn't alone. DLTJ, though, isn't a forum for consumer complains or news about airlines in general or U.S. Airways in particular. I'm closing comments on this post. For me, U.S. Airways has not yet had an opportunity to win back my business, but I certainly hope they have improved since the last time I used their services.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:06:45 +0000

I too have been going to LV NV for the past ouple of yrs on the Dreaded Airline.
On Jan 6, 2010, I flew from Vegas to Orlando, I am disabled and living on SSD,
When I got to ticket counter the agent said, for $20.00 I could upgrade to 1st class as they had so many seats (I wonder why),
I stated are you sure, she said yes, so I gave her my card, she said no charge for luggage
When I checked my Bank Statement on line, I was shockecd that I was actually charged $200.00.
Calling Cus Ser, to no avail, I was told it was impossible to fly 1st class for $20.00, I said WAY, your agent said so.
They will not give me a credit for the charge, “nothing they can do for me”
NVER FLY US AIRWAYS, NO NO NO
I WILL DRIVE, EVEN THOUGH I AM LEAGALLY BLIND BEFORE I FLY WITH THEM AGAIN./

By: Tylar miller

Tylar miller — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:08:26 +0000

I just wanna say that I absolutly hope us airways will shut down. Or atleast realize what there costumers are dealing with and change there ways. I flown with them since I can remeber atleast one every two months and it’s always been fine except for the past year it’s been gettin progresivly worse. I will never fly with them again as well because the same thing hppened to me last night. Unless they are th only option my ass wil be in the comfort of delta or united

By: mike

mike — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:58:52 +0000

THIS AIRLINE IS THE WORSE . .. . I HAVE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD . .. . AND NEVER. . ..NEVER . .EVER. . . I WOULD RATHER HAVE ALL MY TEETH PULLED WITH ANY MEDS. . . .TAKEN OUT .. . THEN A BAT TO HIT ME ON THE HEAD FOR EVERY MIN. . . NO FOR EVERY 10 MINS I AM ON HOLD WITH THEM. … (AS I AM NOW). . . . .. IT WOULD BE ABOUT 50 BAT HITS AT THIS TIME. .. . DEC 26, 2009 – - – — STILL ON HOLD. . .. CANNOT EVEN GET THEIR CRAP RIGHT . . .. . I GOT TO GET OFF. . BEFORE I REALLY GET INTO IT. . . .LETS JUST SAY. . .THIS AIRLINE . . .SUCKS. . .period .. . . they just suck .. and I hope that the go under . . and back it soon .. . .

By: Brian Z

Brian Z — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:29:12 +0000

My turn to pile on. I booked a flight for Greenville, NC on 10/30 (at 3 am) for a Christmas eve flight to Greenville, SC. Or so I thought. The same morning at 8 am, I double-checked my itinerary and noticed a mistake– I selected Greenville, NC by mistake. Four hours away, but I was confident the mistake was caught early enough– heck, the plane was 90% empty when I booked.

The first customer service representative was very unsympathetic to my dyslexic problem and told me I would have to pay the $150 change fee. Obviously perturbed, I decided to call back later once the blood returned to my extremities.

Around noon, I tried again and got a much better response. I was now told that company policy is to make these changes WITHOUT the $150 change fee if caught within 24 hours of booking. “Whew”, I thought. Crummy that policies like that depend on who you talk to, but it all worked out…or so I thought.

December 15th, and I go back to double-check my itinerary. “What’s this”, I said as I noticed I was still headed to…you guessed it, Greenville NORTH CAROLINA.

I called customer service (in the Phillipines) and was mysteriously disconnected four separate times (on a land line no less). But unfortunately for me, there was no record of my flight change request on 10/30…so I was SOL. Plus, each time I spoke to customer service, I got a different story on the policy about the $150 change fee. To make things worse, I was definitely going to be charged the difference between the flight I booked on 10/30 and the flights available now– to the tune of $308. Did it matter that they were negligent in fulfilling the change request? Nope. According to the grand wizard of supervisors (everyone seems to be a supervisor at US Airways customer service, though no one has the power to fix anything) it was my fault for not verifying the change was made within 24 hours. My bad! I guess I should also be ready hop in the cockpit if the crew decides to nap, or carry my paddle and water wings in case they decide to splash-land in the Hudson again.

Needless to say, I will be driving to my destination on Christmas Eve this year. Thanks again for remembering the importance of customer service and reliability US Airways!

BTW, I later found out that there was a flight to Asheville, NC for $400 total, but no one mentioned that in the 3 hours I spent on the phone trying to straighten out this mess.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:37:32 +0000

US Airways may be the worst airline in the industry. They probably won’t be willing to do anything to help, but the number below does get you to a live person.

Use this #: 866-523-5333

By: Gabriella Allen

Gabriella Allen — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:35:33 +0000

U.S. Airways cancelled my flight and left me and my husband in an airport stranded at 9am. After sending in my tickets, hours on the phone thrown between different agents. Emails, faxes, letters, no one cares. I still can’t get a refund! They are a terrible company and I will NEVER fly with them again!

By: Eleanor Olsen

Eleanor Olsen — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:59:48 +0000

Yesterday I had $1078.20 extorted by US Airways, as I was held hostage and barred from using my boarding passes at Gate B7 in Philadelphia, because an agent we dealt with the day before arbitrarily refunded our ticket after we left the counter with the boarding passes for our new connecting flight. I am on hold now waiting for a customer relations agent. I have been on the phone since 7:46 am, at 8:20 am Sonja. a customer service supervisor said she would connect me with Customer Relations.
Has anyone gotten any satisfaction from this company?

By: Dave G

Dave G — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:41:35 +0000

I booked a direct flight with US air from Baltimore to Phoenix two months before I was supposed to leave. I showed up on the morning of my flight only to find that the flight had been canceled due to mechanical reasons. Nobody’s fault there, I assume. I was offered a flight the next morning but needed to get there ASAP so US Air changed my 5 hour direct flight to a 15 hour byzantine roundelay of connections through four airports — but I made it!

The flight back was more complicated; they overbooked, I was involuntarily bumped. The US Air agent Amy Bullard, Employee # S17482 was obnoxious and rude in just about every way possible. It was plainly obvious that she did NOT care about my predicament. She offered me a flight the next morning which was no good; I had to be at work then. Southwest Airlines had a flight going out in a couple of hours — which I would have to buy at the gate — for $500! Amy Bullard refused to pay for it. All I got was a refund for my ticked ($183) which I could apply to my new $500 ticket. It was Easter Sunday, Amy refused to let me talk to a supervisor (she said she was the highest ranking supervisor there) and I had NO CHOICE but to accept the refund or wait until tomorrow.

When I arrived to Baltimore, my back was in lockup and all of the US air employees were gone for the day. When I called the next morning, to had my bag delivered, I was told by customer service (in India) that all claims for bags had to be made in person and that I would have to drive back to the airport (1 hour each way). I did, and whatever frozen food I had in the bag went bad by then.

NOW HERE IS SOME ADVICE: I paid for a direct flight both ways and US Air did not provide those services. After speaking to an attorney/friend I was told the following:

1) US Air failed to fulfill their end of the deal by providing me a direct flight in either direction.

2) Although accommodations were provided, those accommodations were NOT reasonable.

I called my credit card company (AMEX) and asked them to reverse the charges. We’ll see how that works. I’m determined not to pay for crap service and rudeness!!! I have no idea if it is going to work, but its worth a shot.

By: June

June — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:05:26 +0000

I will NEVER..EVER..fly U.S. Airways again. Everything about this airline is AWFUL. Now I will admit I sort of put the inconvenience on myself but they did not make my experience with them a pleasant one at all.

I book a flight to leave out of Tallahassee on a sunday but decided to road trip to Myrtle beach and thought that i would cancel my flight and book a new flight with them from Myrtle beach to Boston and boy was that a DISASTER.

They’re refund policy is BULL. instead of taking a hit and canceling it for a fee you just can’t do that you have a year to re-use but you have to pay an addition 150?!?! So I decided whatever I still needed a ticket. I called 4-5 different times to ask questions and to book my reservation and not ONE person spoke English as their FIRST language which might I add really screwed me! The lady could not understand me and asked me to repeat all of my information ATLEAST a half a dozen times. After about 45 minutes on the phone I get cut off. Now this woman asked me for my number a bunch a times you’d think she would call back. No so i assumed she would call back instead just booked my ticked but I didn’t have any of my confirmation information so I called someone at home and they booked my ticked on Orbitz that it took all of 5 minutes. I get to the airport and i was charged twice for the same flight. UGH!

None the less i put my frustration aside and decided to deal with the refund fiasco for when i got home. I get on the flight and the the stewardess’ were UNBELIEVABLY rude. Same as they were on my way down to Florida. By this point I wanted to BURST.

Because of this ordeal I will NEVER fly U.S. Airways ever again. Jet Blue is my Airline of choice and I am more than willing to spend a little extra to avoid all of the hassle.