Rock’s Rantings!

I am normally a mild mannered person but this morning I lost it.

It is bad enough that another one of our legacy airlines(United Airlines) is screwing the passengers by charging a $15 fee for the first piece of checked luggage but their customer service is HORRIBLE!!!

Let me rant about the $15 dollar fee. They say it is in response to ever increasing gas prices. I am confused because I have to pay higher ticket prices because higher gas prices so why must I also pay a luggage fee as well for the same reason. Sounds like the airlines are trying to screw the passengers once again.

I know airlines are struggling and I feel for them but it is their own fault for not locking in long term fuel contacts and for having a bloated bureaucracy best suited to meet the demands of the 1950’s rather than the 21st century.

Do not give me the excuse that it is hard to compete. My answer is horsepuckey. LOOK AT SOUTHWEST. They seem to do a pretty good job!!!!!

As for the straw that broke this morning here it is and I am still boiling mad.

Over the 4th of July holiday I am taking my girlfriend home to meet my parents for the first time. Now the number of flights between Chicago, Il and Rapid City, SD are few so I booked my flight on United over a month ago … let me repeat for the people at United Airlines in case they are reading this ONE MONTH AGO… and selected both my and my girlfriend’s seat assignments.

Since I am two weeks out from my trip I decided to check my reservations and see if there was a problem and much to my surprise - Note my sarcasm - I did not have a set assignment for my flights. That seemed odd to me since I selected those seats and had them confirmed for me over ONE MONTH ago. Once again for effect ONE MONTH people!

My girlfriend had the seats assigned to her that i selected but according to United irlines I did not exist anymore. My credit card which paid for the flights existed for them but I apparently was shuttled off to another dimension!

I called customer service a little upset as I was concerned that there was a problem and I hoped it would be corrected. (I use the term customer service very liberally) I was told that there was nothing they could do as the airport was in charge of the seat assignments now but they could sell me an upgrade if I wanted to guarantee my seat assignment. - Are you kidding me!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Nothing like the old bait and switch from United Airlines.

After I told them I was not paying twice to guarantee a seat - I ALREADY PAID FOR AND SELECTED ONE MONTH AGO - They told me I could check in on-line the day before and maybe I would get a seat assignment. I said that was unacceptable and I wanted to have the seat i selected and I repeat myself ONE MONTH ago.

I asked why did everyone else in my party get the seats that I selected and I was told maybe it was a technical error but not to worry I had a confirmed reservation on the flight. However as I stated earlier this technical error could be fixed if I ponied up just a little bit more cash.

Anyone who flies frequently knows exactly what that means NOTHING!!! I have been in the airport where the airline has oversold the flight and there were not enough seats and the passengers get SCREWED!

It is not as if I can catch the 10:15 flight to South Dakota. Anyone who lives in rural America knows exactly what I am saying. We are taken advantage of by the airlines over and over again.

You want just one more reason why airlines like United are near collapse … look at the way they treat customers. They gouge us when we buy our tickets, they gouge us on luggage and they they use deceptive practices to try and force you to pay even more more for your flight to purchase an upgrade to ensure a seat assignment you already paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

I cannot wait until the day the Southwest rules the Airline wrold.