What airline do you prefer from a customer service basis out of Austin? (Houston: credit card, price)

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by blakely

I've been pleased with Jet Blue, but they don't have as big of a presence as some of the others.

One time I was at the airport gate and my Jet Blue flight was delayed quite a bit. I had an important event that I needed to attend on the other end and realized I might miss it due to the delay. So I found another flight leaving, booked it, then walked back to the Jet Blue counter and asked if they would refund my ticket. I was sort of expecting that the best I'd get was a flight credit since it was an economy fare and their flight wasn't cancelled- just delayed quite a bit. But they refunded it on the spot, with a great attitude.

In general I've found Jet Blue to run on time. They also have more standard legroom, include free wifi, a screen on each seat with free movies & TV, and a nice assortment of free snack offerings.

They may have had no choice. Federal regulations say that, "A consumer is entitled to a refund if the airline made a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays a flight and the consumer chooses not to travel." Significant delay is subjective, but most airlines will just refund instead of dealing with the inevitable dispute.

Had you been on one of the 3 major airlines - American, United, Delta - they would have rebooked you on one of the other's available flights for free. I'm going to assume the flight you ended up booking cost more than the one that was refunded.

[roodd279]

Right - what Carnival said about the 3 major airlines -

The problem isn't necessarily one of "customer service" - but the fact that you NEEDED customer service in the first place.



"Budget" airlines (take your pick) are not inherently "bad" - it's just that they don't have many backup plans. They have fewer flights per day - and they have fewer planes to replace broken planes, and they have fewer qualified employees to call in if someone is sick or quits or whatever. In every direction - they just have "less" - so a) Things go wrong more often that would not have gone wrong on one of the big 3 (or 4); and b) When things do go wrong, the budget players have fewer resources (including customer assistants) to get you out of your jam. Which they will struggle to do since they have fewer...everything.



Overall effect is that they seem fragile - and in some ways - they are.



It's always a mistake to advise people on how to spend their money - but my (mistaken) airline advice is - if you cannot afford to travel on a reliable carrier (be it plane, train, or automobile) then you have budgeted wrong for your vacation. Pay a bit less on your hotel...and put the extra $100 into the plane ticket. You'll be much happier...and also you'll probably get there with your luggage.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by blakely

I've been pleased with Jet Blue, but they don't have as big of a presence as some of the others.

One time I was at the airport gate and my Jet Blue flight was delayed quite a bit. I had an important event that I needed to attend on the other end and realized I might miss it due to the delay. So I found another flight leaving, booked it, then walked back to the Jet Blue counter and asked if they would refund my ticket. I was sort of expecting that the best I'd get was a flight credit since it was an economy fare and their flight wasn't cancelled- just delayed quite a bit. But they refunded it on the spot, with a great attitude.

In general I've found Jet Blue to run on time. They also have more standard legroom, include free wifi, a screen on each seat with free movies & TV, and a nice assortment of free snack offerings.

Completely agree on this and if Jet Blue flew any routes I was interested in, I wouldn't even have started this thread because the few times I've flown them it's been a wonderful experience. With that said (as mentioned in the OP), I tend to fly west and they simply don't have direct routes (I believe LA is the latest route they are canceling).

The unfortunate thing is they are merging with Spirit. I hope and pray they are the influential one of the two and Spirit steps up their game to match the standards of Jet Blue. If it's the other way around, Jet Blue will be ruined and at the bottom of the barrel on customer service.

Originally Posted by roodd279

It's always a mistake to advise people on how to spend their money - but my (mistaken) airline advice is - if you cannot afford to travel on a reliable carrier (be it plane, train, or automobile) then you have budgeted wrong for your vacation. Pay a bit less on your hotel...and put the extra $100 into the plane ticket. You'll be much happier...and also you'll probably get there with your luggage.

Hence the reason I started the thread as I am done with the budget airlines.

[blakely]

Originally Posted by CarnivalGal

They may have had no choice. Federal regulations say that, "A consumer is entitled to a refund if the airline made a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays a flight and the consumer chooses not to travel." Significant delay is subjective, but most airlines will just refund instead of dealing with the inevitable dispute.

Had you been on one of the 3 major airlines - American, United, Delta - they would have rebooked you on one of the other's available flights for free. I'm going to assume the flight you ended up booking cost more than the one that was refunded.

Understood. Yes, that is the rule but many airlines give you a flight credit instead and it's on you to push back and file for a full refund. (See: Southwest Airlines experience, December 2022.). My point is that JB did it willingly and efficiently without any need for me to demand it.

Actually the fare difference was only $18. I didn't care enough to ask for that, but I bet they would have covered it if I did, based on my overall experience with the airline.

Lastly, American has NOT given me a refund when my AA flights were significantly delayed, so that's not been my experience with the Big 3.

[blakely]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

The unfortunate thing is they are merging with Spirit. I hope and pray they are the influential one of the two and Spirit steps up their game to match the standards of Jet Blue. If it's the other way around, Jet Blue will be ruined and at the bottom of the barrel on customer service.

AGREED.

Much to my dismay! I don't have high hopes, but will be pleasantly surprised if I'm wrong because I've enjoyed flying them.

Jet Blue was ranked in the top 2 a few years ago but they took a hit during the pandemic that they haven't been able to recover from.

Not a big fan of American or United historically, but American has been making some strides and I'm open to have my mind changed.

[Trainwreck20]

To be honest, when I am flying with my family (i.e four adult tickets instead of one), I use Travelocity or similar to come up with the best deal. Early last month, we got four round-trip tickets to Denver for a total of $450 (+$120 in baggage fees). We could have easily spent another $120+ on seat 'upgrades' but did not opt to. It was AA there and United back, direct both ways. SWA would have been $500 more, but so were various other carriers. If we were taking skis and boots with us, SWA would have been almost the same price (they carry ski stuff for free, the others have a separate carry fee).

Anyway, at the end of the day, we will likely chose our airline based on:
- Price
- Direct flight over multi-leg
- Departure time (not too early but not late in the day).
- Finally, we might consider carrier vs carrier.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by roodd279

It's always a mistake to advise people on how to spend their money - but my (mistaken) airline advice is - if you cannot afford to travel on a reliable carrier (be it plane, train, or automobile) then you have budgeted wrong for your vacation. Pay a bit less on your hotel...and put the extra $100 into the plane ticket. You'll be much happier...and also you'll probably get there with your luggage.

I will also add that I have found that the "budget" airlines aren't always less expensive. Southwest is absolutely not less expensive anymore. Maybe they are to some cities, but when I've checked, they've actually been more expensive - even with the free checked bags.

By the time you add fees for checked bags and even carry on for the budget airlines, they really don't end up being much less expensive. So I'd rather spend another another $30 to get better service, better flight times, etc.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by CarnivalGal

I will also add that I have found that the "budget" airlines aren't always less expensive. Southwest is absolutely not less expensive anymore. Maybe they are to some cities, but when I've checked, they've actually been more expensive - even with the free checked bags.

By the time you add fees for checked bags and even carry on for the budget airlines, they really don't end up being much less expensive. So I'd rather spend another another $30 to get better service, better flight times, etc.

Most time when I was taking the budget airlines it was because I only had a personal item (so it's a lot more than $30 to get "better service") . Some of the prices for bags are outrageous as they try and nickel and dime you to death.

I agree that since I got to Austin, Southwest is not even remotely close to being cheap any more (not sure what their prices are like at the hubs)

[StealthRabbit]

Stick with the direct flights, Delta is no longer charging for changes and cancellations (at std fare) Economy class is still non-refundable. Maybe book AA and when they cancel, put you on ALK (as they have often done for me)

In USA I almost exclusively fly SWA, tho high on UA and DAL priority status.

I prefer free changes (as in today) and free bags, and no hassle direct Customer Service (for A-List+ members)

UA is teasing about SWA 'no reserved seats', but what UA marketing does not know... while seated on a UA or DA or AA waiting for everyone to find their assigned seats, the common response is; "If we were on SWA, we would hae been to our destination by now". I LUV no seat assignments, so I can escape if an axe murderer sits next to me (Or someone perfumed or 'smoked', or over 17" w-i-d-e).

+/-, but I still love flying, any day, every day. (And I'm a professional driver, so like that too, but getting somewhere in 2 hrs vs 20 hrs is a nice bonus) and for $30 fare instead of $150 for fuel. Tho my fuel has been free since 1976 (home brew)

[DMChicago]

Forgive me, but I can't take it anymore...

Though the term 'direct' is used interchangeably with 'non-stop', the two are different. In a direct flight, you do not change planes and you have only one flight number. Unlike the non-stop flight, the plane makes a stop en route to the final destination for refueling and picking up and dropping off passengers.