1. Yea, they've all gotten bad, but especially the ones that have sent much of their "customer service" offshore. My used-to-be favorite has sent most customer service work to Pune Maharis India and the service has gone to Hell. Four call get four different answers, and all from agents named "Bob". Who are they trying to fool?
I will fly as little as possible until things change greatly in that industry.

Jason at 12:07PM on Aug 29th 2007

2. When viewed in the cold light of the Internet, that CEO's response seems quite harsh. Though, as vulnerable to this sort of thing as I am being a very frequent flier, I don't get that sense of consumer indignation unless I ignore the reason for the email.

It's a passenger trying to shake down an airline for far more than the value of three hours sitting in an airport is worth, requiring the busy CEO, of all people, to get personally involved.

Reminds my of my wedding DJ days, when customers would demand I reimburse them for the entire cost of the wedding and reception because a record skipped during an important dance, and "ruined the entire wedding for the bride!" It wasn't enough I'd instantly volunteer to forfeit my $250 bucks and do the whole nine hours of travel and work for nothing. They wanted $16,000, now. Shamelessly sleazy.

Spirit's CEO should be busy planning and guiding the company, not messing with individual customer service responses. The customer should have taken the generous $200 voucher and shut up, like the most of the rest of us do, instead of extending a greedy hand far too deep into the airline's (probably not so full) pocket.

Bill Kowalski at 12:12PM on Aug 29th 2007

3. Good point Bill K. This needs to be looked at in context. A three hour delay is certainly not worth the amount the couple was attempting to extort from the airlines. I don't think what the CEO had to say was out of line, unfortunate that a copy was sent to the customer but not a huge deal. He merely stated a fact. If this couple thinks a three hour delay is a huge deal, they need to get out more.
It's no different than traffic delays on our daily commute, allow a little extra time for unexpected problems and you won't be disappointed. A three hour delay would not have meant a missed concert if these people had planned correctly and flown into town the day before or even 10 hours before their event.
I always fly into town the day before a business meeting.I fly monthly and I have to say that I'm not that upset with the industry. Yeah, customer service has gone downhill but so have fares. I used to pay close to $2000 to fly from coast to coast and now with a little shopping around can do it for under $400. We can't scream for lower fares and then complain when the service is not as we were once accustomed.

kimk20554 at 12:32PM on Aug 29th 2007

4. Delta sure is not a good company. They intentionally overbook their flights, which ensures they keep the status quo of profit when people miss the flight due to prior hold-overs, but it sucks something awefull when you're on time and they wont let 20+ people on because the plane is already full. They should do some serious ethics work.

Dan Howe at 12:42PM on Aug 29th 2007

5. Lets hear it republicans your mantra of 'deregulation' is good for the consumer and the industry. Republican incompetance is only exceeded by hypocrisey about family values.

GOP stands for Group Of Perverts.

DaleF at 12:56PM on Aug 29th 2007

6. People can defend the airlines all they want, and the previous comments aren't unreasonable. My question is: Where does it stop? If we increasingly let delays and the like slide, which we have, they're only going to get worse. At some point, customers have to say, "This is enough." It recently took my plane two hours to get from the gate to the runway at JFK. The captain said it was normal. I just don't think it should be. Give an inch, take a mile. If people want to pay money to waste their time, then that's their business. I don't like to, but the odds of my having to when I fly are getting more and more certain. Why let the industry and government get away with it? I'd like to think I'm paying at least for service, not bad service.

Chris Plate at 12:59PM on Aug 29th 2007

7. ADA C.; Brava!!! Thanks for providing the above info... The arrogance of those in high places, (pun intended),in that industry, and others like them will only change when their bottom line is seriously effected.

Moral: fly only if you must. Why put yourselves through long lines, being frisked, delays or cancellations, and surprise hidden fees! Lap cost for baby $300.00 bucks, how is this justified?

BOYCOTT SPIRIT AIR UNTIL AND UNLESS C.E.O. BALD anza is dismissed and customer service improves!

Steve at 1:10PM on Aug 29th 2007

8. OK, we have delays... what is the option? Flying into the next Boeing 747 that is landing? come on, how would you like to directing the thousands of planes taking off and landing every hour?
I'd rather be delayed and hour or so and live to complain (?) about it.

Karen at 1:39PM on Aug 29th 2007

9. I tried AirTran last week. My daughter and I visited 7 colleges up the west coast and we had reservations on a red eye from Seattle for Baltimore last Friday night. We arrived in plenty of time,waited in a line that mixed AirTran and an affiliated airlines customers. When we got to the front of the line we were told the flight had been cancelled and that they didn't have the authority to do anything but re-book us on the next available flight - it would get in on WEDNESDAY! I went back and forth with the lady and finally, after calling their 800 reservation line and complaining, she gave me a voucher for a reduced charge at a local hotel ($59 instead of $100+)and told me to come back in the morning for a flight. We got up around 4AM and got back to the airport and after waiting in line again were told that the second flight had been cancelled. Now Tuesday is their best next flight. The reason for all this and why they say they were not responsigle was that the problem was due to electrical storms in Atlanta. August and Atlanta and electrical storms, hmm, like death and taxes. Can't believe it could put them 3 days behind. I finally got a refund and paid regular fare to fly back on USAir. Got in about 18 hrs after I expected, short about $450 and a nights sleep.
The attitude was the worst. I have flown Air?Tran many times from Boston to BWI and made use of their overbooking to get free tickets. They were often rushed, but always informed and seemingly willing to tell you what was going on. No so in Seattle!

Jay Eadie at 1:40PM on Aug 29th 2007

10. I don't feel that the demands of the flyers should have ever reached a CEO. Being a travel agent for 17 years I worked with hostile flyers everyday. That was one of the services that travel agents did for flyers and for the airlines. We were the middle man, but because the consumer didn't want to pay for the service fees that we were FORCED to includes we were slowly fizzled out and the internet was their best friend. Until something happens. Who are they supposed to turn to. Airlines and travel agents had a relationship to work together to help the industry grow and improve. Now after 9/11, travellers got the lower fares and better security that they demanded, and lost things like inflight meals and customer service.
So, I don't agree with the demands the couple is making. They got what they deserved.

Mary Lynn Eddings at 1:46PM on Aug 29th 2007

11. Orlando Sentinel has the best article on all this (imo).

The e-mail story is simply a piece of a larger discussion regarding various issues from safety to customer service and Spirit Airlines (which, as you point out, is probably part of something larger in the industry as a whole!)

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-spirit2407aug24,0,6113192.story

Alex Rudloff at 1:50PM on Aug 29th 2007

12. My first trip was 1966,Braniff Airlines,going to Dallas courtesy of the U.S. Air Force. I was 19.
Beautiful colorful plane,gorgeous female airline stewardess. That is all gone,join the real world of airline travel.

Ken Wayne at 2:14PM on Aug 29th 2007

13. Thats nothing-- USAir took my mother- who has MS and uses a wheelchair- and me --to a seminar from Nashville to Cape Cod- a 6 hour flight. We arrived in Boston 36 (THIRTY SIX) HOURS later--- delayed in Charlotte, NC, due to "rain" in Boston-- too late to get a night flight from Boston to Cape Cod. They gave us hotel vouchers-for a hotel 20 miles into town. It was undergoing renovations and within 30 minutes of our checking in-at midnight- they shut off all electricity -not to be turned back on until 6 AM. We sat in a dark room- no food- no shower- not even any dry clothes- our luggage had made the six hour trip. The next morning- we returned to Logan airport where USAir let us sit for another 6 hours-telling us all flights were full---until the attendant who had given us the hotel vouchers the previous night- noticed us sitting there.
SHE said-- "Are you two STILL here?? This is the WORST service I've ever seen." Yup- we agreed. She got us 2 vouchers for Cape Cod Air and sent us across a parking lot to fly with them. When we arrived at their ticket counter- the guy looked at me- pushing mom's wheelchair- both of us wearing dirty, muddy clothes- drenching wet-- from walking across the parking lot-- and from not having any clean clothes the night before-- and he said- "Lord-what happened to you two?? " USAir is what happened to us. USAir. NEVER- EVER- AGAIN.

Kinzgate at 2:16PM on Aug 29th 2007

14. How about renting an RV with your family and seeing America. We have great beachs, vistas, valleys, towns, parks, historic sites, etc...to see. Enough with going to Paris / Europe / Foreign destinations just to be insulted. Keep the American dollar in America. If enough people would just take advantage of the sites USA has to offer and get in your car / suv / rv and see America then you will see how quickly all the airlines will be doing backward hoops to treat us correctly.

tony at 2:19PM on Aug 29th 2007

15. Tony is right. If we ALL stopped flying until they treat us better- they'd change their policies REAL fast.

Jamie at 2:22PM on Aug 29th 2007