I’m insanely ill at the moment so excuse any typos and whatnot. Here’s the skinny…
1. I booked a round-trip flight with US Airways to spend my birthday with the girlfriend.
2. On Saturday morning (Feb 2) I woke up feeling like absolute shit. Body aches, chills, and a fever which broke 104 at one point. I was supposed to be leaving the next day so…
3. I called US Airways and rescheduled my flight home for Wednesday (today). There was a $20-ish price difference for the new flight. And, they were waiving a $100 fee normally associated with changing your flight.
4. My girl brought me to the emergency room where they pooh poohed my I have Pneumonia theory. They said it’s a “viral illness”. So, it’s a common cold on steroids kinda thing and is contagious.
5. Wednesday is here and I’m still in bed. My girlfriend is sick now too. I called US Airways to see about getting the flight rescheduled again. I was told that the $100 fee could not be waived a second time. I asked if they’d rather knowingly have someone with a contagious illness on two of their flights today. That question was met with silence. So, I asked if a manager could override the charge. After being placed on hold I was told once again that they wouldn’t override it… “Well, I’ll see you guys later today.”
If they were dealing with flights that were near capacity I would be more sympathetic. That’s not the case though…
So, what should a ninja do???
Update (5pm):
In spite of all the votes saying I should catch that flight and cough on people, I’m simply going to book with a different airline once I’m feeling better.
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19 brave souls have commented on this post
Corporate fuckbags…who would have thought they would make life difficult lol. I go with the flyers man that could stir up a storm that will cost the airline more money in the long run hopefully. Feel better!
Get a one way flight another day. Even if you weren’t contagious, flying when you’re sick will make you feel 100 times worse. Plus, your girl is sick. If her illness is as bad as yours, do you really wanna leave her?
Sorry the Ninja and his lady are sick. That does suck though that they are not more understanding. It is the peak of flu season after all. Spread the “love” my dear that is what I always say..lol
Scenario:
Honeymoon
Bought the 2 flights 1 day in advance, paid a grand.
Fly to TX from TN, to Galveston Island on a plane no bigger than the candy aisle at Eckerd. A row of seats on one side, two on the other.
We were stuck on an island in Texas because they wanted to charge us 200 dollars to move up our flight home just one day earlier than planned. The necessity for return was business, but the deaf ears were turned and we left as planned, on our scheduled flight. That is, when they found the volunteers to render the seating on the flight WE WERE BOOKED FOR so that we could sit in our 900 dollar seats on Wrigley Spearmint Airlines.
I am very sorry to hear about your collective illnesses, too! I just wanted to toss some Kudos your way for speaking up, as always!
Asshattery. Double consonant…looong vowwwelll.
Upgrade to 1st class, the asile seat, and cough and sneeze on everyone you can. Don’t just fuck one person, get ‘em all! :)
In all seriousness, I say stay in bed, eat the 100 buck fee, they already waived it once, a second time is a bit more difficult - just my opinion tho.
–Dave.
Come home dog…….. We miss you!
1) Write letter to corporate;
2) Dry caugh like hell all over said envelope and letter;
3) Sign it, ‘Since you like to share my pain’
4) When the FBI show up, make sure they know it was a virus, not anthrax.
I went international with these fuckbacks. Let’s just say that they offered me $250 off my next flight and I was like “Urm I would fly with you again because?”.
Use us shamelessly, I say! I’m sure they would have a lovely day spent going through ALL the emails sent in support/complaint of this money screwing, disease spreading, policy!
I remember back in 95/96 when my Dad died in Texas right at Christmas time- like Christmas Eve. (I’m in Cali) BEREAVEMENT fare was $600. I normally paid around $200 for the SAME seat with 2 weeks notice. Somehow death of a loved one right on Christmas Eve seems like it should have been the cheaper of the two.
ESPECIALLY since I could not afford it and was NOT able to attent my father’s funeral.
Lucky for me I was REALLY right with my Dad . . .
Anyway, I know I would spew venom for you!! :o)
Hope you and your lucky lady feel better real soon. A LOT of people have it, er, does that make it any better???? LOL
Man, that sucks. Hope you are feeling better. US Airways sucks!! I like AirTran, Continental and Delta better. I say show up at the airport with one of those surgical masks.
Great story for the news… t.v. .. I’d send emails and cc it to all the stations. They would rather risk the illness of all the passengers than to accomidate ONE? Sounds like the almighty dollar over rides common sense. You come out as the hero for trying to be considerate to the other passengers. I’ll be sure to book another airline for my travels - thanks for the heads up.
Feel better…(both of you…)
and yes, I misspelled “accommodate”. sorry.
I would get the biggest and most obvious surgical masks and make lots of hacking and coughing noises. I’m certain you’ll have the entire rear of the plane to yourself!
As you walk into the plane, ask the smiling flight attendant for a 10-pack of barf bags. Tell her to be sure the pilot steers away from any turbulence and lands very softly. Then ask her for extra peanuts.
this is the fun part. this is where you get a lawyer!!!!
lol lol lol
fuck ‘em, the idiots. keep postin’ stories like this. the Almighty Airlines are ALREADY suffering from disgruntled customers. according to a BBC News article i read around the holidays, the #1 passenger complaint is SHITTY SERVICE from airline staff.
go figure.
>: D
You know me. I’d sneak a chicken on the plane and give all the bastards SARS or Avian Flu. But that’s just how I roll. Hope you feel better.
As a manager of maybe perhaps such accused airline. I am outraged. I would never subject my customers to this behavior. This is unacceptable and I would write a complainant letter to the company and not the reservations department. If you had just shown up at the airport we would never of made you pay why should reservations be any different! I am very sorry. Get well.
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