Rant on Flying Commercial

[CBpilot]

So I am not one to complain to much and I know that stuff happens but I am truly pissed at Continental right now.

So I was flying back from a wedding in St. Maarten last weekend and landed in EWR and my bag was not there. I fly CO almost 5 times a month and have Elite status so the Elite desk state that they will help me with my "delayed" luggage. I fill out a delayed luggage tag form and go home expecting to hear from them. 24 hours goes by and I never hear from them so I give them a call. "Sir, what color is your bag, what was in it, yadda yadda yadda. We will call you tomorrow when it comes in the next flight.". 48 hours go by with no call from CO. I call... "Sir, what color is your bag, is your name on it, yadda, yadda...".

Long story short CO never called me back, heck they never called me once. I had two expensive suits in the bag and they only will repay $450 for international luggage. The service sucks big time.

I have always given the Airline industry the benefit of the doubt, and I know I am only one person, but to treat a repeat customer like that is horrible service. Sometimes I understand why John Q public hates the Airlines.

Rant over.

 

[scramjet]

That seems to be more and more the case. I don't know what does it with this particular industry more so than others. Not knocking anybody here and trying not to generalize, but if employees who regularly interact with passengers would extend similar courtesies to those passengers that they do to other employees, customer service would drastically improve. It also seems that many crew members have not learned the balance between maintaining proper aeronautical authority AND at the same time providing warm service.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

So I am not one to complain to much and I know that happens but I am truly pissed at Continental right now.

Which is why I never, ever, ever check luggage. And I fly commercially at least twice a week, often more.

If I absolutely have to check a bag, I still will only check something I don't mind never seeing again. Since the liability is generally per lost bag, I'll split things up into the maximum number of bags I'm allowed (2 or 3 usually).

 

[contactground.9]

My parents had a brand new bag arrive at their destination with rips and huge gashes in the sides and back of the luggage. The airline refused to even apologize, let alone pay, for the damage luggage. It was a direct flight too, so it's not like it changed hands many times.

 

[The Gardener]

The airlines are proving that people are in fact getting what they pay for.

Are first class bags handled any differently?

 

[saxman]

You know how they put those "Priority" tags on bags for the elite travelers? Does that really change how the handlers handle the bag. Does that really make the people running the bags around make sure the bag gets on the right flight? Is a separate baggage just for the mileage elite customers? :laff: Reason leads me to believe none of this happens. I suppose it's to make the frequent flyer that they feel special that their bag it taggged "priority."

 

[JulietBravo]

You know how they put those "Priority" tags on bags for the elite travelers? Does that really change how the handlers handle the bag. Does that really make the people running the bags around make sure the bag gets on the right flight? Is a separate baggage just for the mileage elite customers? :laff: Reason leads me to believe none of this happens. I suppose it's to make the frequent flyer that they feel special that their bag it taggged "priority."

When I was getting my a** reamed by pax and throwing bags in the pit for Air Wisconsin a few years ago, we were suppose to stack the bags and make sure "priority" bags were the first bags off the plane and the first bags into baggage claim. (Key word here, suppose to)

Did we treat the bags any different? Let me ask you this.. it's 90 something degrees out in the middle of July, 110+ in the pit, it's the 4th turnaround of the day, we have 20mins to unload and load, does anyone care at that point?

 

[Jshutt64]

Working on the ramp myself, I can definitely understand the mistake.

When things start to go south on the ramp, they go south fast. One small thing can set off a chain reaction of crappy events that lead up to a delay. When extremely rushed, priority and fragile and all of those tags mean less and less.

However, that's no excuse for poor customer service.

 

[JordanD]

When I was getting my a** reamed by pax and throwing bags in the pit for Air Wisconsin a few years ago, we were suppose to stack the bags and make sure "priority" bags were the first bags off the plane and the first bags into baggage claim. (Key word here, suppose to)

Did we treat the bags any different? Let me ask you this.. it's 90 something degrees out in the middle of July, 110+ in the pit, it's the 4th turnaround of the day, we have 20mins to unload and load, does anyone care at that point?

A majority of the time our bags make it to the carousel before the passengers anyway, so it really seems pointless putting the priority tags on first since everything's going to make about 20 laps around the carousel before anybody picks it up.

My parents had a brand new bag arrive at their destination with rips and huge gashes in the sides and back of the luggage. The airline refused to even apologize, let alone pay, for the damage luggage. It was a direct flight too, so it's not like it changed hands many times.

To be fair, this isn't necessarily an employee's fault. Sometimes when bags go through the huge jungle of sliding belts and doodads they can get snagged and ripped. I've never purposely been careless with luggage but things do happen. Bag handles have come flying off in my hand (passenger's fault for overpacking), bags have gotten snagged, busted ope n(again, either overpacking or them or the TSA not closing it properly), the list goes on. My advice is to stop worrying so much about the luggage itself as much as what's IN the luggage. Take a look at pilot's rollerboards. I've never seen one that doesn't look like it's been beaten to hell and back.

 

[TXaviator]

pilot's rollerboards.

BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVAR.

WTF is a "rollerboard"....?? how about a "Roll-Aboard".




oh and to add something to the thread instead of just flaming.... yeah i never ever check a bag. id rather ship a bag on fedex than risk the airline transit.

i can fit everything i need for any trip, in my backpack, and my pack is just at the limit of what i can get away with for a carry on. it fits in an overhead bin, snugly. and if they give me gruff, ill check it at the jetway and then immediately get it after deplaning.

 

[JordanD]

BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVAR.

WTF is a "rollerboard"....?? how about a "Roll-Aboard".




oh and to add something to the thread instead of just flaming.... yeah i never ever check a bag. id rather ship a bag on fedex than risk the airline transit.

i can fit everything i need for any trip, in my backpack, and my pack is just at the limit of what i can get away with for a carry on. it fits in an overhead bin, snugly. and if they give me gruff, ill check it at the jetway and then immediately get it after deplaning.

I wouldn't know, since no bags ever "roll aboard" an RJ, they all get chucked in the bin with the checked bags.

I'm all for people not wanting to check their bags. Less work for me.

 

[ian]

You know how they put those "Priority" tags on bags for the elite travelers? Does that really change how the handlers handle the bag. Does that really make the people running the bags around make sure the bag gets on the right flight? Is a separate baggage just for the mileage elite customers? :laff: Reason leads me to believe none of this happens. I suppose it's to make the frequent flyer that they feel special that their bag it taggged "priority."

I've been a plat on DL for a few years, up until this year the tag meant absolutely nothing....now i am noticing that the only thing it does is have your bag come out before the other bags at your final destination

 

[Hacker15e]

BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVAR.

WTF is a "rollerboard"....?? how about a "Roll-Aboard".

Not my biggest "evar", but certainly something I find very annoying.

 

[jynxyjoe]

BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVAR.

WTF is a "rollerboard"....?? how about a "Roll-Aboard".




oh and to add something to the thread instead of just flaming.... yeah i never ever check a bag. id rather ship a bag on fedex than risk the airline transit.

i can fit everything i need for any trip, in my backpack, and my pack is just at the limit of what i can get away with for a carry on. it fits in an overhead bin, snugly. and if they give me gruff, ill check it at the jetway and then immediately get it after deplaning.

A rollerboard is:
http://www.amazon.com/Travelpro-T-Pro-Xtreme-Expandable-Rollerboard/dp/B000S901IY

There, pet peeve fixed.

 

[Bandit_Driver]

So I am not one to complain to much and I know that stuff happens but I am truly pissed at Continental right now.

So I was flying back from a wedding in St. Maarten last weekend and landed in EWR and my bag was not there. I fly CO almost 5 times a month and have Elite status so the Elite desk state that they will help me with my "delayed" luggage. I fill out a delayed luggage tag form and go home expecting to hear from them. 24 hours goes by and I never hear from them so I give them a call. "Sir, what color is your bag, what was in it, yadda yadda yadda. We will call you tomorrow when it comes in the next flight.". 48 hours go by with no call from CO. I call... "Sir, what color is your bag, is your name on it, yadda, yadda...".

Long story short CO never called me back, heck they never called me once. I had two expensive suits in the bag and they only will repay $450 for international luggage. The service sucks big time.

I have always given the Airline industry the benefit of the doubt, and I know I am only one person, but to treat a repeat customer like that is horrible service. Sometimes I understand why John Q public hates the Airlines.

Rant over.

Most don't take the time to read the airlines contract of carriage. It spells out clearly their responsibilities. If one knows it well you can at least get the max out of them. Also know the CoC you can make a killing if you get involuntarily bumped.

Unfortunately rampies, agents, csr's etc are paid alomst nothing these days at some carriers and this leads to high turnover, incompentence and a I don't give a crap attitude. People are definately getting what they paid for.

I was jumpseating home one time and was sitting in first on NWA flight next a German passenger. We got to chatting and he said the US Carrier's first class cabin service is barely compares to coach service on foreign carriers he travels. Don't know if this is true or nut but has anyone been on Cathay, Korean, or Lufthansa?



Continental baggage policy

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/liability.aspx

 

[ian]

Most don't take the time to read the airlines contract of carriage. It spells out clearly their responsibilities. If one knows it well you can at least get the max out of them. Also know the CoC you can make a killing if you get involuntarily bumped.

Unfortunately rampies, agents, csr's etc are paid alomst nothing these days at some carriers and this leads to high turnover, incompentence and a I don't give a crap attitude. People are definately getting what they paid for.

I was jumpseating home one time and was sitting in first on NWA flight next a German passenger. We got to chatting and he said the US Carrier's first class cabin service is barely compares to coach service on foreign carriers he travels. Don't know if this is true or nut but has anyone been on Cathay, Korean, or Lufthansa?



Continental baggage policy

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/liability.aspx

i've been on lufthansa and air france in coach....just like any airline over here

 

[ASpilot2be]

To be fair, this isn't necessarily an employee's fault. Sometimes when bags go through the huge jungle of sliding belts and doodads they can get snagged and ripped. I've never purposely been careless with luggage but things do happen. Bag handles have come flying off in my hand (passenger's fault for overpacking), bags have gotten snagged, busted ope n(again, either overpacking or them or the TSA not closing it properly), the list goes on. My advice is to stop worrying so much about the luggage itself as much as what's IN the luggage. Take a look at pilot's rollerboards. I've never seen one that doesn't look like it's been beaten to hell and back.

Totally agree.

Working on the ramp myself, I can definitely understand the mistake.

When things start to go south on the ramp, they go south fast. One small thing can set off a chain reaction of crappy events that lead up to a delay. When extremely rushed, priority and fragile and all of those tags mean less and less.

However, that's no excuse for poor customer service.

:yeahthat:

You know how they put those "Priority" tags on bags for the elite travelers? Does that really change how the handlers handle the bag. Does that really make the people running the bags around make sure the bag gets on the right flight? Is a separate baggage just for the mileage elite customers? :laff: Reason leads me to believe none of this happens. I suppose it's to make the frequent flyer that they feel special that their bag it taggged "priority."

The priority bags mean something for certain carriers. But for the most part they are decoration.

Are first class bags handled any differently?

When we work the ramp for Air Canada their Priority bags have to be the first bags on the belt. Other than that, the bags dont get handled any differently.

 

[JaceTheAce]

Is this... airliners dot.............net?

 

[Guy]

The airlines are proving that people are in fact getting what they pay for.

I was traveling by air long before deregulation when people even put on suits to go on an airline trip. Things were not much different then, and in fact, I once had something valuable stolen from my suitcase (very pre-TSA, so it was only handled by the airline).

 

[Ginger]

i've been on lufthansa and air france in coach....just like any airline over here

uh...not true from my experience. I've flown several times on Lufthansa in 9th class (way in the back), and I was served a full meal on a 3 hour flight. My drink was never empty. That's business class service in 'ole 'merica.