Comments on: Flying on US Airways? 6 things you need to know now http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/ The last honest travel site Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:53:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Elizabeth Smith http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4222 Elizabeth Smith Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:05:02 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-4222 Some of the majors have already followed suit with the additional or increased fees, the most recent being NWA today. However, none of them have started charging for non-alcoholic drinks (even water) or taken away Preferred or Elite bonus miles, and only two airlines so far have taken away the 500-mile minimum. Some of the majors have already followed suit with the additional or increased fees, the most recent being NWA today. However, none of them have started charging for non-alcoholic drinks (even water) or taken away Preferred or Elite bonus miles, and only two airlines so far have taken away the 500-mile minimum.

]]> By: Aem http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4221 Aem Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:00:02 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-4221 If other airlines don't follow suit, I'll be surprised. If other airlines don’t follow suit, I’ll be surprised.

]]> By: Elizabeth Smith http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-3682 Elizabeth Smith Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:19:32 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-3682 Great suggestion, Stephen! I agree that all services requiring additional fees, especially those involving checked bags, be paid for by credit card to assure the consumer gets what he or she paid for! If I must pay for my bag to be transported by the airline, it better arrive with me! Great suggestion, Stephen! I agree that all services requiring additional fees, especially those involving checked bags, be paid for by credit card to assure the consumer gets what he or she paid for! If I must pay for my bag to be transported by the airline, it better arrive with me!

]]> By: Stephen Pickford http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-3680 Stephen Pickford Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:58:37 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-3680 If a bag that one has paid to check is lost or delayed, the carrier would be in violation of their merchant agreement with the credit card company for not providing the service which was paid for. You would be well within your rights then to dispute the charge with the card issuer and send it back as a declined charge to the carrier. Thus, ONLY pay for checked baggage with a credit card...and let that be their incentive to make sure that it gets there...otherwise, not only do they incur the cost of carriage, they also have to sift through the accounting paperwork thereafter. Remember the immortal words of Calyon Securities' Ray Neidl: "Airlines are run by buffoons who couldn't make a profit operating a brothel outside of an army base." If a bag that one has paid to check is lost or delayed, the carrier would be in violation of their merchant agreement with the credit card company for not providing the service which was paid for. You would be well within your rights then to dispute the charge with the card issuer and send it back as a declined charge to the carrier. Thus, ONLY pay for checked baggage with a credit card…and let that be their incentive to make sure that it gets there…otherwise, not only do they incur the cost of carriage, they also have to sift through the accounting paperwork thereafter. Remember the immortal words of Calyon Securities’ Ray Neidl: “Airlines are run by buffoons who couldn’t make a profit operating a brothel outside of an army base.”

]]> By: Tom http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-3474 Tom Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:04:37 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-3474 I can't agree more. As a long time USAir silver/ gold member (depending on the travel year), I’ve stuck with USAIR much longer than I should have. I fell into the preferred customer trap, enjoying what I once perceived as perks for my loyalty. Air miles are now almost worthless, travel fees hidden everywhere, upgrades are few and far between and rude airline staff is common. I’m almost afraid to use the restroom in the event I see a charge on my card. I did read some interesting comments concerning these new fees: If my bag is lost, is the bag fee returned? If I had two bags and one was lost, which fee is returned? Is this added on top of the lost baggage reimbursement they currently are required to provide? If on business travel, can I get a receipt for my water purchase? If they sell me a beverage on the ground, is it subject to state taxes and will it be reflected on my receipt? If USAIR is going to nickel and dime its customer base, we might as well ask every trivial question we can think of. I can’t agree more. As a long time USAir silver/ gold member (depending on the travel year), I’ve stuck with USAIR much longer than I should have. I fell into the preferred customer trap, enjoying what I once perceived as perks for my loyalty. Air miles are now almost worthless, travel fees hidden everywhere, upgrades are few and far between and rude airline staff is common. I’m almost afraid to use the restroom in the event I see a charge on my card.
I did read some interesting comments concerning these new fees: If my bag is lost, is the bag fee returned? If I had two bags and one was lost, which fee is returned? Is this added on top of the lost baggage reimbursement they currently are required to provide?
If on business travel, can I get a receipt for my water purchase? If they sell me a beverage on the ground, is it subject to state taxes and will it be reflected on my receipt? If USAIR is going to nickel and dime its customer base, we might as well ask every trivial question we can think of.

]]> By: Elizabeth Smith http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-3451 Elizabeth Smith Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:45:03 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-3451 I feel your pain, Douglas. I am a longtime US AIrways frequent flyer myself. This time they have alienated their frequent and leisure customers, as well has lowered the morale of the front line employees. I can just imagine the chaos at check-in come August 6! I am afraid, too, that this ship may sink. Thanks for your comments! I feel your pain, Douglas. I am a longtime US AIrways frequent flyer myself. This time they have alienated their frequent and leisure customers, as well has lowered the morale of the front line employees. I can just imagine the chaos at check-in come August 6! I am afraid, too, that this ship may sink. Thanks for your comments!

]]> By: Douglas Brown http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/comment-page-1/#comment-3450 Douglas Brown Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:41:28 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=4866#comment-3450 US Airways lost this Gold Preferred member a month ago because of an impossiblely chaotic check-in experience in Boston. Why US Airways thinks they can afford to antagonize their best passengers is because they operate mostly non-competitive routes. I am sure they are going to sink soon, so we are using up all our saved miles. US Airways lost this Gold Preferred member a month ago because of an impossiblely chaotic check-in experience in Boston.

Why US Airways thinks they can afford to antagonize their best passengers is because they operate mostly non-competitive routes. I am sure they are going to sink soon, so we are using up all our saved miles.

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