As someone who’s flown from here to there (and back again) because she’s crazy enough to want to accumulate points/miles and premier status, I can’t seem to bring myself to genuflect after reading that Vietnam Airlines is joining the SkyTeam affiliation. SkyTeam includes: Air France-KLM, Delta Air Line, Korean Air and more smaller carriers.
Only a few years ago, this announcement would have caused my to heart sing a tiny bit. Vietnam Airlines is one of my favorite destinations and its national airline goes out of its way to deliver good service. The main negative about them was the no-points-or-miles scenario. But, if you wanted to fly within the country, it’s the most reliable carrier.
Today, I worry that being a member of an alliance will bring down the level of service that I have come to expect from Vietnam Airlines.
During a recent Vietnam trip, an announcement was made the flight would be taking off 40 minutes late. In these days of delays and more, none of the passengers went into cardiac arrest. If anything, the announcement that startled everyone (including people ticketed in coach), was they should come and collect a box lunch.
Perhaps the woman who made the announcement over the microphone didn’t have a perfect English/American accent — and why should she? But the passengers with whom I was traveling knew we were hearing an offer of airline service that we have seen dying. On a U.S. carrier, we would have been served coffee, tea, juice or water and perhaps a tiny package of pretzels after take-off, even if we’d been sitting on the tarmac for what felt like (or was) an eternity. On Vietnam Airlines we not only had the box lunch, but after the plane departed, we were served a hot lunch — the flight was less than two hours long.
This extraordinary service example begs the essential question: Are airline alliances going to impact the carriers on which we fly?
Sure, it’s nice to be able to access a lounge between international flights if you’re a premier member. The chance of being upgraded is also a plus. However, not being able to reserve business class seats in advance with some carriers is making a lot of VERY frequent fliers more than a wee bit angry.
During a conversation with an agent manning United’s 1K reservations desk, the clerk informed me he could not guarantee a seat in business class if I were to change a ticket that was issued before the new upgrade regulations were instituted. Even though I’d paid the higher fare, the miles had been deducted from my account and I’d pay the change fee, Mr. United said there was no way he could book me in business class. He conceded he’d been hearing lots of complaints from 1K flyers and he knew the airline’s customer service department was receiving a lot of feedback. Frank should be a member of the State Department he was so polite and unflappable. Bravo.
How many people are going to stop being such loyal clients of United Airlines with these new rules in place (unless they fly so much they qualify for Global Services status). Will people begin to use consolidators? Will they try to redeem their miles and points as quickly as possible, IF they’re able to do so?
If this sounds like sour grapes, perhaps it is. All I want to say is merci to Open Skies for inaugurating service between Washington, DC and Paris. You’ll find me commuting on it rather than on United.
How many Consumer Traveler readers are fed up with chasing awards and trying to redeem them? Will you change your travel habits? Just because I’m in a rage, perhaps I’m in a minority. Please, please post how you feel. Am I the only one who feels as if she’s been led to the alter only not to have my partner make good on myriad promises?
Karen Fawcett is president of Bonjour Paris.
