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Airline to charge $35 for customer service
These days, airlines are finding more and more ways to charge passengers for things they've long received for free-- headphones, food and drink, a second checked bag. Now you can add decent customer service to that list.
Air Canada began offering a service (ha!) yesterday called "On My Way," in which passengers can pay an extra $25 on shorter flights and $35 on longer flights, and in exchange they will receive "'speedy' access to 'specially-trained' customer service agents who will help rebook flights on Air Canada or other airlines, as well as pay for hotel stays and meals, if necessary."
As someone who occasionally writes about airlines, I am now required by law to mention that the rising cost of jet fuel is to blame for this ill-conceived insult to every passenger's dignity.
[via Boing Boing]
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Filed under: Business, Canada, Airlines, Transportation, Consumer Activism
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Craig Apr 4th 2008 1:35PM
Is it the jet fuel, or is the jet fuel a convenient excuse for more greed? Any business that finds a way to nickel-and-dime its customers will do so.
Eric Apr 6th 2008 2:29PM
its just a convenient excuse
zzdragon Apr 6th 2008 3:25PM
What do you think is behind the increase in air fare if not oil? I'm sick and tired of hearing "It's all about greed".
Have you filled up your car with gas lately? Whose greed is that? I say lets drill here at home and if you don't like that then stop driving your car and turn off the AC in the summer and the gas in the winter. How are you going to cook with out gas or electric?
Mark Apr 6th 2008 5:34PM
Craig is dead-on. I can assure everyone that when the jet fuel price "crisis" passes, the airlines WILL NOT recind any of these rediculous charges they have imposed.
Dawn Apr 6th 2008 6:05PM
I think the airlines have been sniffing the fuel instead of filling the planes. Are those employees who supply the so-called "customer service" which is now costing 25 to 35 dollars receiving this as their pay for doing their job? I have no problem believing that the fuel costs have had a major impact on the increase of my plane ticket. But the fuel costs can not be blamed for this blatant lack of regard for those customers who choose to purchase a ticket from this airline. This is absolutely not acceptable. And if I read this correctly, most of the services listed are needed when connecting flights are not made. So you don't pay for this service, what happens then? You have to buy a completely new ticket? Sounds like blackmail to me.
Darken Apr 6th 2008 6:34PM
Gas or Electric? Try charcoal, wood, there are other resources there than just gas and electricity.
Think people!
john k Apr 6th 2008 7:15PM
the greed is not from the airlines it is from the oil producers!! airlines have to pay to put gas in their planes just like truckers need to put gas in their trucks. Greyhound has to put gas in their buses. All these companies that use gas have to raise their fees and fare and other charges. It's unfortunate that it has come to this but... we have to pay more to get around whether it be by plane, car, bus, boat. If it uses gas chances are you'll have to pay more to ride it. I mean honestly this rise in fuel prices has forced three airlines to completely shutdown in the last week. Skybus, ATA, and Aloha Airlines have all completely shutdown. They are all broke because they try selling cheaper fares to customers but can't afford it cause they can't afford to get their planes off the ground.
ddjsintic Apr 6th 2008 7:52PM
airlines are getting killed by fuel imagine working for the last 9 years with out a raise well continental airline employees do.. fly now because the prices are going to double.. the more airlines that go out of business the less available seats there are and prices rise ..
Ladyexpat (Nancie) Apr 6th 2008 7:52AM
One more reason to boycott Air Crapa.
I was stunned when I read somewhere recently that they won some big award for best airline (can't remember who was endorsing the award, or where I read this.) Obviously, the judges have not had the experience of flying this pathetic excuse for an airline.
lowelljp Apr 6th 2008 5:57PM
I have flowen Air Canada many times along with others and they are far better than most
Terry Apr 6th 2008 2:16PM
I am not at all surprised by this added insult to customers. Apparently, we are in an era of really bad customer service. Although I have not flown Air Canada in many years, I did recently fly Delta and have never been treated more poorly. These people were rude and uncaring. The customer, these days, seems to come last. However, as long as customers continue to put up with this stuff, it will continue to happen! Let's start taking trains and buses again. Let's stop trying to fly for nothing. The airlines need to raise their prices to reasonable amounts and stop trying to undercut each other. My biggest fear with cheap airfares is that it is maintenance that is being cut. Look at Southwest.
S John Massoud Apr 6th 2008 8:40PM
Terry
I know what you mean about Delta. I was recently on a 4 leg Delta flight, and the best thing that Delta did was lose my bags and then take an extra day or 2 in getting my bags back.
I wrote Delta a letter and it took them 4 months to respond. Their response was an insult.
I usually get decent service on foreign carriers. I've had good experiences even with Aeroflot. So when you get better service on a Soviet based airline than you do on American based airlines, all is not well in paradise.
Eric Apr 6th 2008 2:28PM
ouch, baby... that hurt...
Pat Apr 6th 2008 2:28PM
Just another example of 'gimme, gimme, gimme'.
onnie Apr 6th 2008 2:28PM
drive your car. if you don't like it,get in your car and go. see how much it will cost you in gas, food and lodging.airlines are going unfer left and right so obviously we have to charge more. everything is more expensive. fuel prices are hurting everyone. suck it up and deal with it.
Joni Apr 6th 2008 4:54PM
I personally do drive because for my family, we actually save when travelling by car instead of flying. The last time I flew was for my father's funeral and that was just a little over five years ago.
I have three children so when we do travel, we pack a basket of snacks for the road, a cooler full of drinks and we only stay at hotels that offer a continental breakfast to save on having to stop elsewhere just for breakfast.
This way of travelling may not be for everyone but we've been fortunate to be able to travel this way cross country. We get to see some of the tourist spots plus other more out of the way yet still interesting parts of the country. I just won't fly again unless it's another emergency.
Glenn Apr 6th 2008 7:04PM
Any company that has to make up a ridiculous charge for customer service obviously does'nt think much of their customer base..The easiest way to make them understand our importance is to hurt them where it hurts most,in the pocketbook..The bottom line is simple,boycott them and use alternative means..Quit crying and act now!!!!!!
Terry Apr 7th 2008 1:37PM
I assume you work for an airline. It is this attitude that you display when you work obviously. Are you even slightly aware that it is the customer that is paying your salary and giving you a job.
MaryLou Michelin Apr 6th 2008 2:29PM
I love to drive. Leaving NC next week for CA.. If you have time it is much better than a nasty plane. The last time I flew on Delta it smelled like a toilet. One of the attedants said it had been like that for 3 days, and Delta did not care.
onnie Apr 6th 2008 2:36PM
for those of you complaining of bad customer service. remember you get what you pay for and that the public has become harder to serve. you yell, scream threaten and actually hit people who work in customer service then complain about it. step back and take a breath next time you are mad about a company. can the customer service agent really do anything about your problem? did some big wig at the top make a stupid mistake and leave the peons to deal with it? most customer service people only make minimum wage. if you didn't earn enough to support yourself on your pay check do you think you would give a shit about someone else's problem?