US Airways Sucks and I'll tell you why...

[M.D. Holloway]

Normally I fly American and I rarely have a problem. Luggage never lost, flights on time. American Airlines has always done me well.

This week I had to do some work in Scranton Wilkes-Barre PA. American didn't have any flights so I had to use US Airways. I also figuered I could swing through Connecticut and visit my Dad.

I packed a bunch of Christmas gifts in my luggage and also in a box. I have traveled with boxes before. That is normally how I ship materials for conferences and seminars. I have never had a problem checking boxes.

The airline lost the box going out to PA, recovered the next day and proceeded to lose it again and my next flight to CT! They have no clue where it is but will ship it to my Brother "if" they find it. To make matters worse, my flight to Ct was delayed and the luggage that did make it was soaked and a gift in side was busted.

Talking to the airline folks was met with serious apathy. US Airlines needs some work.

Now and then I can get a 1st class upgrade at American with a compliment, a box of raisinettes and showing them a few pics of my kids!

I don't like US Airlines.

[LakeCleElum]

I agree. Delta ranks right down there with them...

[Joeaksa]

Hmmm, I posted on this thread earlier and its now gone...

Totally agree and the merger with AmWest and US Air was terrible. I just flew on them two months ago and it was terrible. We landed in JFK and waited for almost 2 hours for the bags to be unloaded from the airplane. Service all around was poor and everyone wonders why customers are flying other airlines.

I have to fly on them in a week or so and not looking forward to it one bit...

[stomachmonkey]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
Hmmm, I posted on this thread earlier and its now gone...

Wayne has a sticky. He had to roll back the database.

[id10t]

Take a gun with you when you travel. Nothing serious, a old single shot 22 rifle will work (since you can break 'em down easy). Simply print your airlines instructions, the TSA instructions, etc. and go. Not only will your checkin process be near instant with a personal bypass of all the security, but when the airline looses your luggage you simply look at them and ask if they want you to call the BATFE or if they'd like to explain to the regional office how they lost a firearm.

[Joeaksa]

id10t,

I was returning from work recently and the airline lost a bag. They could not care less about it for a while then I asked what if it was lost. They replied "we pay a minimum for the bag and its contents." My reply was "what about if the bag gets in the hands of some terrorists?"

All of a sudden they perked up and asked what was going on. I told them that my spare pilots uniform was in the bag and all it took would be someone making a fake airline ID badge and with the contents of my bag they could impersonate a pilot. I asked them "should I call the TSA or do you want to do it?"

My bag was found with 20 minutes and returned within 12 hours. I do like your idea of putting an old gun in a bag but the bag must be a hard side bag and lockable if thats done.

Flying from CONUS to Berlin Germany a while back, I took a 30.06 that I owned at that time with me in a locked metal case. Everyone knew what it was the moment I walked in the airport and checkin was fast and smooth. Ariving in Berlin the long silver case was no-where to be seen. American Airlines had lost it...

Agent took my report and got real concerned when I said the word GUN out loud. I told her not to worry, that no one could use it in anger, at which point she asked why. I opened up my carryon bag and removed the bolt from the receiver and put it on the counter. Told her they can use it as a club but thats about it until this part is replaced. They found it that day and it was delivered to me in a day or so, unharmed.

[legion]

The last time I flew U.S. airlines was from Midway to Ft. Lauderdale in the spring of 2000. I will never fly them again. The entire experience was miserable, every flight was overbooked and delayed.

To top it off, when we returned home to Midway, the pilot took over half of the runway before touching down (we had passed the middle of the 'X' and still not made contact with the tarmac). A few years later, a little kid died when a plane did the same thing and failed to stop in time, busting through the fence at the end of the runway and running over a car on the road next to the airport.

I will NEVER fly U.S. Airways again. I do have to fly Delta to get from Bloomington to Orlando next week, but I really had no choice.

[M.D. Holloway]

Got a call this AM - they are delivering the box to my Brothers house. The driver couldn't pull up the street address on his Mapsco so he asked me how to get there. The town my Brother lives in must be 250 years old. The road is at least 150 years old! You would think the driver would have a decent Garin or GPS to help him do his job.

[id10t]

Action only (no barrel, stock, etc) in a lockable pistol case (hardsided, airline approved) and put it in your normal luggage.

Originally posted by Joeaksa
I do like your idea of putting an old gun in a bag but the bag must be a hard side bag and lockable if thats done.

[Jims5543]

When I fly from West Palm Beach, Florida to Asheville, North Carolina it takes me a total of 6-8 hours to make this trip with connections, layovers, getting to the airport 1.5 hours early and travel between the airport and my respective homes. This trip costs me close to $600 a head and I cannot bring a RedBull or water to the airport. My wife cannot carry on makeup or eye drops and we are at the mercy of either Delta or US Air.

If I drive it takes between 9-10.5 hours and costs me 2 tanks of gas. I can drink what I want when I want, I can take anything I like with me.

I do not fly between these cities anymore.

My dad is flying up here to NC next week, it was cheaper for him to fly from Orlando to Charlotte via Atlanta than to fly from Orlando the Atlanta. Go figure that one out.

[red-beard]

Joe,

While I agree with what you did, it is illegal to take the bolt with you in carry on. I'd love to do the same with the slides for my pistols, for the same reason, but TSA won't let you do this. Was this a few years back?

James

[jluetjen]

I fly USAir all the time (about 4-6 times a year for the last few years). I also fly Southwest (2-3 times a year) and I've often flown American and various international airlines.

American's service has always been consistantly good, but their prices suck.

I've not had any bad experiences on Southwest or USAir. That being said, there are a few conditions...
1) I never --- ever --- ever check luggage when I travel. Even when I'm going overseas for 2 weeks, I still just use my roll-on. Nobody can lose what they don't have.

2) I always check-in on-line, so in many cases I never talk with an employee until the cabin crew greets me on the airplane.

3) Usually when I'm flying USAir, I'm actually flying one of their feeder airlines (Chategua airlines in most cases) or the USAir shuttle that runs between Boston, NYC and Washington DC. Without exception the service has great and the people pleasent.

[swa911]

Try this next time.

Fly SWA. Be happy.

[HarryD]

Lubemaster,

I had the misfortune to fly US Air/America West (Wedontcare Air/America Worst) twice last month.

Both times, I would generously describe the service as surly, gestapo like and the attendants on the plane generally gave the customer the feeling that they were just another obstacle for them to bully. My wife asked to be moved on one flight (2/3 full) to different seats that would recline since they assigned us non-reclining seats. The flight attendant demanded we stay in our seats until all passengers (including standbys were seated) before she would allow us to get up and look for alternate seating. When we asked for an extra pop during th flight, the reaction was similar to us asking the attendant to drink poison since, after all, I forced them to get up and provide some service. Later in the flight, when my asked the attendant for her first name so she could write customer service we were told that TSA regulations prohibit her giving us her name (which does not make sense since she told us it at the beginning of the flight). I can go on and on on how they fail to give even the slightest interest in the comfort of the passenger, but let just say, you would be more comfortable having smallpox traveling steerage on tramp steamer.

I thought that this was just due to that particular flight crew. 2 weeks later, I was on Wedontcare Air again and while the ground crew was quite cordial and willing to help, the flight crew performed identically to the first one I encountered. This must be what they train at the flight attendant school.

Oddly, what we are seeking is something that costs virtually nothing by the staff. Just some respect and a willingness to ensure our comfort.

If I have a choice, Wedontcare Air would not be selected ever again for my air travel.

[HarryD]

Originally posted by swa911
Try this next time.

Fly SWA. Be happy.

I have to say that you sir, are correct. Everytime I fly SWA, I feel they want me as a customer. I have been flying SWA since the hot pants days and why more airlines can't deliver a similar experience is beyond me.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by red-beard
Joe,

While I agree with what you did, it is illegal to take the bolt with you in carry on. I'd love to do the same with the slides for my pistols, for the same reason, but TSA won't let you do this. Was this a few years back?

James

James,

Yes and now I put the slides or bolts in a separate locked suitcase and notify them that there are parts of the weapons there to keep the actual weapon (which is now inert) safe. Never a problem.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by swa911
Try this next time.

Fly SWA. Be happy.

I would fly SWA more if they ever move to the 20th century and ASSIGN SEATS!

Sorry but the "cattle car" mentality is just not for me. Give me a reserved seat and let me sit there, not run and jump here and there trying to get something while being shoved by the ass behind me who is trying to do the same.

Joe

[rcecale]

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Normally I fly American and I rarely have a problem. Luggage never lost, flights on time. American Airlines has always done me well.

This week I had to do some work in Scranton Wilkes-Barre PA. American didn't have any flights so I had to use US Airways. I also figuered I could swing through Connecticut and visit my Dad.

I packed a bunch of Christmas gifts in my luggage and also in a box. I have traveled with boxes before. That is normally how I ship materials for conferences and seminars. I have never had a problem checking boxes.

The airline lost the box going out to PA, recovered the next day and proceeded to lose it again and my next flight to CT! They have no clue where it is but will ship it to my Brother "if" they find it. To make matters worse, my flight to Ct was delayed and the luggage that did make it was soaked and a gift in side was busted.

Talking to the airline folks was met with serious apathy. US Airlines needs some work.

Now and then I can get a 1st class upgrade at American with a compliment, a box of raisinettes and showing them a few pics of my kids!

I don't like US Airlines.

Mike,

You prolly wouldn't have had a problem if you didn't look so much like an Imam...

Randy

[swa911]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
I would fly SWA more if they ever move to the 20th century and ASSIGN SEATS!

Sorry but the "cattle car" mentality is just not for me. Give me a reserved seat and let me sit there, not run and jump here and there trying to get something while being shoved by the ass behind me who is trying to do the same.

Joe

We are looking into it. But for now, get there early and get in that first boarding group. If you do that, it's all good.

[Tervuren]

I actualy don't realy like assigned seating, and assigned row is ok, but indifidual seats, say, person in C comes in, and row is empty, he sits in C, then B comes in, C gets up, B gets in, then last comes in A, so C and B get up to let A in... that delays everyone behind them trying to get board the plane. I generaly just go farthest inside, most older folks prefer an isle seat for extra leg room, if someone asks me for their "assigned" sea, then I'll move out and back in.

i used US airways for my past two trips, nothing the fault f the airline itself went wrong realy. Although there WHERE some issues.

Bags being lost, is often an airport problem, rather then particular airline. I've seen them fall out of the truckks on rainy days, which isn't a fun thing to see, smacking and rolling through big puddles, then sitting there for a long time before another truck sees it, and scoops it up.