This is all exactly right! I think people need to pay MUCH closer attention to what kind of ticket they are purchasing. The problem is, most people focus on getting the cheapest possible fare they can get, which makes sense, but often times, that cheapest fare, has no flexability, at all, if you miss your flight, for showing up late, or, if you need to make a change. Also, a non-refundable ticket, is not refundable, period, regardless of how much of an inconvenience you experience. People never take the time to read the "Fare Rules", of the ticket they are purchasing, nor do people take the time to read the airlines "Contract of Carriage", all of which will explain the policies that are in place, etc. The fact that people do not read this, is why I don't have too much sympathy for people, when they complain that they have to pay this, or pay that, because of some reason. All of that information is located in the "Fare Rules", of the ticket you purchased, and also in the airline's "Contract of Carriage". My advice, is ALWAYS purchase a REFUNDABLE ticket. It may be a little more expensive, but it can save you a ton of trouble if you end up late for a flight, etc.
I agree about the diversions. At the airport I work at, we had a flight divert to our station, enroute to the hub airport, and cancel. We were left with a plane full of passengers, WITHOUT WARNING. The worst part, is instead of using that airplane the next day, for those passengers, they instead used it in place of another flight, that was to come in, and remain over night (RON), and so it went out as a live flight. We had to find other flights to book these people on, plus get them a hotel, etc. They should have used that same airplane, the next day, for those passengers, but didn't. To me, that is poor customer care, a the airline is basically saying that these people, who had their flight cancelled in a completely different city, than their destination, don't have priority. As a customer service agent, it angers me, that this took place, but unfortuantely, there is nothing I can do about it.
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Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy Slept Here
For customers who are at their ORIGINATING airport, and arrive at the gate late, my sympathy is limited. For those originating at JFK, and who live in Manhattan or Queens, I have even LESS sympathy. For those New Yorkers--if making your flight is that important there is US Helicopter (if you live in Manhattan) or the subway, to the Howard Beach Station, (if you live in Queens OR Manhattan). Also, there is through train service to NewarkAirport (EWR) from Penn Station in Manhattan. Regardless of where one lives, if you think there's a chance you might be running late, and getting to your destination--that day--is important to you, book an early morning flight with a REFUNDABLE ticket.
For those customers who are at a CONNECTING airport, and arrive at the gate late by reason of a delayed in-bound flight--on the same airline--THEN the airline needs to exercise some flexibility; use a little brain power; take responsibility for the fact that the in-bound flight was late--or a combination of the three. As an example, a couple of years ago, my Midwest Air flight, Hartford to Milwaukee, was late arriving in Milwaukee. The gate staff at my connecting flight exercised the responsibility to check for late arriving flights, and so held their "close-out" time right-up to departure time.
The DOT should not allow a situation where airline customers must spend the night, on the floor of a connecting airport, because their airline's in-bound flight was late--regardless of the reason for being late (weather, air traffic, mechanical). Under these situations, customers should be denied boarding their originating flight assuming the airline had reason to believe the connecting flight would be missed. The airline would then be responsible for re-booking, without additional charge, on the next available flight to the destination--even if the next available flight was on another airline. Further, every airline would need to have a capability to book customers onto airlines with which an interline ticketing agreement does not exist.Such a procedure would force the airlines to end those 30 to 50 minute connecting times between gates 1/2 to 1 mile apart. Also if, despite the best good faith efforts of the airline, an in-bound flight is late, and the connecting flight is missed, then the airline should be responsible for overnight accommodations and meals regardless of the amount paid for the ticket and the reason for the flight being late.
On a, slightly, unrelated note: Any airline that decides to divert, and “dump” its passengers at a secondary, or rural, airport—as United Air did at Cheyenne (“CYS”) two winters ago—should be subject to the following procedures: The arriving aircraft is impounded until such time as the “dumped” customers are physically on their way to the originally scheduled destination, with transportation to said destination being provided, or paid for, by the airline.
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