I've had good experiences with most airlines, except the old ValuJet -- everything about ValuJet sucked donkey ass. The whole operation was run like a sub-discount cheap Orlando airport "Rent-a-Wreck" operation and the clientele made Wal Mart look like Saks Fifth Avenue.
Non-revving and jumpseating, USAirways treats me like a Maharaja, great experiences with American (of course, the last time I rode AA was 2003), United (except for one captain), ehh, I can't remember the rest.
My worst experience was Delta Connection/Mesa out of JFK. I was on a full-fare paid ticket from JFK to somewhere in Virginia on NASA's dime and I was late getting in from a trip so I still had my uniform on. I run up to the gate and the agent screams "NO JUMPSEATERS!"
Of course, I'm not jumpseating so I gave the agent my ticket.
"I said, no jumpseaters and no standbys!"
Then the agent determined that I wasn't a jumpseater or a NRSA so she gave me a seat. The flight boards about 30 minutes late, and it's about half-full on what was supposed to be an oversold flight. The agent pops on and says that she needs me on the jumpseat because they're over-weight.
I told her that I'd be more than happy to accommodate the operation if they're overweight and oversold, but I'm a paying customer and I want reaccomodation, a hotel, a cab and a meal voucher.
"No because you can ride the jumpseat".
Anyway, at this point we're about 50 minutes past pushback, she exits, the door closes and then the pilots spend the next (and I'm not crapping you) five minutes welcoming us aboard the flight, the route, the flying time, etc. Meanwhile everyone is mumbling about how late we are and why can't we just go?
Of course, being in uniform (which was my mistake), I'm supposedly the "Point Man" because, after all, we all bought tickets on "Delta" and no one has any real idea that the whole operation was subcontracted to another carrier.
