If you do a search on US Airways Sucks you will find an enormous number of disgruntled travelers. I have joined the club. It is not over a large amount of money, it is primarily a principle.
On a recent flight, during web check in I noticed my wife and I were not seated together so I chose "Choice" seats and paid $10.00 each for them. On the diagram they appeared to be exit seats, thusly more leg room. I received the email confirmation of payment for the "Choice" seats. Upon being seated in the aircraft, I noticed that the seats were in no way choice, the flight attendant agreed that they could see no way they were choice seats. They were not on a bulkhead, aisle or exit row and there was NO extra leg room. Again, I asked the flight attendants and they agreed, they were not "Choice" seats and was advised to see the “help” desk in the Terminal. The people at the desk said they couldn't help me and gave me a 866-523-5333 number that no one answers. The recorded message then tells you to go to the web site and email customer service. I then emailed Customer Relations and was told that I will be charged for "Choice" seats regardless of whether I actually got "Choice" seats due to a no refund policy.
In my return email I asked for this issue to be escalated to a higher level and in return was told the policy is no refunds on “Choice Seats”. It isn’t too much of a stretch to realize how much money can be made by offering “Choice” seats and then not providing them. Most people will let the charge go as too much trouble to pursue.
You may wonder why I feel this is a scam and not just a mistake. Hmm, if US Air only flew 100 flights each day and only scammed $20.00 per flight that would be a net scam total of $730,000.00 per year. Now they fly substantially more than a mere 100 flights each day so it doesn’t take a forensic accountant to determine that a troubled airline might just try and improve the bottom line with a tiny, but repetitive billing “error” that could easily put several million each year against their shoddy business practices.
So flyer beware, US Air is out to get you!
On a recent flight, during web check in I noticed my wife and I were not seated together so I chose "Choice" seats and paid $10.00 each for them. On the diagram they appeared to be exit seats, thusly more leg room. I received the email confirmation of payment for the "Choice" seats. Upon being seated in the aircraft, I noticed that the seats were in no way choice, the flight attendant agreed that they could see no way they were choice seats. They were not on a bulkhead, aisle or exit row and there was NO extra leg room. Again, I asked the flight attendants and they agreed, they were not "Choice" seats and was advised to see the “help” desk in the Terminal. The people at the desk said they couldn't help me and gave me a 866-523-5333 number that no one answers. The recorded message then tells you to go to the web site and email customer service. I then emailed Customer Relations and was told that I will be charged for "Choice" seats regardless of whether I actually got "Choice" seats due to a no refund policy.
In my return email I asked for this issue to be escalated to a higher level and in return was told the policy is no refunds on “Choice Seats”. It isn’t too much of a stretch to realize how much money can be made by offering “Choice” seats and then not providing them. Most people will let the charge go as too much trouble to pursue.
You may wonder why I feel this is a scam and not just a mistake. Hmm, if US Air only flew 100 flights each day and only scammed $20.00 per flight that would be a net scam total of $730,000.00 per year. Now they fly substantially more than a mere 100 flights each day so it doesn’t take a forensic accountant to determine that a troubled airline might just try and improve the bottom line with a tiny, but repetitive billing “error” that could easily put several million each year against their shoddy business practices.
So flyer beware, US Air is out to get you!
Comments