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Customer Service Have you had any problems with US Airways' Customer Service? Have US Airways employees treated you poorly? |
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#1
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Gate Agent Rude
Let me start off by saying that I have NEVER been treated so poorly by someone before in my life. Let me explain; My original flight number 1463 out of RIC on 12/29/09 was cancelled. The reservations agent rebooked me and mother on an earlier flight. I explained at the time that we have a service animal for my mother and she will need wheelchair assistance and we need to sit together. When we arrived at the airport, the ticketing agent said that there were no seats anywhere even near each other and I was placed in an exit row where the dog couldn't be. She checked us in and assured me that the gate agent would be able to fix this problem. When we arrived at the gate, I approached the gate agent and TRIED to explain my situation. The gate agent (Dana McGrath) quickly cut me off and told me that she needed to board the plane and this should have been done by the ticketing agent when we checked in. She then continued to tell me that she needed to board the plane. I was able to get the words out that I'm in an exit row and was told the dog can't be in that row. I also tried to explain my mothers disability and the need to sit together. I even tried to show her documentation stating my requests. She proceeded to speak to me in a tone that I would not speak to my worst enemy in. She looked at my ticket and then started mumbling something about her mother has a service/therapy dog does not have these problems at the gate and that the ticketing agent should have fixed this....Now what her mother has to do with this is beyond me. She then focused on the fact that both of out tickets showed that we were a GOLD member and that it's the same number and we can't get credit for both. I then replied with one was a reward ticket, and the frequent flyer number was on it and assured her that double credit wouldn't be given. Now again, I have no idea what this has to do with my situation of being in an exit row with a dog, my mothers disability and the need for us to sit together. I proceeded to tell her that she is being rude and asked for her name. She said "I don't have a name". I looked at her badge and it said Dana M. I responded with well your badge says Dana, please tell me your last name Dana. She said “I doesn't have a last name either”. I again looked at her badge and saw that her last name was McGrath. So during all this time of her being rude she could have just fixed our seating problem. I'm sure someone would have switched in a heartbeat to sit in an exit row. But to Dana, fixing the problem was not an option. She was trying to find fault and pass blame. It gets worse. As we were boarding, she was pushing my mothers wheel chair and verbally attacked me in front of the flight attendant on the plane we were boarding. She said that I have an attitude and should not be a service/therapy dog handler. My question is, who is she to instigate, pass judgement and make recommendations. Need less to say I was speechless and disgusted by Dana's behavior. I told her I was in the medical field and she shouldn't be in customer service since she doesn't want to help her customers. She then said she was going to count to 3 and if I said a word she was calling security. The flight attendant apologized to me and told me that she was unprofessional and couldn't believe the way she spoke to me. Dana's tone and attitude was beyond disgusting. Also to top it off, when we arrived at PHL for our layover there was no one with a wheelchair or to assist us even though I presented the proper documentation that was given to us from the ticketing agent. We have a choice to use any airline and I expect to be treated at least like a human being. To treat a disabled person the way Dana treated me and my mother is just plain wrong. She should not be in any customer service job with UsAirways or any where else.
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#2
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The gate agent wasn't the only rude individual here and that's all I'm going to say.
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#3
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Sounds like she was rude, no excuse for that.
However, I don't understand one thing..... You said the service animal was for your mom. You said YOU were put in an exit row, where a service animal can not be. If the service animal is for your mom, then why are you complaining about having an exit row where the dog could not be.(othere than not being seated together) The service animal should have been with your mother. |
#4
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Personally, I don't agree with service animals being allowed in the cabin of a plane period. They should be shipped in the hold. However, it is perfectly feasible that an animal would be handled by a support worker or relative, whilst on the actual plane itself. I can find no problem with that.
Dana McGrath should be dealt with by US Air as it is clear that she was unprofessional and discourteous. Phx.. I am mysified by your suggestion as to who else was rude. Perhaps you would like to enlighten us and tell us where the others were rude also? |
#5
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Sure it is, but that is not a reason to complain about being in the exit row. The service animal did not belong with him, therefore that is not a reason to be upset about being placed in an exit row. It seemed that statement was made a couple of times in his complaint and it is irrelevent that he was placed in an exit row because HE did not have a service animal.
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#6
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And a note to the OP. So-called "emotional assistance" animals are a **** OF ****! If your poor old mother can't survive the rigors of travel without "fluffy" then she either needs better meds or she should just STAY HOME! |
#7
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The ticket agent completely screwed up this situation and I would blame him/her for all of it. They should have NEVER seated either of them in an exit row. If only exits were left, they should have been sent to the gate so the gate agent could seat them. Problem would have been avoided.
This being said, if it happened the way it's written, the gate agent acted completely out of line bordering on harrassing. Emotional service animals are not something I'd like to get into but to personally attack a customer is unacceptable. The getting of the last name was always a pet peeve of mine. We were not required to give that out and for you to be proactive in trying to get it then printing it here is a bit too much, imo. Admin allows names here so I can't say much but I disagree with giving out last names whole-heartedly. PHX......it appears you like to live on the edge......end of the year and maybe you don't have enough points yet, eh?? |
#8
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Who dies and made you the moderator?
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#9
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Where does it say that it was an "emotional assistance" animal? There are many people with disabilities who use service animals for a lot more than just "emotional assistance". Alerting the owner of danger, detecting an oncoming epileptic fit, picking up things and giving them to the owner, and the classic guide dog for the blind. All perfectly legitimate to travel with.
I am less than enamoured with the concept of service animals which provide companionship and reassurance being treated in the same way. Especially if it is a goose... but that is the crazy world created by the DOT Disabilities rules. Phx.. there is no evidence in the complaint that the complainant spoke rudely to the gate agent. Indeed, the FA subsequently apologised to the passenger for the behaviour of the gate agent. It is not automatically rude to tell an employee that you find their actions either unhelpful, unprofessional or inappropriate... and this gate agent clearly had a problem. Given the style and approach you take with posters on this website, accusing the OP of being rude is a bit "pot and kettle" don't you think? Troy... why should agents not be accountable for their behaviour? Why not post the names of people who behave inappropriately? If the OP is lying it gives the agent a perfect remedy to sue in small claims. If it is truthful, it could have 3 benefits. One, it alerts the travelling public to beware of Dana McGrath. Two, it may alert Dana McGrath to the fact that her actions are noted and could have some "chilling" effect on her obnoxious behaviour AND three it could expose a pattern of behaviour where others come out of the woodwork and give their experiences. The recent incident on AA when a passenger asked for an orange juice, not only exposed the abuse of power of the FA and her totally inappropriate actions, but in internet forums exposed her behaviour at other times. It was not a "one off" but a pattern of inappropriate behaviour was exposed. Without naming and shaming this would not happen. |
#10
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To comment on your reasons you gave, if I may, if the agent wants to defend him/herself in court, it would be done so by the company. A court could easily conclude by first name that his was the same person the OP was talking about by work records and documents the OP wrote online. The other end of it saying if it's truthful.....1. The traveling public, believe it or not, doesn't come on websites and look for complaints that have happened in the cities they will be traveling from, to and through. So having the last name won't help them steer clear. Even if they did, what would they do if they enountered such agent, ask for a different one because they read about the "bad" agent?? 2. It will have little effect on the agent as the airlines had very little discipline (when I was there) to offending employees. May have changed but there is no "chilling" effect that I experienced. 3...This one I agree with but a last name is not necessary to do this. First name, city you're in and date traveled is more than enough to identify someone. |
#11
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#12
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#13
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My mother is hearing impaired and needs a wheelchair to get around due to hip replacement. She also had a stroke. The dog does help her with her therapy emotionally for she is a very nervous person. The dog also alerts her of any noises. Additionally, being that the dog hadn't flown since he was trained as a puppy, I wasn't sure how he would respond with me not in his presence. Since we always work as a team. |
#14
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Ding, score one for The_Judge and I. Quote:
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#15
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Looking back, I'm sure all could have been handled in a better manner but sometimes you need someone from the outside looking in to point this out. Happy New Year. |
#16
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We are becoming hyper-sensitive, and I cannot understand what the safety issue is. For the record, my name is Jim Weir. Should I be quaking in my boots? |
#17
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Jim (if that's your real name) you know very well there are crazies out there. Especially in an airport setting when someone is ticked off, who knows what they will do. People trying to blow up planes, bringing loaded weapons to the airport, passengers physically assaulting airport employees, smuggling drugs or other illegal things past security. You should see what gets confiscated by TSA. I'd rather not produce my last name for neither a complaint or compliment letter. Just my personal preference and this was one of the rare times I liked my company for actually backing me up for not giving it.
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#18
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Troy,
I cannot see how knowing the name of a person increases the danger. You know the name of thousands of other people... your Doctor, Nurse, Plumber etc. Policemen give their names to people when they are ticketing them. The name debate is a red herring... do you really feel that if an airport crazy knew your last name you are more likely to be physically assaulted? It is a smokescreen Troy.. the reason airline and airport employees don't want to give their name is because they know that their behaviour is outrageous. Dana McGrath didn't want the OP to know her name for one reason only... and yes, my name is Jim... and it is not an internet name! Jim |
#19
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Red herring.......that'll be the new phrase here after the posts on the other thread.
"do you really feel that if an airport crazy knew your last name you are more likely to be physically assaulted?" Not in the airport but this person could find info on an employee they had a disagreement with and cause harm to them, not just physically. If I want to give out my full name to someone, I will. I shouldn't have to worry if a customer gets my last name if I'll be defamed online without knowing about it or have it used to harm my financial records or to be located in my home. That is a choice I want to make and I choose not to give it out. I said it before and I'll say it again, first names, employee numbers along with dates, times and cities are more than enough to identify an employee. Having the last name is of no more help and is un-needed. Edit.....I agree with you that Dana didn't want her first or last name taken and that is wrong. She is hiding something but could have been easily be identified with date, time of flight, city and gate number. Not that hard. Last edited by The_Judge; Jan 1, 2010 at 9:58 AM. |
#20
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I can't seem to edit any my threads....the edit button does not appear
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#21
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The_Judge wrote...
first names, employee numbers along with dates, times and cities are more than enough The argument The Judge cited, for NOT providing full names, certainly applies to police officers. Which is why they have badge numbers. Indeed it is only the cops who are doing something wrong are the ones who try to hide their badge number. Yet there have been posts, in other threads, indicating a willingness on the part of some airline employees to, almost, fight to the death against any mechinism that would expedite the identification of misfit staff, or even forcing an accounting for misbehavior. In today's environment customers are, very much, accountable for THEIR actions. Airline staff do not seem to be subject to the same scruitny. Only when there are multiple witnesses, who come forward, is there even an inkling of contrition from the airline.
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#22
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If anyone cares, my original flight that was cancelled was flight number 3422, not 1463... I posted the wrong flight number
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#23
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There is a time limit of 5 minutes to edit a post.
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#24
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US Air will care when you write the complaint to them. Make sure it's correct then or you'll just confuse the employee trying to figure out the complaint.
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#25
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UsAirways customer relations just called to personally apologize and said they will send reports out to both RIC and PHL gate counters and Dana's supervisors and provide coaching for Dana. I was told to expect a follow up email. I would be satisfied if Dana did receive some sort of coaching and my mother and I received an apology from her. I will keep you posted on the progress.
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