The airlines… a lesson in humility

Well, I thought I was being smart when I read an article about how to get a US Airways RT to London Gatwick for very little cash. I signed up for two credit cards, and Voila! It was done.

Or was it?

The only flights US Airways had on the dates required were from Dallas, not Austin (my origination point). So, the original fees charged me for the credit cards (equaling about $140) were now having an additional $175 tacked on for a RT hop from Austin to Dallas.

The total ticketing was now $315. When I booked the tickets from Dallas, I was charged the taxes (around $150) for the international flight. This now brings the ticket total to $465. Still a deal… but, rather than a two leg trip (which I’m used to), this has now become a three-leg trip with stops at DFW, Charlotte, and London Gatwick.

Fast forward to today. A month prior to the trip. I realize now that both airlines have shifted schedules so much that I won’t be able to make my Austin connection on the way home. I called US Airways to see if I could get an earlier flight from Charlotte.

I can’t.

I must fork out $188 to American Airlines to get an earlier flight. The cost of my “free” ticket is now $653.

I think, “Perhaps I can get back some frequent flier miles from US Air.” I try that. Surprise! They not only can book me from Charlotte, but they can get me to Austin non-stop! Yay!

I call American back (within an hour of having made my reservation from Charlotte) to ask if they can stop the ticket purchase I had just made. With the US Airlines agent on the phone with me, telling me that US Air has a policy to refund if a change is made within 24 hours… the American agent refused. Bluntly. Not only did she refuse, but so did her supervisor.

I asked if American wanted my future business… and there was silence.

There is no phone number for AA customer relations, only an email. I’m sure they’ll receive my complaint tomorrow (Monday) by which time if they *could* have refunded my money, they wouldn’t.

This treatment angers me on so many different levels.
 Airlines shifting schedules so that it inconveniences customers to this extent.
 Incompetent agents not verifying schedules and giving incorrect information.
 Rude agents and impossible airline policies that won’t refund a ticket within 24 hours when there’s no reason not to.

I will probably fly US Airways again since the second agent was able to get me a round trip directly to Charlotte from Austin. However, American will never see me again.