Mexicana Airlines: #Fail

I'm sitting here enjoying the smooth jazz sounds of Orbitz's on hold music. In all my years of using their online service, I've only had a problem with Orbitz once - and today is not that day.

No, my trouble is with Mexicana Air. I should have learned my lesson last year, but when I see cheap, efficient flights, I get all googly-eyed and buy them. Last year we had a trip to Cabo planned and a week before we left - all hell broke loose. "Swine flu" wrecked havoc on flights in and out of Mexico City and I spent hours and hours on the phone with Mexicana and Orbitz trying to find a solution. We ended up flying a red-eye out of SFO and enjoying an 8 hour layover in Guadalajara. The word "refund" was not in the vocabulary for Mexicana.

Once again, a week before our flight, I receive a lovely flight update: two layovers now, one with a six hour stop. Insane and wholly and completely unacceptable. Orbitz is working to get a refund for me. I'm sitting here thinking it will be a cold day in hell, but who knows? I might get lucky (for once) with this crappy airline.

So yes, I should have learned my lesson last year, but I assumed the swine flu was a once-in-a-lifetime weird timing thing and it would be OK this year. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

UPDATE: After over 100 minutes on the phone, Orbitz came through for me! The airline is processing the refund after Orbitz got a supervisor involved. Yeah Orbitz!

United Airlines Online Chat Session (FAIL)

The name of the traveler has been changed to protect the innocence, but this is an actual chat session from a friend of mine:

A United representative will be with you in a moment.
You have been connected to Amira H.
Amira H: Welcome to United.com Chat.
Amira H: How may I help you with your travel from Denver?
Customer: hi. i got this error when trying to change my seat
Customer: There was an error in processing your request. Please see the message below for instructions.
We are not able to reserve your seats at this time. Please try again later or reserve your seats at check-in.
Amira H: I am sorry for the trouble.
Amira H: May I have your confirmation number?
Customer: one sec - I have to see if I can find it
Customer: xxxxxx
Amira H: Sure.
Amira H: Could you verify the name of the passenger on the reservation?
Customer: Joe H. Smith
Amira H: Thank you.
Amira H: You will not be able change your seat, because it shows that you have already checked-in.
Customer: I am trying to change the seat for the return trip tomorrow morning. I've already taken today's flight
Customer: I have not checked in for tomorrow's flight
Amira H: Let me check.
Amira H: You will be assigned the seats at the airport.
Customer: that's not what I wanted to happen
Customer: and that's not what the error message said
Amira H: I am sorry for the trouble.
Customer: why is the system not letting me change tonight?
Amira H: You have already checked-in for that reason.
Customer: I did not check in yet. I have no boarding pass.
Amira H: It shows that on your reservation.
Customer: I can't control what your reservation shows. I can just tell you that I DID NOT check in for the SJC-DEN leg of my flight. I did check in for the DEN-SJC leg and printed out a boarding pass. If someone has checked in for the return flight, then your system has been compromised.
Amira H: I am sorry.
Amira H: The seats are under the airport control.
Customer: That is a different answer than you gave previously? Or is it somehow related? The flight isn't for another 20 hours? Is that typically how things work now?
Amira H: You will be assigned the seats at the airport, because the seats are under the airport control.
Customer: So, I am not currently checked in?
Amira H: You are currently checked-in for the flight UA 245.
Customer: That flight ended 4 hours ago.
Customer: as I mentioned
Customer: I am specifically enquiring about the SJC-DEN return trip. Tomorrow.
Amira H: I know but still it shows on your reservation.
Customer: You are driving me crazy. Can I have another agent?
Amira H: I am not driving you crazy.
Customer: How do you know?
Amira H: For your return flight seats will assigned to you at the airport.
Customer: You have said that 3 times. I understand. I'm asking why it is that I can't change seats now. You first told me that it was because I had already checked in for the flight. Then you said that it was because the flight was under airport control 20 hours before the flight.
Amira H: The seats are not available.
Customer: so, that's the 3rd answer you've given to this question.
Amira H: I gave you the information, you are not ready to listen.
Customer: You have not been helpful. Goodnight.

-----------
My favorite part?
Customer: You are driving me crazy. Can I have another agent?
Amira H: I am not driving you crazy.

You go get 'em United Customer Service - "Come fly the friendly skies" and all that. 

Regional and Global Airlines: Air China Fail

I know I rant about airlines often - so often I'm starting to feel like some sort of hater. I don't think it is too much to ask to be treated like a person and not a sardine being squeezed into a tin can and hurtled through the air for long distances. And some airlines really GET it and they get my business (Virgin, Continental, Delta - here's a big wink to you guys). As for the rest of you...

There are a couple of regional airlines I want to try: Singapore Airlines and Korean Air. I have heard rave reviews about them and I'm looking for an excuse to travel on them. I was also hoping to try Japan Airlines (JAL) but they recently filed for bankruptcy - not sure what their future holds but I hope they survive.

Now - about Air China. While in China on business, I traveled Air China from Beijing to Chengdu. Fortunately for me, on my first flight I was traveling with someone who spoke Mandarin. I arrived at the airport only to be told I didn't have a ticket. Excuse me? I had my American Express business travel schedule on my cell phone and had AMX travel on the phone in a heartbeat (who were unable to help me). Something about a missing eTicket number... finally after my co-worker chatted with them for a bit, I was provided a boarding pass and was able to get on the plane.

I swear the seats are even smaller on Air China than they are on US airlines. With less legroom (how is that even possible?). It was not a comfortable flight and the service was average, at best. No amenities on the plane I was traveling on either (no TV, radio, etc).

The mistake with my ticket - it could happen. Once is a mistake. However, on my way back I connected through Shanghai to SFO and I had the same problem. I was told I didn't have a ticket. I did have a ticket. After much arguing I was given a boarding pass which security seemed very suspicious of and examined in detail many times. At this point I just wanted to get to Shanghai and connect to my United flight (I was looking forward to flying United at this point, it was that bad) and get home to SFO.

Finally, I board the plane heading to Shanghai - airport code PVG. This is VERY important. Every piece of paper I had, every sign I saw, said we were headed to PVG airport. This is the airport with most international airlines and from where my United flight was departing. I landed in Shanghai and after searching for the United ticket counter, I asked information. They were completely puzzled why I was asking for United Airlines when I was in Shanghai airport - code SHA.

Talk about absolute panic at this point! I was traveling alone and had no idea what to do. I called American Express who helpfully told me United had no flights out of that airport (ever) and I had to get to PVG. I had two hours till my connecting flight took off and I started hauling ass. I had a hard time being understood at the taxi stand and only had a limited amount of cash on hand. Another gentleman at the taxi stand stepped in (thank goodness for the kindness of strangers) and told the driver what I needed. Luck was with me - Shanghai traffic was light on that Sunday afternoon. The taxi driver drove like a maniac and got me to the other airport in about 45 minutes. I gave him all my available cash which resulted in a healthy tip for him. At the time, I had Premiere status with United and was able through check-in and security and still have 15 minutes to chill in the Red Carpet Club.

Whew! Disaster avoided. However, I still have no explanation for why I ended up at the wrong airport. I went back and re-checked all my documents and everything said PVG - same flight number, same time, everything. No idea.

For the record, this spring there will be a connector subway will be completed between the two airports. Gee. Just in time for the 2010 World Expo. Could have really used that a year ago.

Lesson for you: avoid Air China. Period.

Happy Travels to your correct destination!

Travel stories from hell: Italy

The other day I was reminded of our adventures going to Italy back in 2004. I was trying to save money and booked plane tickets that had two layovers. Our flights were SFO -> JFK -> Paris De Galle -> Bologna, Italy.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!

Our flight from SFO took off two hours late due to a passenger having to be removed due to "illness" or something. Our nice layover at JFK (listed as one of my most hated airports, btw) was gone - we had to rush through changing terminals, moving from domestic to international and shove our way through security. There were a number of people on our SFO plane connecting to the same plane, so the plane was held. . . .which meant it was late taking off!

At last, we landed in Paris de Gaulle - this was not too long after a section of the roof collapsed in the airport. Things were chaotic and somehow along the way, we were able to get on our plane to Bologna without our passport being stamped to show we had landed in the European Union. We didn't realize it at the time but let me tell you - the guy in Italy noticed when we went to leave.

Finally, after 24 hours of travel, we land in Bologna in the middle of the afternoon in August. It was hot and humid. We got our car from Hertz and got all of about 5km out of the airport and had a flat tire. At this point, tempers are long gone and we are both hot, tired and pissed. My husband replaced the flat tire (thank goodness he is adept at these things) and we drove back to the airport. We arrived at the Hertz counter looking like something out of a bad sitcom. The guy at the counter took one look at us and without a word gave us a brand new (as in hardly any miles on it) car. Smart choice on his part.

The last part of the saga was the hotel. I had booked a room at a Best Western near the airport knowing we wouldn't want to drive the two hours into Tuscany after all that flying. We finally find the hotel (after several wrong turns) and ... it looked like a refugee camp. Rugs and clothing hanging out over the balconies. It was a horrible, horrible dump. We high-tailed it out of there and drove around till we found a Holiday Inn. It was clean, had kicking A/C and rooms available. 

With a start like this, you'd think the trip never got better - but it did. We had a great time in Tuscany and while I would never recommend traveling to Italy in August, we made the most of it. 

Happy Travels!

All about airlines: Aging planes are safe?

In two recent articles, a very different view was had of the airline industry. The first article on cnn.com states that many of the airlines in the US have aging planes was painted as an "ok" thing, because airlines are careful about maintenance schedules and following all safety and security measures.

Not a week later (I am not joking here) another report came out about the FAA fining US airlines due to them skipping routine maintenance and violating safety protocols.

In my day job, we have a saying that "perception is reality". If folks perceive you as a good worker, a smart marketeer, a great account executive - then you are. Doesn't matter what is reality. And the opposite is true - if there is a perception problem around you, you are doomed.

I've been on some nasty planes. United airlines has some of the foulest planes I've ever been on. Dirty, missing pieces, still with ashtrays in the armrests. Latches that don't work, old CRT TV's that have a green tinge to the display. Headset jacks that crackle and pop (if they work). When I fly an airline like Virgin, I see clean planes, new features, modern equipment. So what perception am I left for each airline? I am not a fan of United and there have been times I've looked around at the plane and wondered if the inside is that bad, what does the engine look like? When you add the bonus of surly staff,  perception really goes down the toilet. My perception with Virgin is that they must be in good shape because what I see is above average and pleasant and the staff are pleasant and even have a sense of humor sometimes (shocking). 

Perception is not fair. But, it does shape the reality the passengers believe and airlines need to wake up and realize having a dumpy plane interior effects how their passengers feel about their experience and the airline. And quit skimping on maintenance. I mean - really!

All About Airlines: American Airlines

In a time long, long ago, in a world where airlines didn't suck as much as today, there was an airline called "TWA". TWA had a novel concept of "more legroom" and had select seats where you could get an extra couple of inches so your knees did not get crushed when the jackass in front of you ratcheted their seat all the way back. Even better, on coast-to-coast flights, they had a major hub in St. Louis where you pretty much stopped "on the way" instead of having to go north to Chicago or south to Dallas.

Then, TWA was purchased by American Airlines and the suckiness began. First they pretty much killed the "More Room" campaign within the first couple of years. And they phased out the St. Louis hub, causing you to have to suffer Dallas (DFW) or Chicago (ugh - snow, always it seems!). Gee! Thanks AA!

And now. . . $20 per bag for checked luggage - no freebies. No DirectTV on the plane, no real satellite radio. No extra legroom, no politeness, no kindness. Just all crappiness all the time. To be fair, their staff are getting better but when you are at rock bottom, you've got a long way to go. The exception is the one flight attendant on our way to Dallas who was pretty funny and seemed to love his job. Dude - I am happy for you and hope you find a company to work for who appreciates that.

Oh - they have Wi-Fi on the planes. This helped me write this blog lambasting them. Revenge is sweet.

CNN: All about Airline Fees

This is such a great chart that I just had to share it! Fees, fees and more fees. And since this published, I believe a few have gone up. Quality customer service folks - this is what it is all about (that was sarcasm if you didn't recognize it).