[evilmousse]

[an approximate log of a phone call a minute ago with airtran airlines complaint line, i had been told to call by a prior representative who thought maybe the complaint department would do something for me]

[*snip* introductions and exchanging private info to establish myself as a customer]

i'm calling to complain because you canceled my departing flight at 5:30pm and rescheduled me at 10:30am. i'm supposed to work that day so this is more than a small inconvenience.

"do you want to reschedule your flight?"

no, that's not my complaint, i've already talked with a representative for that, and flying a day prior doesn't solve my problem of needing to work that day; you've put me on the sole flight you have that day and that's all that can be done. but getting to my complaint, before speaking to her, i was forced to listen to a several-minutes long recording detailing the 75$ change fee i would be expected to pay were i to make a change in my flight. i can't help but notice a huge inequity there: 75$ is no slap on the wrists, yet you can cancel my flight without even telling me why, owing me nothing?

"airtran reserves the right, sir, to.."

i know it does and that's my complaint. you _also_ reserve the right to charge me 75$ when i do what airtran is currently doing to me. my whole prior week is now complicated from having to get in another 8 hours of work in an already busy time. i can't help but notice the inequity of the situation; that you can change the terms of our contract freely without explanation, and i'd get charged severely for doing the same thing. [now that i've written this much, i can't remember just how the last sentence i said went, but somehow it involved the word 'thanks']

"you're welcome." *click*


the kicker is of course all the airlines are like this, so what does airtran care. i abhor industries that can get such a one-sided upper-hand on their customers. buying an airline ticket's one step better than buying a scratch-off lotto ticket; you're LUCKY to end up with what you intended to purchase. i don't think i'm alone when i say i avoid flying whenever possible, and it's because of how i'm treated rather than any fear.

[AirlineWench]

I hope you're aware of the fact that you can insist on being put on a different carrier if your delay/rebooking is caused by something over which the airline has control... such as mechanical problems, crew issues, etc.

[navychief8425]

I have had bad experieinces with AirTran time and time again as well as my girlfriend. She was resceduled in Atlanta to a connecting flight to her final destination that departed 4 hours after her origianl flight. The reason for her being rescheduled is her origianl flight out of Charlotte was delayed and late getting to Atalnta due to AirTran's error. She was offered a "free round trip ticket" for the problem. What a crock that is, you have to call AitTran and they will tell you when you can fly and where.
I had a connecting flight out of Atlanta to Charlotte that was resceduled to go to Boston. There was no explination of why or when a new plane would be available only "sir have a seat and we will get you a plane when we can". Then after 3 hours of waiting we finally got a plane only to be exposed to the most incompetent and rude air crew I have ever seen. I have written two letters of complaint to AirTran about all of this and haven't recieved a single response.

[sandyr]

File complaints here: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm