Mile-high madness
Ed Barrett is tired of airline employees who act “as if they are doing you a favor by acknowledging my existence.” But the software technician from Pratt, Kan., is equally exasperated by inconsiderate passengers. “They’re rude to flight attendants,” he says. “They act as if all the post-Sept. 11 inconveniences are their fault.” A new poll by the nonpartisan opinion organization Public Agenda suggests his weariness is widespread. The research, released just as the final leg of the stressful holiday travel season gets underway, finds that nearly one third of passengers believe rudeness is a serious problem. More than half of all travel employees say passenger impoliteness is the top source of on-the-job tension. Have travelers lost their manners?
Lost luggage on British Airways
Q: Several months ago I bought a ticket for my cousin to fly from Budapest to Denver on British Airways. Her luggage was misplaced for two days and I paid $178.18 for some clothes so she could continue her trip.
After the luggage was delivered, I filed a claim with the airline. A British Airways [...]
Taking off - minus the stress
Flying can be a nerve-racking experience, with its intrusive security screenings, cranky crew members, and antagonistic passengers. Never mind those queasy feelings you may get during takeoffs and landings and when there’s turbulence in the air.
It’s enough to stress you out. In fact, a recent study of business travelers conducted by Alertness Solutions, a Cupertino, [...]
A Virgin delay
Q: I recently flew from Miami to London on Virgin Atlantic Airways. About ten minutes before our 6:40 p.m. departure, we were told that there would be a mechanical delay. Three hours later our flight was cancelled. At approximately 11 p.m., I was offered a voucher for a shared van ride home.
While other passengers [...]
What travelers really want
Make my trip more comfortable. Lose the surprise surcharges. And treat me like a human being, for cryin’ out loud.
When I asked what you wanted from a travel experience, that’s what you said. But your answers in interviews represent more than an abstract wish-list. The way these simple requests have been implemented by the travel [...]
Burned by Hotwire
Q: I recently tried to buy an airline ticket on Hotwire for a friend. I have made many purchases through the site and feel pretty comfortable with the screens. But as I was making the booking, I looked at the date and realized it was incorrect. I immediately called the company.
A representative I spoke [...]