Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Judge
Just thought I'd throw this out there........
Everyone Has to Be Somewhere
When flights are delayed or overbooked, the customer service representative manning the gate can quickly become the most put-upon person in the terminal. And that's especially true if there aren't enough passengers willing to be voluntarily bumped from the flight, which means that someone with a ticket isn't getting on.
"Some people come up and bang on the counter and scream and yell," recounts Goddard, who says she always had a lot of sympathy in these situations. "If I thought I was going on vacation and I got bumped, I would be disappointed, too."
Still, she urges travelers to understand that shouting your way onto the plane means someone else gets bumped instead -- someone who could have an even greater need for getting to their destination on time.
"Everyone has to be somewhere, but some people really need to be somewhere, like if they're visiting a sick family member or going to a funeral," she says.
Situations like these aren't fun for anyone, and passengers have a right to feel aggrieved. But screaming will only make someone else's day worse, and if you have a pressing need to depart on time, your best bet is to politely state your case.
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I agree with almost everything written here, except for the quote above. Particularly overbooked flights.
Overbooked flights are the airline's fault. If I pay for a flight, I expect the airline to deliver on it's commitment. Guess what? I've already paid the amount and the airline has already recognized this revenue. If the airline cannot deliver on it's commitment, then I need to be compensated appropriately (missed hotel accommodations, travel plans, etc.) and not some sloppy travel vouchers. Most importantly, I would like the airline to accept it's 'mistake of overbooking' and it's responsibilities.
Of course, flights delayed due to understandable reasons (weather, etc. but NOT servicing parts, etc.) are a different matter.