[jimworcs]

This is the kind of nasty, spiteful behaviour that is becoming all too prevalent in airlines today. The Juneau solution would have helped keep the customer happy, at NO COST WHATSOEVER to Continental and allowed this family to have their holiday. Instead, Continental sought to exploit them and make more money out of them by charging them $1,200 each just to take the flight they were already booked on and had paid for. It is nasty, heartless and this industry is badly in need of reform. It needs greater regulation and increased competition. It is scandalous.

[AviationATY]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

This is the kind of nasty, spiteful behaviour that is becoming all too prevalent in airlines today. The Juneau solution would have helped keep the customer happy, at NO COST WHATSOEVER to Continental and allowed this family to have their holiday. Instead, Continental sought to exploit them and make more money out of them by charging them $1,200 each just to take the flight they were already booked on and had paid for. It is nasty, heartless and this industry is badly in need of reform. It needs greater regulation and increased competition. It is scandalous.

Perhaps because you are English and used to government meddling but really.... greater regulation? Yes, the TSA and FAA are so effective! Just what we need more government intervention.
Increased competition? Name a market where there is more competition than the US market, at these price points.

[jimworcs]

Name a market where there is more competition than the US market, at these price points.

Europe

Name a market where there are higher standards of customer service:

Asia and Australasia
Middle East
Europe

[NewJerseyDevils]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Europe

Name a market where there are higher standards of customer service:

Asia and Australasia
Middle East
Europe

Where is British Air registered to conduct business because during their strike I was left stranded in the UK with no help at all.

[NewJerseyDevils]

May I add that the American carrier Spirit Airlines offered $100 credit for future flights. That's $100 more than British Air.

[jimworcs]

I wouldn't necessarily hold out British Airways as the model European Airline, but even on their worst day, they are 10 times better than Delta for example. You will find individual horror stories for every airline, even the best, such as Singapore Air or Cathay Pacific. However, take a look at Skytrax and look at the averages when thousands of people, all of whom are real customers, rate their service. US based airlines have plummetted from the top to near the bottom over the last 20 years. That is not just an impression, that is an objective fact based on hundreds of thousands of testimonials...not on whether you once had a bad experience of BA.