US Airways Consumer Reviews - Page 3

On January 7, 2010 I decided to take a last minute trip to fort lauderdale, fl. Usually I would make the hour and a half drive to the Philly airport from bethlehem pa and use southwest airline. So since this was a last minute trip I decided to leave from the abe which is located in allentown the last flight that I could find to get to fort lauderdale that night. This flight I had booked at around 3:15 that afternoon to leave from abe around 5-5:30pm on this particular day...

What I didn't know that the planes that US Airways uses out of the lehigh valley airport are called express because this is a small airport and these overhead bins cannot accommodate carry-on luggage unless you decide to carry a purse or plastic bag to put in these bins. I had a small carry-on suitcase in which I had my laptop in. My laptop size is btw 17-19 inches so it's not your tiny 10inch notebook. While boarding with my carry-on luggage I was told that my luggage needed to be put under the plane and I will get it back plane side when I get off at clt to continue on my trip to fort lauderdale.

Yes I know you guys are saying "Well why did you not pull your laptop out..." Remember the size. I just told you it could not have fit in the overhead bin. So anyway I had no worries because I'm assuming that been that this is an actual carry-on luggage they give you a yellow ticket which only ask you to put in your name and the destination of where the airline is going. And I figure that they would handle these bags at least with care. Anyway I made it to clt no worries. Didn't even think that there would be any problem at all. Went on my merry way to get on my connecting flight to go to ft lauderdale...

I made it to fort lauderdale at around 10:30pm that night. Made it to my destination around 11:30 that night. Now somewhere between 12:30am and 1:30am I decided I wanted to go online and check my emails. Powered my laptop on heard it loaded heard it connected to the internet. I got signed out of my instant messengers on my phone. Look at the laptop no picture. Upon inspecting my laptop I realize something didn't look right. So I sent an emergency text message to a friend of mine who owns a computer repair shop stating laptop emergency.

Later that morning around 9am I dropped off the laptop to find out what the problem was via text message around 1:45pm what the problem was indeed my screen. So what it seems is that when they put my bag in the undercarriage either they threw it in or they threw another bang on top of mine which caused the separation. Of what seemed is the hinges so which means the entire screen needs to be replaced. On my yellow ticket it has no phone numbers or anything in fine print stating what should you do if there was a problem. So then I asked to have an estimate emailed to me so I can contact US Airways.

When I arrived back home on January 11 I called US Airways customer service and I was told that there is no one I could speak to you in regards to my claim. I can only send out an email and wait to be contacted. I was told to email customer.relations@usairways.com. I got a computer generated email said I should expect a response within 7 business days so I could understand that I decided to be very patient and wait the 6-7 business days to be contacted back via phone call or email. So 15 days later no response so I decided to email them again once more on January 26. Here is a copy of my email:

"I would like to know how long is it that I am supposed to wait for someone to contact me about my property that was damaged due to the lack of care of your baggage handlers. I first sent this email to you on January 11, 2010 and now it is January 26 15 days later and I still haven't heard anything from anyone. My phone number is ** and my name is **. So I got another computer generated email saying wait 6-7 business day."

Here is the response I received on January 29 from US Airways: "** and **, This acknowledges our recent email sent to Customer Relations. It was forwarded to our office by Customer Relations for our response to your baggage claim status inquiry. Our records indicate the following email reply was sent on January 21st. Quote:

Ref: ** Dear Mr. **, Thank you for contacting the Central Baggage Resolution Office at US Airways. Your email was forwarded by Customer Relations for our review and response to the baggage related concerns you've described. I apologize for the length of time it has taken us to address your email. I regret we are unable to open email attachments due to our Internet security settings. Also, I was unable to locate an active Property Irregularity Report for this incident.

Mr. **, unfortunately, all damage must be reported in person within four hours of arrival, thus allowing for a physical evaluation to be completed prior to any assumption of liability. When a customer arrives at his/her destination and does not immediately report damaged property, we cannot honor any subsequent claim. In addition, per the Published Airline Tariffs we are unable to compensate for computer equipment, as it is among those items excluded from coverage when transported in checked baggage.

If you have not already done so, you may wish to contact your personal property or travel insurer to see if you have coverage for an incident such as this. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to clarify our position. I sincerely hope we have an opportunity to restore your confidence in our service. Respectfully, ** Central Baggage Resolution Office US Airways Unquote. I appreciate this opportunity to be of further assistance. Respectfully, ** Central Baggage Resolution Office US Airways."

Here is a copy of my response this email: "I'm sorry this was not a bag that was checked in as a carryon bag... I was told that the plane that we took which was the express is the overhead bins are too small to put our carry-on luggage in so we had to get a yellow ticket to put on our bags where we will receive the bag back once we get off the plane... and getting in contact after 4 hours after the arrival of that flight would have been impossible since I had a connecting flight to fort lauderdale and I did not find out the problem until the next morning after I turned my laptop on...

I need to speak to someone in person. This email communication is not working.... and if I need to fax over a copy of what information that was given to me by the computer repair which is the diagnosis and quote I will... and if I knew I would not have been able to carry my carry-on on this trip as a carry-on I would never used your company...

I've never had a problem with any other airlines with my carry-on luggage...what's the point of having a carry-on when you can't actually carry it on... So I would appreciate it if I get a phone number or have someone call me. I would like to speak to a live person not typing via email because I need to this resolve.... and my name is Ms ** not Mr **."

Still no response so now I sent another email on February 6 here is my email: "I'm still waiting for someone to contact me about my problem... so I can explain to the person about my problem... because on the yellow tag that I was given to put on my carry-on bag it states nowhere on there about contacting anyone if there is a problem with my luggage. Only thing it ask for is the flight number and destination of departure and arrival and no phone numbers... So can someone please contact me via telephone or do I need to go to the airport...to speak to a live person? my name once again is ** and my phone number is."

Finally on February 8 almost one month after my first contact with them about my issues here is that email. I have contacted the computer repair shop to send fax them over the estimate. Hopefully this will resolve the issue and no I still have yet to speak to anyone in person from the baggage resolution department. I'm so tired of dealing with these email communications. Here is the February 8th communication. Looks like it will be getting somewhere:

"**, This will acknowledge your recent email. I apologize for the length of time it has taken us to reply. To review this matter further, you may provide an invoice indicating the necessary cost of repair. If your property cannot be repaired, you may provide the repair shop's documentation along with the date of purchase and original cost. You may wish to send this information via certified or registered mail to the address below. If the item has a singular cost over $100, we ask that substantiation of the original purchase price be provided.

US Airways Attn: Central Baggage Resolution Office 4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85034 Fax 480-693-2305 You may reply or reach our office at 866-874-3931, option 3, and leave a message at anytime if you have further questions at this time. Your information will be reviewed and a Baggage Specialist will return your call within 24 hours, between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm local time. Your cooperation is appreciated, we await your reply. Respectfully, ** Central Baggage Resolution Office US Airways." Sorry for such a long blog but I had to put my 3cents in lol...

We were flying home from San Juan PR to Philadelphia on Dec 19th. Philadelphia was expected to get 2 feet of snow which started early in the day. Our flight was scheduled to leave SJ at 1:45 pm and arrive at Philadelphia around 5:45 pm. Because the weather forecasters were predicting blizzard conditions, we thought our flight would be canceled. No such luck. We left SJ at 2:30 pm. The Capt kept us informed and told us that Phila was allowing planes inbound and that we may have to be in a "hold" depending on conditions.

As we approached Phila, the Capt actually told us that conditions were improving and that they temporarily had closed the runways so that they could be plowed. She assured us we had enough fuel to hold for about an hour. About 45 minutes into the "hold" she then told us the airport was closed and we would have to go to an "alternate" airport. That was when the nightmare really started. They turned us around and flew us one hour and 10 minutes south to Charlotte.

We couldn't understand this- why not go to Newark (they only had about 3 inches at the time). But no... let's go NC b/c Charlotte is US Airways' hub. They told us our luggage would be at carousel B so we proceeded to baggage claim where we waited one hour for our luggage which never came. We then found out from another passenger that we were not getting our luggage. He was told by a representative that the Federal Gov't would not allow it b/c Charlotte was not our final destination. The line for service to book another flight the next day was 4 hours long. We had to find a hotel (not an easy task since all US Air flights were diverted to Charlotte).

We called the 1-800 number for US Air when we got to the hotel and the wait was "119 minutes". We finally (after being disconnected twice) got to speak to a representative and we were booked on a flight the next day at 2 pm. We arrived at the airport at 11:30 am and the lines were unbelievable. Since we never got our luggage, we had no bags to check (lucky for us) and we already had our boarding passes. We only had to wait an hour to go through security.

Charlotte airport was not equipped to deal with all the crowds of people. They had 2 lanes for security check through. As soon as we arrived at the gate, we noticed our flight was now changed to 3:46 pm. Great. It only went downhill from there. 4:00... 4:30... 5:00... 5:30... We were told that Philly would not release our flight b/c of the backlog of airplanes, the amount of snow and the inability to clear snow from the gates. We finally boarded the plane around 5:45 pm and were informed we had a 6:04 take off. Then the Capt told us we were still not cleared for take off and wasn't sure we would be and would have to wait until 7:00 pm.

At 7:00 pm we were told it was still definite we would be taking off. Then, all of a sudden, they started the safety video and told us to put our trays up and seats upright. We pulled away from the gate. Everyone clapped. Then the engines stopped. The Capt then told us "they needed the gate". So there we sat on the tarmac. How much more torture? Couldn't they have told us we were just moving away from the gate? Everyone thought we were taking off. Then he told us we would have another update at 8:00 pm. Still not sure we would get clearance. They let us watch movies (how generous). Then, we got word at 8:30 that we were taking off.

We landed in Phila about 1 hour later. Had to wait 20 minutes to pull up to a gate. We were told our luggage would be at Carousel B. We never saw our luggage. However, the carousels were loaded with luggage from previous flights. There was luggage all over the place- abandoned. The line to report a claim was about a 2-hour wait. There were 2 US Air personnel to take claims- can you imagine? We decided to end our torture and left the airport without the luggage.

My husband went back the next day and had to wait. The most upsetting thing aside from the wait, was the irresponsibility of the airline to make the decision to take off from SJ in the first place. They did not care how they inconvenienced people. They were going to get that plane in the air no matter what. I think they knew all along they were going to bring the plane into Charlotte. How inconvenient to the passengers. I will NEVER fly US Air again, nor will I fly out of Philadelphia. They are no way equipped to deal with chaos!

My turn to pile on. I booked a flight on 10/30 (at 3 am) for a Christmas Eve flight to Greenville, SC. Or so I thought. The same morning at 8 am, I double-checked my itinerary and noticed a mistake-- I selected Greenville, NC by mistake. Four hours away, but I was confident the mistake was caught early enough-- heck, the plane was 90% empty when I booked.

The first customer service representative was very unsympathetic to my dyslexia problem and told me I would have to pay the $150 change fee. Obviously perturbed, I decided to call back later once the blood returned to my extremities.

Around noon the same day, I tried again and got a much better response. I was now told that company policy is to make these changes WITHOUT the $150 change fee if caught within 24 hours of booking. "Whew", I thought. Crummy that company policies seem to be dependent on the mood of the customer service rep you get, but it seemed to work out in the end, so I was happy...or so I thought.

December 15th, and I go back to double-check my itinerary. "What's this", I said as I noticed I was still headed to...you guessed it, Greenville NORTH CAROLINA. I called customer service (in the Philippines) and was mysteriously disconnected four separate times (and had to re-queue for 25 minutes each time!). But unfortunately for me, there was no record of my flight change request on 10/30...so I was SOL. Plus, each time I spoke to customer service, I got a different story on the policy about the $150 change fee again. Kind of makes it hard to listen to statements like, "There is nothing I can do" when you know darn well they can do something about it.

To make things worse, I was definitely going to be charged the difference between the flight I booked on 10/30 and the flights available now-- to the tune of an additional $308. Did it matter that they were negligent in fulfilling the change request? Nope. According to the grand wizard of supervisors (everyone seems to be a supervisor at US Airways customer service, though no one has the power to fix anything) it was MY fault for not verifying the change wasn't made within 24 hours. My bad! I guess I should also be ready hop in the cockpit if the crew decides to nap, or carry my paddle and water wings in case they decide to splash-land in the Hudson again.

Needless to say, I will be driving to my destination on Christmas Eve this year. Thanks again for remembering the importance of customer service and reliability US Airways! BTW, I later found out that there was a flight to Asheville, NC for $400 total, but no one mentioned that in the 3 hours I spent on the phone trying to straighten out this mess.

TEMPE, ARIZONA -- On October 7, 2009 my son was scheduled to fly on US AIRWAYS Flight #4175 from La Guardia to Roanoke, Virginia. We arrived at the US AIRWAYS curb-side check in at 12:50 pm which was well within the airline's limit of 30 minutes for a 1:29 pm flight. The airline personnel erroneously insisted that the flight was 1:14 pm and would not check the bag. Given this wrong information and faced with long lines at the ticket counter and security, my son raced to get to the gate leaving me to figure out how to get his baggage to Virginia.

More critical than the fact that he was now leaving with nothing but the clothes on his back was that his liquid prescription medicine was in the suitcase. No sooner had he gotten to the gate, then it was announced that the flight was delayed. Both the courteous US AIRWAYS employee who checked him in and the TSA security person said that since the plane had not yet arrived, no baggage was loaded and there was plenty of time to get a sticker and check the suitcase. I was directed to a supervisor who was to take care of it.

This is where the nightmare began! The supervisor was extremely unprofessional and nasty, “Get to the back of the line!” she barked as I approached the desk. Even when I responded that it was a matter of some urgency and sympathetic fellow passengers also voiced concern, she walked away. Finally, the helpful US AIRWAYS employee got her attention. However, all this did was allow the supervisor to become even more discourteous and abrupt. She did not listen to my concerns that the suitcase contained my son's necessary prescription medication in liquid form which I did not think could be taken in his carry-on.

She told me that I would have to buy a ticket and fly the next day down with the suitcase! Another US AIRWAYS employee told me that I could ship it cargo. When I asked the supervisor about that procedure – she ignored me. No one could give me any information about how to get the medicine to my child. I was attempting to get the situation resolved for over an hour until the plane finally departed at 1:53 pm and I was left with the medicine and the suitcase and absolutely no assistance or possible way to get it to Virginia. Many passengers came up to comfort me, aghast at the behavior of US AIRWAYS.

I had to pay $186 for UPS to overnight the suitcase and medicine to my son. As a result of this US AIRWAYS supervisor's unconscionable behavior which is in absolute violation of your own written policies, my son was without his medicine for over 24 hours which resulted in exacerbation of his symptoms and a lot of worry, inconvenience and potential serious health risk for him. All my letters and calls to their customer service yielded was the reading of a script and a $50 coupon for another flight. I don't think I will be needing it in the future.

US Airways, Oct 15th 2009, 6:10AM flight from Reno NV to Phoenix, AZ. continuing to Guadalajara, Mexico. I arrived at at the ticket counter at 4:55 am to 2 different lines of people. One was international and mostly people getting checked in and ticketed for Mexico. This would understandably take longer than domestic as the checkers were dealing with passports etc... but that line had 20 +/- people and was moving VERY slowly. The domestic line was moving faster and never had more than 4-8 people there at once. I was flying non rev and was told that I could not be issued a ticket until all of the other passengers had been cleared. Understandable.

So I waited with 8 other non revers to the side of the counter. During that time I witnessed the counter person (later identified as the Supervisor) throwing bags AS HARD AS SHE COULD against the back of the conveyor belt while being uncommunicative and spiteful with passengers. I did not see a single passenger who checked in with her leave the counter happy. When the line had cleared, I approached her counter and asked if I could change my 9:30 listing to the 6:10 flight (it was now 5:45. Note: there was never more that 8 people in her line at once.)

And she informed me that the ENTIRE line needed to be cleared meaning the international line which was seemingly immobile. She then started working with the other gentleman on the international line and it started moving a little. During this time a man, woman and toddler (who were now standing in the domestic line, and had been since before I got there) had been told to wait for her to "get to them" after she helped to clear the international line which they did patiently. It was now 5:55.

As soon as the international line was finally cleared, the gentleman who was working the international line looks to the family and says "we're going to schedule you for a different flight". At that time both the man and the woman (who had been waiting patiently) erupted in disagreement saying "We got here at 4:30... we booked this trip 8 months ago! We're will miss all of our connections..." at which the gentleman at the counter said "Not my problem... talk to my supervisor!" (who was the angry woman standing beside him, violently throwing bags). She picked up the phone and then hung it up, looked at them and said "it's just too late to board the plane".

It was 6:00 AM. While the family was having a meltdown and the counter people were being unresponsive to that meltdown. I stepped up and checked in for the 9:30 flight and went to the gate. The gate was still open but closing. After the plane left I asked the gate personnel "How many available seats were on the plane that just left for Phoenix?". The reply "Over 20". OVER 20! The reason over 10 people missed that flight (as well as all of their connecting flights) was none other than the incompetence of the counter/bag personnel.

It's no wonder US Airways ranks #1 in customer complaints. If American Capitalism works the way it is supposed to. Hopefully, US Airways will go the way of Braniff and Eastern and rot along with the other companies who forgot the reason they were ever profitable in the first place: The Consumer.

My new husband and I had an absolute nightmare experience dealing with US Airways. We left for Las Vegas for a short wedding weekend and flew out on American with NO problems...they were wonderful. When returning, we unfortunately were flying US Airways. We had no clue how horrible of an experience we would be dealt and the lack of respect or concern on the part of the airline was beyond appalling.

We arrived at the Las Vegas airport 3 hours prior to our flight and were the second and third persons to check in and get to the gate. We were told the flight was overbooked by several people and offered first class seats if we transferred to the later flight, leaving at 7PM. Since the later flight was direct we would have made it home sooner than the one with the layover so we said we would be glad to do that and were told to confirm an hour prior to departure.

When we went to confirm, a VERY rude and snide male with dark, scruffy facial hair (I only give this description b/c I didn't get his name); told us there was no way he would be putting us in first class on any flight and this one was not overbooked. He made it sound as though we had asked for the transfer when in fact they had asked us! Obviously, someone at US Air thought lying and misleading us was okay, and he felt comfortable treating us like second class citizens.

When we finally boarded the plane, we walked to the back and the flight was full. My assigned seat was being occupied by another person who did not budge or blink an eye when I told the flight attendant about the error. The flight attendant had no problem moving me to the last row and seating me next to strangers even though I had a RESERVED seat that was paid for, next to my brand new spouse.

She did not even ask to check the man's ticket who was in my seat and did not give one single thought to honoring what we had PAID for and purchased! Meanwhile the man and his girlfriend made out the entire flight and relished in their new seats next to each other. The unprofessionalism on the part of the airline was over the top.

Now the story gets even better (insert sarcasm). We pulled out onto the runway...(each of us seated apart), when the pilot said "we are number 45 in line to leave". What??? Turns out there was only one lane open for the planes at the airport. The flight itself was horrendous with many passengers certain it was going to crash - an obviously untrained pilot that added physical terror to the emotional battering we were already experiencing.

By the time we landed in Phoenix our connecting flight was in the final stages of the boarding call...on the OTHER side of the airport. Again, the attendants did not even consider rising to the occasion and no priority was given to those on the plane to depart first if they had a connecting flight. They even commented on the overhead that many would be missing their connections. Of course, they did not offer an apology for this.

We ran to the gate and got there just as they were closing the door. We were told we would be separated again and they were going to check our bags and that's just how it was. We said "NO" because everything up to this point was at the fault and in consideration of the airline and its staff. We were certainly not going to give them the opportunity to screw up another matter.

When we walked down the jetway leading to the plane yet another rude staff member promptly told us our luggage had to be checked and began taking my husband's luggage out of his hand. I told her (an African/Jamaican woman with a thick accent) that we were not checking our luggage as it was the airline's fault we were late and mistreated until this point. I got on the plane and was physically shaking with a red face and almost in tears because of the flight attendants we had already encountered. At this point I was offered a glass of water and the first decent gentleman attendant said he would make room for the bags...which he did.

I was back on the jetway waiting with my spouse when the woman took my husband's luggage from his hand, handed it to the man on the ground and said "IT WILL BE CHECKED"!! Right after, the male flight attendant came and asked for our luggage to which we told him she had taken it anyway and had completely disregarded our wishes and his statement that he had made room. She did not care at all and continued giving an ugly look with a sense of satisfaction that her mission had been accomplished...and that was the last straw.

When I sat in my AGAIN newly appointed seat on the last row, I was placed next to a gentleman with horrible body odor and a woman who was sick with the flu. The point again is that I was never to be in this seat placement anyway. When we finally arrived in DFW after midnight, my husband's luggage was the last bag off even though it was the last one put under the plane so abruptly.

Not one apology was made during the entire course of our experience with US Airways and not one individual cared that we had been misled, given false information, had our money virtually stolen and our honeymoon trip home absolutely ruined. These are experiences I wish upon no one.

FROM MY NOTE TO US AIRWAYS: I am an avid flyer and have NEVER witnessed anything of this magnitude. While you may think we do not matter and our business is small in comparison to how many customers you have, we will do our part in informing everyone we know not to ever utilize this airline. A response acknowledging the many errors and rude treatment given would be appreciated as well as a refund or something this airline deems appropriate for the situation. The response we receive will be taken into play as far as our next step goes. We will not stop here if nothing is done and the company where we purchased our tickets from will also be notified.

You can contact us at the phone number or the address provided. We hope this matter will be given serious attention. Please note that with the state of our economy the way it is, one would think a company would be concerned with their reputation and ability to maintain customer care and retention. How sad it is that so many businesses operating under a model of integrity are failing while a company with such poor service and rude employees is still surviving. What a terrible shame.

I sent the following letter via email on April 27, 2009 (using the online customer service form, which is listed as the preferred method of communication). Though your Website states that all written complaints are processed in 3-4 business days, I've received no response to date - it is now June 2nd.

I am writing to tell you about my recent experience flying US Airways. I have two young children at home, so I haven't flown in about 3 years. I was in Atlanta attending a conference and I have an infant at home. I am nursing, so I was traveling with my breast pump. In anticipation of the trip home, I purchased 2 large thermoses to transport the milk. When closed properly, they are vacuum sealed, and hold the temperature of a liquid for up to 24 hours.

At the airport, I paid the $15 to check this bag and spoke to agent about the bag. I told her that it contained breast milk and if it were to be searched, I needed to ensure that the thermoses would be closed tightly. She assured me that the agents checking the bags were very careful.

I was flying from Atlanta to Philadelphia, with a connection in Charlotte. The flight from Atlanta was delayed, meaning that everyone on the flight missed their connections. During the entire three hours the flight was delayed, my fellow passengers and I stood in line at the desk. We did not know if we should take the delayed flight, if we were being rebooked from Atlanta or from Charlotte, or any other helpful information.

The supervisor at the desk took frequent breaks. While he was on a break and not helping customers, I asked him about my checked bag. I told him that I had refrigerated items and also that I had medicine that I needed to take that evening. I asked if, since the bag had not yet been put on the flight and it looked like we had a long wait, if it was possible to get back my bag. He said that that would be problematic. I asked what my recourse would be and he said that if I had a life-threatening condition, he could call the paramedics. Luckily, I did not, but I don't imagine this would have been helpful to someone who did.

I do want to say that when we landed in Charlotte, the staff was excellent. They appeared to have no knowledge that there would be a plane full of dislocated travelers needing their connections rebooked and hotel and meal vouchers, but they immediately jumped to action. They called over more staff, took care of us all very quickly, and were very pleasant as well. I (am, I'€™m sure the rest of the passengers) really appreciated that.

The agents did tell us that we would be able to get our bags from the plane, but when we went to the baggage area we were told that the baggage crew had gone home and there was no way the bags were getting off of the plane that evening. The agent I spoke with said that my bag would go to Philadelphia on the 6:30AM flight. I was not able to get on that flight, however; I was confirmed on the 5:50PM flight. I asked if my bag could be retrieved and sent to the hotel in the morning (I had until about noon to get it into the refrigerator).

The agent photocopied my claim ticket and took my information. I was able to get a mini-fridge at the hotel, so I was hopeful that maybe I would be able to salvage the milk after all. When I didn't hear anything in the morning, I called the airline and was told that my bag had gone to Philadelphia on the 6:30AM flight. When I arrived in Philadelphia - nearly 19 hours after I was scheduled to come home I knew that I would be throwing away 70 ounces of breast milk (if this seems like no big deal to you, please tell this story to a nursing mother).

I did not know, however, that I would be throwing away my entire bag. When I picked it up, it was dripping. The thermoses had been opened, but not tightly closed. This not only caused 70 ounces of milk to spill into and soak my bag, but it also ruined the vacuum seal, so the glass in the thermoses exploded. So, I paid you $15 to ruin my bag and everything in it.

I want to assure you that I was always polite and respectful to your agents. I understand that things happen beyond the airline's control and that you certainly cannot be held accountable for weather delays. However, I do think the situation could have been handled better. I think that there were multiple opportunities for me to retrieve my bag that were ignored, and I think better care could have been taken when examining my items. I have been compliant to added security measures and extra fees, but I think these need to be tempered with respect for your passengers. US Airways will no longer be my airline of choice.

I made a complaint to US Airways Baggage Resolution department about my things being stolen by one of their employees and was basically told they are not liable because they decided they are not. I was on a flight on January 7th from Detroit to Providence. My flight connected in Philadelphia. My first flight was an express flight and we were told we had to give our carry-ons directly to the baggage handlers to put inside the storage compartment in the plane. The planes are small and cannot hold all the carry-ons inside. It is the only time the bag was out of my sight.

In the front pocket of my backpack I had my portable external hard drive and a wireless mouse. When I started to unpack the next day, the only thing in the pocket was a package of peanuts, and the pocket was zipped when I got my bag so it did not fall out. I e-mailed the airline immediately and have yet to receive a reply, so I am already unimpressed with the customer service. I called eventually and was told to handle it through the mail with Baggage Resolution.

I was forced to give my carry-on, a bag intended to stay with a customer, to the baggage person. I was not offered anything so they are not concerned with keeping customers, and I am a frequent flier. I not only lost my personal items in this situation but I can never recover the things on my hard drive. I sent them receipts of the items and it is clear what happened so they know the items exist and were not lost. I was offered nothing and basically told 'too bad', so I take that to mean the airline encourages their employees to steal by not caring about these situations.

I have no doubt that there was no investigation as to who was working that day and no kind of disciplinary action took place. I do not understand what makes the airline think they can type up a limitation of liability statement. They are liable because it is their problem if their employees are stealing, not mine. So it is their responsibility. U.S. Airways does not have the right to not accept liability when they either lose someone's baggage or have employees who are stealing from customers. I did not sign anything agreeing to this disclaimer so I do not see how it can be valid.

It is despicable to treat customers this way regardless and I will no longer fly with this airline, and neither will my family. I was offered anything, not even a ticket which costs just about nothing to the airline. So there is no concern about losing customers.

I have made a complaint to the Better Business Bureau, Consumer Affairs, the Attorney General's office, AirlineComplaints.org, and the Aviation Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Transportation. Even after filing with the BBB, the airline has still refused to take responsibility for their employees.

SAN JOSE COSTA RICA -- I am writing this letter in reference to a very serious situation that I recently experienced while traveling on your airlines. During this experience I and my family were made to endure great physical and mental abuse because of the actions of the Captain.

I will attempt to summarize the events as concisely as possible with this letter. I would be able to expand on the events if you need any additional information please contact me. I also encourage you to please seek testimony from other passengers on this flight. I also would request that the flight recordings of the Captain's announcements be retained for reference.

The check-in and boarding of the flight proceeded professionally and proficiently as has other flights I have experienced with your company. Upon closing of the doors and preparations for push-off from the gate the pilot informed the passengers that we would be able to fly non-stop from San Jose to Phoenix only if we could take off from runway 07 because the plane was overweight. If we had to take off on runway 25 we would be required to stop in Mexico to refuel. Unfortunately this was a downwind takeoff and against the flow of traffic so it would be a slight delay to wait for the break in traffic. Most likely no- longer than 20 minutes.

I thought this was curious because the flight was not full and the recent change from two 70lb bags to one 50lb bag per passenger should save some 11,000lbs of weight. This and the fact that the tickets did not include a stop in Mexico. I believed that the pilot was obviously trying to save fuel / money by avoiding a stop. I could understand that attempt, as I realize an air stop for fuel can be very costly. I reassured my wife and children that we had a lengthy layover in Phoenix before our next flight so it wouldn't affect our travel.

After some time, I would guess about 45 minutes, the pilot informed passengers that we missed our break in the traffic because we were unable to warm up the engines in time. About 45 minutes later the pilot informed passengers that the winds were now too strong for a downwind takeoff and that we would have to have both a break in traffic and lower winds to safely take off. Sometime later the pilot informed the passengers that we had missed another break in traffic because some passengers weren'€™t trying hard enough to will the wind speed down to a safe level.

The pilot informed the passengers that we were still on standby. During all this time the Flight Attendants were trying to appease the passengers but repeatedly asked if people could conserve water as they would surely run out. I was immediately alarmed at this prospect because due to a medical condition it causes me extreme discomfort to become dehydrated.

At this time, some 2 ½ to three hours into our delay, I began to question the ability of the pilot to make the decision to take off on the other runway and get underway. Passengers were becoming very uncomfortable and children were crying. The pilot proceeded to make several announcements that contradicted previous announcements, and he started blaming the runway, ground crew and overall backwardness of the facilities for the predicament.

The pilot announced that a decision was made to take off on the other runway but we were too heavy for that runway also, and we had to burn off fuel. This decision didn't make any sense but at this point everyone was so relieved that we were doing something passengers felt somewhat appeased. After being moved to a location we could burn fuel it became apparent that we were out of drinking water. Many passengers began to protest and the captain came on and announced that we would return to the gate and get water and food. He was very rude and again blamed the passengers and the Costa Rican facilities for the problems.

When we returned to a position near the gate the passengers were informed that we could takeoff from runway 25 without burning any more fuel as soon as we got water and food. I and many passengers, including my wife were confused and really worried about the events. I heard over and over from other passengers "Something just doesn't seem right with this."

The passengers were getting increasingly upset and someone must have asked if they could get off the flight because the captain informed the passengers that they had no reason to be upset and that no one should be asking about passenger rights and it would only cause further delays. At this point (some 5hrs delay) my wife and I became worried about the decisions being made by the pilot. The inconsistency in direction and the increased tension of the situation seemed to clearly limit his ability to properly consider the health and safety of the passengers.

I don'€™t claim to know all the circumstances of this situation, but I do have a limited knowledge of flight procedures. I have a pilot'™s license, my father got his pilot'€™s license when he was minimum age, he became an aircraft mechanic and flight instructor and was an airtraffic controller for his career. We owned several aircraft as I grew up. My wife has pursued her pilot's license, and she was an aircraft dispatcher for many years. We both travel yearly for vacations and business.

I have spent many hundreds of hours seated next to commercial pilots for my work and I consider them to be very professional and based with integrity. I began to really get an uneasy feeling about Captain ** and requested his full name and pilots license number. Up to that point he had referred to himself as Captain **. I had to repeatedly ask for this information and was finally refused anything except his name.

Captain ** then announced that anyone wanting to leave the aircraft would cause a minimum takeoff delay of another 2 hours for the rest of the passengers. My wife and I were concerned about our safety and well-being and so we inquired about leaving the airplane. I was told that if I wanted to leave the aircraft that it would be an hour to wait for a bus to come out to the ramp and pick us up, an hour to get our bags off the aircraft, and that no flights out of San Jose were available for 3 days. We were told that no reimbursements for hotel, food, etc. would be paid for during this time.

We were told that we must immediately make this decision. This was a clear cut case of bullying and manipulation by your airline. We had to weigh the potential loss of thousands of dollars and an extended amount of time dealing with customer relations with putting ourselves and children in potential harm. We were assured that we would be taking off within the next 15 minutes and that complimentary food would be provided for the flight.

The fact that we were in a foreign country where we did not speak the language, staying would cost a minimum of $2000 to us, and we were reassured that all missed flights were being taken care of by a special part of the company while we were in route. We unfortunately elected to remain onboard the aircraft. We burned off more fuel and departed 1 hour later.

We were again told to use water sparingly and were given no food. We landed in Mazatlan Mexico for fuel and were told we could not leave the aircraft. We left Mazatlan and upon reaching altitude we were each given the smallest low quality sandwich I have ever eaten. My little girl was unable to eat the food because its taste caused a gagging reaction. No other food was offered. I was told that if I wanted water it would be from the tap because of the scarcity of bottled water.

Upon landing the Captain again blamed just about everything he could on the delay but at no time said he was sorry. His parting comment was: "€œEverybody needs to get their feet wet sometime; I thought I did as good as **!" I was amazed that someone in such an important position as himself with the well being of so many people in his care would be so lacking in consideration and professionalism. We were told that everyone had been rebooked and to proceed to the desk outside of immigration to get information.

I would like to take the time to say Thank You to Flight Attendant. Forgive me for not being sure of his name if it is incorrect. ** spent the entire 12 hours of our time on the aircraft trying to help passengers. I believe he was as honest and upfront as he could be and genuinely was concerned about the decisions of the Captain.

Upon arriving at the US Airways it became apparent from the upset passengers in front of us that anyone having to stay overnight was not being reimbursed for any expenses. When I reached the counter we had not been given enough food and water to maintain healthy blood sugar. My daughter was shaking and my son, wife and I were extremely hungry and thirsty. We had been on your aircraft for 12 hrs.

We were told that our continuing flight was the next day at 7pm. I said no problem but I would need food reimbursed and a hotel paid for. I was told very rudely by your manager that it was a weather delay and that no expenses would be paid for by the company. The weather delay is a ridiculous false statement. The weather was clear, 73° and 14 knots wind. We saw many aircraft taxiing by our aircraft and taking off.

The delay was clearly pilot error. I politely told your manager that I would require some food for my family or I would not leave the counter. She again very rudely said to write customer service with complaints. I became upset and told her I wasn't leaving without food money or by security. She immediately called security and refused any further conversation with me.

A gentleman behind us tried to record some of our interactions and was instructed to turn off his recording device as it was a security violation. While we waited for security, I talked with another employee behind the counter. She obviously realized your airline was making a big mistake and provided us with some food vouchers for some airport food. She also got us an earlier departure for the next morning. Your manager continued to be very rude to myself, family and other people.

When security arrived to escort myself, my wife, our 11 year old son, and our 8 year old daughter out of the area another passenger had to be escorted away from my family by the officers because of his protests about the way we were being treated. I don'€™t know this gentleman, but he told us he was an attorney and that he was going to press charges against US Airways.

We were escorted by two officers a very long distance from the counter to another floor of the airport. During this time my children were very upset and unsure about the whole situation. I talked with one of the officers escorting us and he apologized for what he was doing and said he had to because of the way things were set up at the airport. He conveyed to us that he was on our side of the issue and again apologized.

I believe that the whole situation was handled very poorly and that US Airways should take a serious look at the competency level of the Captain on this flight.

I am sure that if anyone of power in your company experienced this flight that Captain ** would not be employed by US Airways at this time. I also believe that you owe me, family and many other passengers an apology on behalf of your employee'™s actions. The whole incident was a terrible way to end an experience of a lifetime. We saved for years to take our children to Costa Rica and now one of our overpowering feelings is the memory of this flight and of shame by being semi-arrested by police at the airport.

I cannot convey the desire that I have that your company. Please follow up on this complaint and do a thorough job researching the events. I would hate to think that someone would be hurt because of the future actions of your company. If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA -- I will describe in the detail the nightmare I experienced with US Airways just recently. On August 16, 2008, I booked my flight to Miami with US Airways. On November 16, 2008 I received Schedule Change Notification‏ email regarding a change to my itinerary. Instead of departing from Philadelphia on 12/28/08 at 7:40 AM and arriving to Miami 12/28/08 at 10:46 AM, my departure time from Philadelphia was changed to 12:15 PM and arriving time to Miami - to 3:03 PM.

I called and explained to the representative (her name was Audrey) that this change cannot be accepted, because I have to be at Miami airport preferably by 12 PM: my cruise ship will be leaving Port of Miami 12/28/2008 at 4:00 PM sharp and I've been instructed to be at the cruise terminal on time in order to go through the appropriate pre-cruse procedures.

Audrey said that she is sorry, that all earlier flights are full and there is nothing she can do. I was in disbelief. I started to complain about how I booked it in advance, and about such short notice and how hard it is going to get good ticket price now, at this time of the year, and the terrible inconvenience, etc. She asked me to hold. After I had been on hold for several minutes, Audrey came on the line only to confirm that there are no earliest flights available for me, unless I'd like to fly to Miami a week earlier(?!.).

Then I was on hold again. When Audrey was back, she informed me that my options are the same. If they are not for me, she said she can process the refund. I asked Audrey to let me speak to her supervisor and received the following response: “You are going to hear the same from her.” I insisted. After being on hold, I heard supervisor to come online to only tell me that this particular flight was taken out of the roster, to say that I don't want to understand that she could not help me and to repeat all the same I previously heard from Audrey. Needless to say, I was quite frustrated. I basically was given no other option, but to request a refund, which I reluctantly did.

This call took place between 12:20 PM and 12:50 PM. At 1:00 PM I had a meeting to attend to. When I came back from the meeting, I started to look for the new ticket online. Right away I saw US Airways flight departing Philadelphia at about the same time as my previously booked flight and arriving to Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami at about the same time as my previously booked one. I realized that I was entitled to be given such an option. I was entitled to hear the nearby airport names, approximate distance between them & original one, flight schedules to those nearby airports, maybe even help with the arranging flight with another airline.

I immediately called US Airways customer service, was put on hold again and again was told that there is nothing they can do to help me, since request for my refund was already in processing. It was outrageous experience, which made me feel helpless, tricked, used and abused. I'm sure I was not the only one.