Pack your patience and a lunch!
Written: Sep 26 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap airfare
Cons: Many delays, inefficient and insufficient staff
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| sybilb1's Full Review: America West |
Our trip was planned several months in advance so it wasn't as if my husband and I were flying standby to Hartford, CT from Los Angeles one week before the Labor Day Weekend. We wanted to avoid the major airline traffic and overbookings that occur over holiday weekends. America West tickets were obtained over the Internet and confirmation was also received via snail mail. Acting as my own travel agent, I figured how much worse could the service be for a couple hundred dollars less? I chose America West because it offered the least expensive flights for the dates I wanted connecting to the places I wanted since I didn't want to pay full price for a direct flight. I was willing to have one stop-over but not three or four!
The trouble started when we arrived the designated one hour in advance of departure. Even though we were a little early, we waited for one hour and the line for check-in, did not move. About fifteen minutes before actual departure time, a woman rushed out of a service door, yelled out some number that was not our flight and tried to get people to rush up to the counter. Finally, I ascertained that she was talking about our departure time and we headed for the counter. I told her that we would have understood more easily if she said "Flight #----" or "Departure time:--:--." She replied that if we didn't rush, we would miss our flight. I commented that many other people in line were on our flight and that the plane couldn't leave without the passengers...could it? The check-in delay was never explained. All other employees seemed extremely
laid back and weren't rushing to do anything.
When we reached the boarding area, there was sheer chaos. I snapped at my husband that for a couple hundred more dollars, we could receive real bonafide service. Other people inline were in agreement.
From flying previously on America West, I knew to bring my own food. The reason being that only a snack bag could be expected. Even though I specify dietary restrictions (sugar and wheat allergies), the airlines (not only America West) can rarely grasp the meaning of this. I have received all sorts of weird meals but only snacks which were not edible by me from America West. People usually express delight at the scent of my delicious, home cooked meal and wish they had done the same. This flight was no different.
We arrived in Phoenix in one piece and made our connecting flight without incident. In spite of the delay leaving Los Angeles (after the threat of missing our flight), we departed Phoenix for Hartford. We enjoyed our further travel plans in New England and returned to Hartford thirteen days later to fly home.
Upon entering the airport in Hartford, we were told apologetically by America West's newest employee that our flight had been delayed by two plus hours! The flight crew had to sleep according to federal law. I felt optimistic knowing that our crew would be refreshed and ready to roll whenever they finished sleeping. Safety first, I thought! My husband wasn't so pleased.
Our connecting flight was to be missed in Las Vegas, so, America West, not being able to reach us (because we were on the road without a cell phone), rebooked our flight. In their infinite wisdom, they thought we would want to stay in Hartford without a hotel and by this time it was after ten o'clock at night. We would fly the following morning at 6 a.m. and connect at some time later in the day in Las Vegas.
We insisted that we couldn't wait to fly, with two cats at home, waiting to be fed in the morning. We would have to make other arrangements and we flew that night. We waited in Las Vegas for the next flight to Los Angeles. The problem was that we had to claim our baggage and carry it around with us because our next flight was more than four hours later. We were refused a lounge area to sleep in due to the long lay-over. I believe it was because the supervisor just didn't want to make the effort to open a room for us. Finally we arrived in Los Angeles at 8 a.m., extremely disheveled and exhausted as you must be after reading all of this.
Here's my advice in short:
Take short trips on America West. Bring your own meal. Be prepared to be delayed, in other words, don't make tight travel plans that fit together like a puzzle. If you don't want to pay full fee, remember nothing comes free. And you can't get peanuts anymore, either!!
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
sybilb1
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 3 members
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