[pinocccio]

Dear Sirs,

About six months ago, my elderly parents bought a ticket to come visit me for three months. My mother is in an advanced stage of bone cancer and it probably was our last visit together.
Their ticket was supposed to be a non-stop flight from Amsterdam to Cincinnati and the return from Cincinnati direct to Amsterdam, because of her medical condition. The only reason they choose your airline was because of this direct flight. Their were less expensive flights available, however, not direct.
In the mean time (for whatever reason) the return flight from CVG to AMS was cancelled without my parents being notified. The Airline automatically booked them from Cincinnati through Atlanta (!) to Amsterdam.
By the time we found out ourselves, the flights that were through Detroit (and more realistic for my parents) were already booked to capacity (or more) and there were no available seats together anymore.
I tried through your reservations system to get an upgrade to have them be able to sit together and was told the only seats available (that day)would cost $7600 a person. So I thanked the reservations agent for this opportunity but had to decline because of cost.
I was deeply disappointed about my parents experience of their probably last flight ever, together.

I have been a Pilot for another Major Airline for the past 22 years and have seen this industry go through major changes. I am almost embarrassed to tell my peers that I work for an Airline. And I dread the horror stories people pelt me with, about their experiences with all Airlines. One only needs to read the paper on almost any given day.
In no other service industry, is it possible to disrespect customers to this level, and still operate a successful and profitable company. Although, it seems the Airline Industry, as a whole, has not been profitable in decades. Even with aircraft filled to capacity.
When I see Airline Representatives (and especially the upper leadership in their Teflon suits with their multi-million dollar bonuses) try to explain why things went wrong, I wonder in what virtual reality they reside.

A bill of rights for Airline customers is not the correct answer, but if it were instituted, it would be the ONLY protection the flying public has over what is available today.
This industry begs for RE-regulation since it obviously cannot police itself.
A bill of rights already exists in the Constitution of the United States although I am not certain it is being used anymore either.