hdm

OK, I've just sent off an email to US Airways Customer Relations and will follow up by phone tomorrow. I thought I'd get advice from the experts (you) before I make that call. I might post this in the Airlines section too, so give me your response wherever it's most convenient for you.

Here's my email. I've given it to you verbatim except for our names because I worked hard on explaining the problem as clearly as possible:

September 3, 2007

Hello,
I hope you will be able to help me solve a problem in booking flights by using US Airways vouchers.

On December 30, 2006, my husband and I were flying from Ft Lauderdale to Toronto (our home city) and when passengers were solicited, we volunteered our tickets for stand-by passengers. At that time, we were issued two vouchers for free flights anywhere US Airways flies in the continential United States.

Please note these points:
1) The vouchers were issued on December 30, 2006. We were told by the US Airways employee issuing the vouchers that we could use them to book tickets up to one year from that date (therefore to December 30, 2007), and

2) that as long as the flights were booked before that date, they would be valid for a flight through the following year, that is, to December 30, 2008.

Today, I attempted to book two tickets on a flight from Toronto to Florida on December 26, 2007 (flight 306), returning from Talahasee to Toronto on January 4, 2008 (flight 2258).

I called the number we were given at that time, 1-800-428-4322. and spoke to a US Airways employee named Sue. She was very helpful in trying to book these flights for me and has put them on courtesy hold for me while you and I try to solve this problem.

It seems that these vouchers may not be valid or usable for these flights because of the time of year we wish to travel.

Please note that when we were offered the vouchers we were told by the US Airways employee:
- that there would be no limits on our travel,
- that the flights would be free,
- that we could fly within the continental United States until December 30, 2008, as long as the tickets were booked before December 30, 2007,
- and that there wold be no constraints regarding time of year or holiday season.

In fact, it was Christmas time when we gave up our tickets and during the transaction, we were chatting with the gate employee about the fact that we would be using the vouchers the following year at Christmas time. She indicated that this would be no problem.

We had planned from the start to use these tickets Christmas time and would not have given up our original tickets if we'd known at that time that there might be problems with using the vouchers.

You might be thinking that your employee gave us incorrect information at that time. I don't think so because while the transaction was being completed, we (the gate employee and ourselves) were also in conversation with two other passengers who were being issued similar vouchers and they were being given the same information by a second gate employee.

I understand from Sue that the system has now changed and these vouchers are being issued electronically. I would greatly appreciate your help in correcting this error and booking us on the flights that have been held for us. The information is as follows:

- The courtesy hold confirmation code is EYP11M and today's date is September 3, 2007.
- The flight number from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale is 306 on December 26, 2007.
- The return flight number from Talahasee to Toronto is 2258, connecting to 1688 on January 4, 2008.
- The two names to be booked are (me) and (SO).

I understand that your office is closed today but I'll call your office tomorrow to follow up on this email.

I very much appreciate the time Sue put in on the phone with me today and she has told me that I'll also get the same good service from your office. This is clearly a misunderstanding as I don't believe that US Airways would misrepresent these vouchers in any way when they solicit travelers to give up their existing flights.

I look forward to speaking with you and having this problem solved.

djkbooks

What is printed on the voucher?

AJPeabody

You actually trusted what they SAID? They are an airline company, for goodness sakes. If you didn't get it in writing and don't have the name of the person who told you the supposed conditions for voucher use, you will have to throw yourself on the mercy of the airline's officials, a quality they have little of.

Jimingso

Toronto is not in the continental U.S. Try Detroit.

hdm

Jimingso, Toronto's not the problem (and we addressed that issued when we originally got the voucher) and if I were going to fly from the US, Buffalo would be the most logical place. No, the supervisor was quite clear that it's because it's the holiday season and seats are getting filled, so they're not inclined to give away two free ones.

AJP, this was the first time (and very likely the last time) I've ever done the voucher thing. I've learned my lesson. And while your response quite effectively chastises me for my poor judgement in believing what people tell me, it's not particularly helpful and doesn't nothing elevate me out of the very bad mood I find myself in on this holiday.

Andrew

I've been lied to by airline employees more times than I can remember. I remember once expressing concern about a delayed flight out of Chicago. I was in danger of missing the last bus of the night in Portland. An AA employee in Chicago said, "Don't worry, if you miss it, we'll pay for a taxi." When we arrived in Portland, I asked an AA agent about getting comped for a taxi and he said in a smart-assed way, "We're an airline, not a taxi service!!!"

nanabee

hdm:

i don't see why you shouldn't have believed what they told you. you asked a questions and they gave you a response.
i would included a carbon copy at the end of my email letter CC: personal attorney.
another thing you might consider is to drive to your local airport (or have a friend do this in the US) and ask someone at the desk what is the companies policy if you need my seat on an overbooked flight? if they confirm your experience, maybe they could show where this is written in company policy and you could then use this in your defense.

i had a disagreement with American Airlines and complained, they said they couldn't do anything to resolve the problem. i wrote them a letter and included the fact that i travel a lot, and so does everyone in my large family. i said i would complain to everyone i know not to fly American Airlines. Right after that i received a free voucher for up to $350. Long shot - but you might include that in your letter. In my case it worked.

dmlove

hdm, with whom have you been in contact so far? Writing or not, raise holy hell!

Leburta

I think the issue is equity. If they asked you to give up valuable seats which you had for the holiday period, then the vouchers you have should be equivalent. The airline may not want to do it, but they very often can be made to do the right thing if the people in charge are pressed to do so. Keep up the good fight. It sounds like you are in the right!

FauxDoors

I've had very good luck with USAirways using vouchers and frequent flyer miles. I had a similar problem with FF miles that was easily fixed after speaking with a supervisor. There were some scheduling gremlins in the system following the AmericaWest merger, but I've been able to fix it with supervisors. I think you are handling this correct, and have taken the right approach. For the time being, give them the benefit of the doubt - but if they mess with you, POST IT HERE!!

hdm

Thanks, everyone, there are some good ideas here.

I've already sent the e-mail and will call customer relations tomorrow (although I've already been warned by the agent I spoke to today in reservations that I'll have to be patient in getting them on the phone; she was the one who suggested e-mailing then phoning).

The voucher is full of printing but nothing that limits the flight.

nanabee, I like your idea and will try to find out their policy on giving up seats.

leburta, good point! I gave up holiday season tickets and should be reimbursed in kind.

My plan is to stay calm and friendly on the phone, with an attitude of assuming they'll help me. If that doesn't work, I have no qualms about telling them I'll tell everybody I know about this and post it on every travel website I can think of.

If I don't get these tickets, it will put an end to any plans I had for a Florida vacation at Christmas. If I can't get satisfaction from them for December/January, do you think they might at least extend the voucher for a year so I can use it sometime in 08?

caribtraveler

hdm: First of all, this sucks. I'm sorry you're going through this.

I just looked on US Airways web site and the section that spells out their restrictions re: vouchers. The complete list has 22 items and none of them mention blackout periods. But #22 talks about "space available" transportation voucher. Is that what they gave you? If so, I think you might be SOL. If it doesn't say that, then I think you should fight this and include in your letter that blackout periods are not included on their restrictions (and on the voucher if that's the case). I think your letter is really polite but a little long. Will it really matter that you say that you heard other people be told the same thing? Do you have their names and numbers so they can back you up? It's not a criticism. I think you just need to stick to facts: "We gave up our seats for vouchers. We were told this. Nothing on the voucher nor on your web site says there are blackout dates.. etc". And I think you need to say that the supervisor (name?)said the issue was the peak season (again nothing on their site says there are blackout dates). I don't think we get that from your letter.

Also, just to be safe I would take out the "travel within the continental u.s." part and say "travel to any us airways destination".

Good luck.

caribtraveler

Never mind. You sent your email already. Well good luck and let us know how it goes.

BudgetQueen

The vouchers are subject to availabity, and you are VERY late looking for space the day after Christmas, which is an extremely busy travel day.

Even though, you may find seats for sale, they may already be in an oversold mode. Look at alternative days and see what they can come up with.

I also doubt they will extend your time, being you will have had a year to use them.

I would book what ever you can get before the expiration.

I also agree, that if it isn't in writing, then it isn't fact, no matter what was said. You might want to get anything important, sent to you via email, with any further information.

hdm

caribtravel,
I just printed off exactly the same thing. Nothing on my voucher says anything about Space Available. I wondered about that too when I read it, but I think those are stand-by passengers using vouchers. The reason I mentioned the other couple is because the woman I spoke to today has already said, 'well, that employee was giving you incorrect information.' It's less likely that two employees would be giving two sets of customers the same incorrect information. I see on their current list of policies that travel has to be completed by the end of the year from the date of the voucher, but that's OK. If we had to cut our vacation short by 4 days, we would.

Budget Queen, nothing on the vouchers or in their policies says anything about 'subject to availability'. But even if it did, there are seats available and in fact, they're on hold for me. It's not that seats aren't available, it's that they want to sell them for $$$. I understand that's their business, but in that case they shouldn't be offering vouchers.

hills27

For future reference, you should always right down the name of an employee that promised you anything. And if they promise you some sort of compensation (e.g. a taxi ride), then you should get it in writing from that employee.

caribtraveler

hdm: Don't get me wrong, I totally get why you mentioned the other people being told the same thing by another agent. I just don't think that buys you anything with them when it's just your word with nothing on paper to prove it. I think your best best is the fact that blackout periods are not mentioned on their site and on your voucher and that there are seats avail on the flight you want. Their rules are right there in black and white. Go get 'em!

nanabee

hdm: you definately have a good case, just stand your ground!
remember repeat customers are important to them and negative publicity is not, play that card.
the fact that you heard a second agent giving the same information to another couple is important to show a pattern of intentional mis-information (not just a accident that pertained to only you.)
you are smart in the way you are handling this matter. You Go Girl!

hdm

Thanks, all, for your moral support! I just hate the thought of how much emotional energy it's going to take to fight this battle. I'm prepared to drive out to the airport tomorrow if I have to, and actually get the tickets in person, if that will do the trick. It would mean leaving work for a couple of hours mid-day but if I have to do it, I will.

dusty56438

I have had similar vouchers on a different airline.

I had to use the voucher (actually fly & not just book) by one year from the day the voucher was issued.

I can also see the reason for availability. There is probably a code on the voucher that explains it.

I also do not agree that just because you gave up your seats on a flight during a holiday season that they should give you equivalent (Leburta's post). I am assuming you just gave up your seats on that particular flight & went on a flight a few hours later or the next morning. You didn't give up the entire roundtrip.

Seems to me to be unreasonable to expect a voucher to fly any time with no restrictions for just a few hours inconvenience.