An MSNBC article published Friday, July 24 read: “It’s going to cost you more to check bags on an American Airlines flight. American said Friday that checking the first bag will cost $20, up from $15, and a second bag will cost $30, up from $25. The change takes effect on tickets bought after Aug. 13 for travel within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on American and its regional affiliate, American Eagle.”
They can’t sell their sloppy customer service (Yeah, I’ve flown American a time or two) so they penalize the customers they have by charging them more for doing business with them.
How about treating people with dignity and respect? How about asking your customers what they want you to do for them to make them happy? Again, why is Southwest turning a profit? They treat their employees with respect and their employees make their customers happy. It is a disappointment to get on a major carrier like American and be told, “It’s company policy – not my fault.”
I always try to treat attendants with respect because it is a tough job. It’s like a waiter or waitress in a cramped place with more diners than you planned on. But on a flight last April I was sitting in the front seat – stationary, not moving and not in the way. An attendant who had passed me several times bumped into me. She complained that my feet were too big. Then she complained that she was going to bruise. I said I was sorry but that didn’t stop the berating. She had had a lousy day and this was the last straw.
I can understand a tough day but hearing her complain about the airline, the customers and her job made me wonder why they got into the people moving business in the first place. Maybe she needs to be reminded who she really works for.
Way to go, American, raise those baggage fees and then complain to the government that you couldn’t turn a profit with your overbooking, late departures and miserable customer service attitudes. Maybe they will tell you to look at Southwest. OR maybe they will tell you to go home and get your house in order this time.