TravelValue: Airlines

Friday, July 19, 2019

London, England: British Airways Dropped The Ball And Could Care Less

British Airways

Waterside

Speedbird Way

Harmondsworth

West Drayton (Heathrow) UB7 0GA

United Kingdom

Phone number: +44 844 493 0787

Website: britishairways.com

Prices: $$$$

British Airways used to be a top-notch airline, but that has obviously changed. Their handling of our reservation, ticketing, delays, and lost luggage during our trip this past winter was atrocious. We were diverted from our original itinerary after weather problems in Seattle, then we were stuck in Boston for 13 hours after no sleep and missing our flight to London Heathrow even though we arrived just in time to board because we were not issued boarding passes in Seattle.

Once we finally arrived in London, almost 2 days late, our luggage was nowhere to be found and BA could not even locate our bags in their system. Their lost baggage office in London was unfriendly and unhelpful. We finally received our bags after 4 days, just in time to depart the following day for Paris, and we were not compensated for the immense inconvenience of having to wear the same clothes for 4+ days and having none of the personal and hygienic items we had packed.

Fortunately, I brought my medications in my carry-on, so I did not have to try to replace them abroad, a great lesson learned, so it was not a total loss.

BA used to be a great airline, but these days they gouge you for every little thing after buying your tickets and their legendary British customer service has deteriorated, making us feel unwelcome and unappreciated. We will stick with United or Lufthansa for our twice annual European flights from now on and I doubt BA cares in the least ... ADIOS YOU TOSSERS!

CombatCritic Gives British Airways 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

United Airlines Personnel At Chicago O'Hare Disrespect U.S. Combat Disabled Veteran

United Airlines

233 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

Phone number (800) 864-8331

Website: united.com

Prices: $$$$

My wife and I have been flying United and Star Alliance airlines faithfully for years, both internationally (41 countries so far) and domestically. I also use my United Mileage Plus credit card for most purchases, totaling a great deal in the past few years.

Having accumulated over 100,000 miles, we decided to visit my wife's family in Italy. Redeeming the miles was relatively painless and so was the trip UNTIL WE GOT TO CHICAGO O'HARE ... United Airlines hometown for cryin' out loud!

O'Hare has some of the rudest employees of any airport I have traveled through and that totals quite a few. I love Chicago, but I hate O'Hare!

I had two United Club passes that we needed to use before they expired, but by the time we landed, we had just an hour and a half before boarding because the plane was delayed departing Portland because ground crew hit the plane with a vehicle, then there was an ill passenger that needed emergency attention upon arrival.

Upon arrival in Chicago, we found out that the Terminal C (where we landed and were departing from) United Club was closed for renovations, so we went to United's Polaris Lounge immediately next to our gate, assuming they would accept oir passes due to the closure of the Terminal C club. The woman who met us at the door was extremely rude, quickly ushering us out the door because we were just lowly "economy" international pax, not "business or first class". She told me we would have to walk 15 minutes (30 minutes total roundtrip) to the United Club in Terminal B, basically shooing us away. I told her that I am a disabled veteran (it was 11/12, the day after Veteran's Day) and that it was difficult for me to walk that far, particularly with such a short connection thanks mostly to United 's incompetence, but she could obviously care less.

We ended up making the 30 minute walk, leaving us just 20 minutes in the club (a huge waste of $100 worth of club passes) before having to make the return trip to catch our flight to Brussels. I then asked the gate agent about possible upgrades to Economy Plus or Business, but he looked at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead, laughing as he said "absolutely not!"

Sitting in row 43 (of 46), two of the three dinner options (cream chicken and vegetarian) were gone by the time the flight attendant got to us, leaving only the pasta option which contained tomatoes. My wife is allergic to tomatoes, so I asked what our options were. The flight attendant gave my wife the tray with a small (disgusting) salad, a bread roll, and a cup of ice cream, saying "I guess you'll have to eat that". I told her that was unacceptable, asking how she could expect my wife to go without dinner. Feeling guilty, Anel (that was her name) said that she would give my wife her meal and eat the pasta herself, a very kind gesture. Anel arrived about 30 minutes later with a beautiful pork chop from First Class, so my wife finally had something to eat thanks to her kindness.

I am cancelling my Mileage Plus card, along with the $95 annual fee, as soon as I get home. United Airlines had better train their Chicago employees on customer service skills, particularly considering it is their home city. Some compassion toward disabled passengers, particularly those who sacrificed 20+ years of their lives to protect your freedom, might also be in order.

CombatCritic Gives United Airlines 2 Bombs Out Of 10 ... 1 Extra Bomb For Anel's Compassion ... More Bombs Are Better!

Two Bombs Equates To

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over 1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Read Chris S.'s review of United Airlines on Yelp

Title: United Airlines Personnel At Chicago O'Hare Disrespect U.S. Combat Disabled Veteran

Key Words: United Airlines, United, airlines, airline, airplane, commercial, Chicago O'Hare, Chicago, O'Hare, airport, veteran, disrespect, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, business, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: Tango-Uniform = "Tits Up"

Monday, February 6, 2017

Dallas,TX: I Wish Southwest Flew To Europe And Asia

Southwest Airlines

Dallas Love Field (DAL)

2702 Love Field Dr

Dallas, TX 75235

Phone number: (214) 792-4000

Website: southwest.com

Prices: $$$$

As we all know, major airlines suck ... snooty, rude crews that obviously hate customers, terrible food, and too many restrictions. I have flown Southwest for many years and have always been impressed with their efficiency, professionalism, and friendliness of the airline and its crews. Having been an Air Force Transporter, working with military aircraft and passengers for many years, I know how difficult a job they have and the constraints they must work under, so it is about time that I wrote this review.

Flying from Kansas City to Portland on Flight 518 (1/31/17), my Las Vegas based crew were Captain Criswell, First Officer Diamantopoulos, Flight Attendant Lisa, Flight Attendant Rob, and Flight Attendant Armando. On the return trip, Jules and Jennifer took good care of me, even decorating the galley, and themselves, for Valentine's Day

Southwest's boarding system is second to none. Lufthansa, being German and typically anal, also has very efficient boarding procedures and crews, but they are cold and aloof as most Germans are perceived to be (I am half German by the way, so don't go all PC on me you flaming liberals). We lined up in two rows, everybody respecting their numbered place in line. There is no need for the massive gaggle of passengers wanting to be the first ones on the plane as is the case with most airlines. The TV monitors tell you when to board and you effortlessly hand the agent your boarding pass and pick your seat. That is correct, no pre-assigned seats.

I was first warmly greeted by Lisa, then Rob came, as friendly as can be, to take my drink order. By the way, booze is just $5 on Southwest with room for a profit margin, but not gouging passengers like the major airlines do ($8-$9 for a drink). Then Armando graciously insisted that I pass on the way to the loo (that's toilet for you Yanks), even though he had a tray full of drinks in his hand.

Unlike United Express, which we normally fly out of KC (because we normally travel overseas), Southwest's aircraft was modern and spotless, even the loos. United Express planes are gross and held together with duct tape. I kiss the ground and thank the Lord every time I arrive safely on United Express and I am very far what you would call a bible thumper. Half of the plane was full, so we even had our choice of seats with just one person to a row if we wanted.

Southwest is always an easy ride and the crews are routinely friendly if not downright hilarious. I have flown there US-only competitors and there is no competition in my mind. Compared to the stuffy, I hate passengers, attitudes on United, Delta and other major airlines, Southwest is a breath of fresh air and the crews of Flights 518 (MCI-PDX - 1/31/17) and 405 (PDX-DEN - 2/7/17) were a delight. Heck, you can even watch free live TV on many domestic flights.

Thank you Southwest and thank you Captain Cris, First Officer I can't pronounce you Greek last name, Lisa, Rob and Armando, Jennifer, and, especially, Jules ... it was a pleasure flying with you ... WELL DONE!

CombatCritic Gives Southwest Airlines And The Crew Of Flights 518 (1/31/17) And 405 (2/7/17) 10 Bombs Out Of 10 And, An Airline First Ever, Spot On My "WALL OF FAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

Ten Bombs Equates To:

"Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

"The Department of Military Science and Leadership, University of Tennessee claim HOOAH 'refers to or means anything except no' ... Regardless of its meaning ... the term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit." - WarChronicle.com

"The U.S. Air Force stole 'HOOAH' from the Army because we were part of the Army until 1947 and rather than waste a bunch of time coming up with something new and unique, we said 'fuck it, let's go with HOOAH' ... thanks Army ... HOOAH! - CombatCritic

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Read Chris S.'s review of Southwest Airlines on Yelp

Title: Dallas,TX: I Wish Southwest Flew To Europe And Asia

Key Words: Southwest Airlines, Southwest, airline, airlines, plane, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Denver, crew, airplane, airport, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, service, review, Yelp

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

CombatCritic Q&A: Should I be concerned about the ticket I purchased on JustFly.com?

john gMay 25, 2015 at 7:20 PM

Hello, have you had the opportunity to use this ticket yet? Many negative posts making me most concerned about my ticket.
C.T. Sorrentino, aka "CombatCritic"June 9, 2015 at 2:04 AM

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you John, but Blogger does not notify me when I have new comments.

There are no problems with the tickets. You get what you pay for, but my concerns were strictly with the website interface and lack of options available. In this case, we saved a couple hundred dollars by using Justfly.com, so it was worth the inconvenience of having to visit two airline websites (Brussels Airlines to and Lufthansa from Europe) to enter frequent flyer information, choose seats, and otherwise manage the reservations. I recommend comparing the lowest fares on JustFly to those found on Kayak.com and other consolidator websites (where you can store your frequent flyer numbers and preferences) before making a decision.

I would not be concerned about your ticket.

Thanks for the great question!
Title: CombatCritic Q&A: Should I be concerned about the ticket I purchased on JustFly.com?
Key Words: question and answer, question, answer, CombatCritic, TravelValue, JustFly.com, JustFly, airline, ticket, reservation, consolidator, website, online, review

Monday, March 30, 2015

JustFly.com Offers A Better Price Than Lufthansa.com, But Little Else

JustFly.com

I was taken to JustFly.com's website after searching Kayak, United, Delta, and Lufthansa extensively for fares on an upcoming overseas trip. I was hesitant at first being a unfamiliar website, but I decided to give them a try with the following reservations, pun intended ...

First, people need more information before paying for a reservation, like applicable baggage fees (not just a disclaimer saying "the airline MAY require baggage fees"), to make an informed decision. JustFly does not provide actual fees, only the disclaimer. Fortunately, having flown Lufthansa many times in the past, the carrier for the trip, I knew that the first bag (up to 50 pounds) was free, making the decision a bit easier.

Second, JustFly does not provide a way to enter frequent flyer account information either before or after purchase. I assumed that once registered with their site, I would be able to update my profile with the data, but that was not the case. The only information available for editing on their website are name and email address, no seat or meal preferences, home airport, passport information, or anything else for that matter. The ability to enter frequent flyer and other pertinent personal information once would save customers a lot of time later and help ensure they return to make future purchases.

The only plus was that their price and itinerary were better than I could find even on Lufthansa.com, therefore ...

CombatCritic Gives JustFly.com 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic On Yelp And TripAdvisor ... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: JustFly.com Offers A Better Price Than Lufthansa.com, But Little Else

Key Words: JustFly, Lufthansa, just, fly, airfare, airline, travel, fare, reservation, trip, website, frequent, flyer, miles, value, TravelValue, CombatCritic, critic

Thursday, March 12, 2015

United Airlines: We Don't Care (Sometimes), We Don't Have To (But, Maybe We Want To) ... I'm So Confused!

United Airlines, Inc.

77 W Wacker Dr

Chicago, IL 60601

b/t Lower Wacker Dr & Michigan Ave in The Loop

united.com

I do not usually write reviews so many weeks or months after the fact, but being in India for four months where Yelp did not yet exist, I felt compelled to add my two cents.

My first two of three United flights to Delhi were both two hours late and I had to rush through Frankfurt Airport to catch my final flight after already spending close to 20 hours traveling (with 7+ yet to go). I somehow made it!

However, when I recently checked my mileage balance on United.com, my final leg still had not been added to my balance, requiring me to submit a request that still has not been answered.

Airlines in general, and United in particular, just do not care about customer service because they do not have to. They know that most of us will probably purchase the cheapest fare, so it will only be a matter of time before we return even if their service is pitiful, which it usually is ... rude check-in and gate agents, aggressive flight attendants, and poor on-time departure/arrival record ... they should change their motto to: "United Airlines,We Don't Care, We Don't Have To"

As my India trip neared its end, I have to say that United came through with flying colors.

When one of my wife's return flights in mid-January was rescheduled, leaving her a 30 minute layover to clear immigration/customs, re-check her bag, and get to the next gate (IMPOSSIBLE), we contacted United and were quickly dismissed ... "sorry"! But when we got our travel insurance company involved, they were able to change her flights and get her home in time to attend a meeting at work the following morning.

The saga continued ...

I received a call in early February, three weeks prior to my scheduled departure, informing me that my 84-year old mother had been hospitalized and was not doing well. I contacted my travel insurance company (Allianz Global Assistance/AGA Service Company /Jefferson Insurance Company) thinking that they would be as professional as my wife's, but after 12+ hours of being ignored (on their 24/7 Hotline), I contacted United reservations in New Delhi. They were not extremely helpful, but when I was finally transferred to an American employee, she was outstanding. She quickly found me a flight two days later (i had to get from Southern India to Delhi the next day) and WAIVED THE $300 CHANGE FEE ... without even asking. I was able to get home to see my mother and spend a couple days of quality time before she passed away on 2/12/2015. At that point I was much happier with United.

and continued ...

Then, just three weeks after my mother passed, my wife received word that her father had suddenly died in Naples, Italy where he and her mom live. I logged-in to my United account to search for "bereavement fares", but even though a link appeared in the search results, there was no such information on their website. It turned out that United discontinued their bereavement fares at some point in the recent past. When I called United Customer Care, a deceiving term, I was connected with their offshore "care" center in Manilla, Phillippines where I was quoted $4000 for a single ticket ... $1600 more than the cheapest fare available on Kayak.com and $2350 more than we eventually paid Delta airlines. Thanks for your compassion United!

I had been prepared to give United 6, 7, even 8, Bombs (3 to 4 stars) because of the recent positive experiences detailed above, but finding out post de facto that 15,000 of the 20,000 miles from the US to India and back I paid dearly for were not eligible for frequent flyer credits (K Class) and the $4000 quote for a last-minute bereavement fare changed my mind. So, I will now have to downgrade my previous ratings ...

CombatCritic Gives United Airlines 3 Out Of 10 Bombs With Room To Grow Or Recede Further ... More Bombs Are Better!

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic, Including United Airlines, On Yelp And TripAdvisor Along With Many Other Reviews And More!

Title: United Airlines: We Don't Care (Sometimes), We Don't Have To (But, Maybe We Want To) ... I'm Confused!

Key Words: United Airlines, United, Airlines, air, plane, airplane, travel, airport, flight, reservation, agent, customer, service, CombatCritic, TravelValue, Yelp, value

Read This Review And Many More On Yelp ... Where I Am An Elite '14/'15 Member

Delta Airlines ... Is "We Don't Care, We Don't Have To" A Thing Of The Past?

Am I just lucky or is Delta Airlines more user friendly than they used to be? Our recent experience has been nothing but pleasant AND SURPRISING after many years of intercontinental travel and an “I could care less about you because you have no other choice” attitude by the vast majority of airlines. If you have flown in the last 25 years, you know exactly what I am talking about.

Happy Campers

It all started when we found a decent airfare for a Christmas trip to Puerto Rico. At $600, more or less, for economy round-trip tickets, we decided that we could afford a few weeks away from the freezing cold and a holiday in the balmy breezes of our tropical Caribbean cousin.

View From 1st Class ... Don't Get Used To It!

When it came time to choose our seats, I was shocked that the first class cabin was an option, so I jumped on seats 1A and 1B! Woo-hoo … could this be a glitch in Delta’s system or were we really getting “premier” seats for the cost of an economy ticket?

The day before departure, I went online to check-in. A relatively simple process, I had done my homework in advance and resigned myself to the fact that we would be paying $25 per bag for luggage. I heard on National Public Radio just the day before that one airline alone had made BILLION$ this year in baggage and other travel related fees. I never realized how lucrative the airlines add-ons actually were prior to that, so it’s no wonder why they changed the rules just a few short years ago. So when check-in was complete and there was NO $25 FEE for our luggage, I thought I had won the lotto … YIPEEEEEE!

The next surprise came when we arrived at the Kansas City International Airport (they can call it “international” because the apparently have one flight to Canada per day) early on Christmas Eve morning. Arriving and hour-and-a-half prior to takeoff, there was no line at the Delta counter and we were greeted by a smiling and friendly agent … was I dreaming?

Atlanta, Georgia from 10,00 Feet

Being retired Air Force and having lived overseas for 9 of my 20-year career, I traveled quite extensively by plane and rarely, if ever, encountered a compassionate agent. The best I could normally hope for would be non-committal or neutral attitude and, at worst, an openly hostile and aggressive personality and “we don’t care, we don’t have to” interaction.

The Delta agent was actually quite friendly and helpful, and we breezed right through check-in in less than five minutes. As we approached the security, the TSA Agent told me “you are pre-screened Mr. Sorrentino, please proceed to the gate (without the usual security hassles – shoes/belt off, computer out of the bag, etc.). I never applied for a TSA clearance, so they must have comped me for having had a Top-Secret Clearance and being a retired lieutenant colonel.

All first-class got us on the flight from Kansas City to Atlanta was early boarding, a couple free bloody Marys, and a piece of pound cake. Gone are the days of Mimosas and filet mignons on domestic flights, but hey, who’s to complain!

After much consideration, I think it was just a fluke, one of those times when the planets simply align and everything goes more smoothly than it is supposed to. Deep down inside I hope that the airlines are finally treating us like humans AND WITH JUST A LITTLE DIGNITY AND RESPECT because, after all, WE PAY THEIR DAMN SALARIES … THANKS FOR THE NICE EXPERIENCE DELTA!

CombatCritic Gives Delta Airlines 8 Out of 10 Bombs (On This Trip – 3 Out of 10 Bombs Overall) … Bombs Are Good!

Title: Delta Airlines ... Is "We Don't Care, We Don't Have To" A Thing Of The Past?

Key Words: Delta, airlines, Delta Airlines, plane, airplane, trip, flight, vacation, customer, first-class, travel, value, TravelValue, CombatCritic, combat, critic