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Critics Of NorthWorstAir.org Site
From: Lenny Lipson <lipson@hi-net.ne.jp> - Reply: Ronald J. Riley <rjriley@rjriley.com>
Mr Riley,
<<I recently stopped by your website after seeing several internet media and print report regarding it. I was expecting to find a valuable site with consumer information. What I have found is an embarrassment to consumer advocacy. I'm not going to say that northwest is perfect or any other airline for that matter. I think there is a lot of valid complaints that need to be addressed to the airline industry.>>
Northwest does seem to stand out as the worst of the top ten airlines. As to my being an embarrassment to consumer advocacy, I have not seen any complaints from consumer advocates. Maybe you would care to tell what your qualifications are to render such an opinion?
<<To me this site has nothing to do with making things better in the airline industry. It has everything to do with making "you" seen in print media and the internet. There are some valid complaint within your site. I'm not going to deny that, but the main thrust of your site is with "your" problems, not anyone elses.>>
If you would care to take a second look at the home page you will note that I have quoted a Finnish citizen there while my experiences are located in sub-directories. Yes, I did put my experiences up first, but I am adding other peoples comments as fast as time permits. One example being the page I just put up this morning about a scientists experiences with Continental.
<<You start your website off with your terrible experience regarding the laptop screening. The problem here (unless I'm missing something) is that you cannot guarantee without a shadow of a doubt that the action by the security people actually causes the damage to the laptop.>>
I deal with probabilities all the time. I would say there is a 99.9% probability that NWA staff broke the computer. But even if they had not, NWA's service and general attitude are so bad that they still deserve the honor of the www.NorthWorstAir.org site. I will repeat again that NWA's biggest problem is not what it does, but how it handles the ensuing complaints. NWA has the most obnoxious staff I have ever seen. The only reason they are still in business is the near monopoly they exercise in many markets.
<<Lets look at if from their point of view for a second A man walks up with a laptop and sends it through the security screen. When he picks up his laptop, although no physical damage or action that would cause such action has been observed, this person is now reporting the laptop as broken. There has been no verification this screen wasn't broken before it arrived at the screening checkpoint This has the word "scam" written all over it. While I do feel that it is terrible that your laptop was somehow damaged, I also feel for the people who are constantly at the mercy of scam artists a cons. What is to stop anyone for getting a broken laptop and running this type scam through any airport in the US?>>
And the other side of the coin is that they weasel out of their responsibility with this type of argument. The facts are that NWA has hordes of customers who are pissed off. Why? Why did the security people refuse to document the incident? Why did I have so much difficulty getting damaged luggage taken care of? Could it be that NWA counts on people simply giving up? There is a pattern of conduct associated with NWA and their interaction with customers that suggests they have a policy of wearing claimants down, knowing that most will abandon the claim.
<<You could have taken the terrible experience and taught travelers about things to watch out before going through security check points with laptops. Imagine if your told of this experience and pointed out tips for travelers and laptops. The pitfalls and advice on how to avoid them.>>
If you would care to write something along this line I will put it up with attribution. Frankly, I have considered this issue and I can see no way to avoid this type of problem, other than avoiding companies who are known bad apples.
<<The second section of your letter regards "Chris" and the baggage damage claim. I was appalled by your behavior and would have been embarrassed by my actions if I had ever shown this kind of tantrum in public. Yes, he was wrong by letting a few other people "cut in line" If you had acted like a member of the human race, I would find some sort of legitimacy in your complain. Instead, you through what amounts to a 3 year old temper tantrum, verbally assaulting this individual and actually are on the verge of physically assaulting this individual as well. I quote "I tossed the broken wheel I was holding behind the counter" Was it really a toss, or a hard throw toward Chris. I suspect if you ask Chris his version of the story would be quite different. I certainly hope the professional organization you represent condones this sort of behavior. Your actions totally discredits any problems you had with Chris. Imagine if you had walked up to the counter and said a polite "Hello, I've got a slight problem" I'm sure the situation would have been much different.>>
Lets see ... I have had serious problems with two previous flights. I spent $2000 worth of time collecting slightly less than $400 on a previous claim over more than six months. Staff refuses to document the incident (laptop). Other staff passes the buck down the line. Then at the end of the line, and after about ten hours of travel time to mull over the pattern of deniability, I get rude treatment. How should I handle this? Get the agents name and complain to management -- but -- the agent refuses to give his name. Do I leave with no name? Hell no -- I loudly demand name. How can I file a complaint effectively if I don't know who the jerk is?
No I handled the issue correctly. And I had good reason to be pissed off, since I was reasonably certain, based on past experiences and the experiences on that trip so far, that NWA would try and weasel out of the claim.
<<A while back, my wife was traveling from overseas to the US, due to a refueling problem in BOS, we were late into MSP and many of the passengers missed there connection. I was in line at the NW counter and witnessed a man in front of me throw a tirade. His vulgarity and attitude was disgusting. The clerk did all she could to help him out, but he wasn't satisfied. He finally got rerouted and stormed off saying loudly "I'll never fly this f***ing airline again.>>
Have you considered that he had probably been jerked around by NWA before, and he was simply out of patience - the same as I was? Aside from that the agent I was dealing with started off being surly, while you describe this one as being conciliatory. Big difference.
<<When I get up to the counter, this lady is almost in tears. I'm tired and hungry and miserable after traveling for over 12 hours, I'm sure I looked terrible. This agent is probably expecting verbal assault from me. I could of yelled and told her how she has screwed up all my plans in my destination city, etc. Instead, I pulled out a small box of candy I had bought in Europe. presented them to her and told her "I hope your day gets better" She smiled and started working on a new reservation. She came up with a new flight in about an hour that would get me to my destination around 11:pm at night. I told her that would be fine, but was there anyway I could just stay overnight and catch the first flight in the morning, since I had been traveling for so long. She smiled and said sure. My wife and I spend the night in a wonderful hotel along with paid breakfast and dinner. The next morning, I get to the airport and we have first-class seats waiting for our flight.>>
Believe it or not I also have sympathy for NWA employees. Because I know that as bad as I and other travelers have been treated - that NWA employees have it worse because they work for the company. The problems with travelers being treated so poorly, is in my view a symptom of bad management. Most NWA employees, say 90% simply carry on as best they can. And it is obvious that they are miserable. But 10% take their frustration out on travelers. They salve their egos by getting over on someone else. And it is this group of NWA employees who are fueling most of the public criticism.
<<Sometimes you get the service you deserve...
Think about it>>
I have thought about it. Sometimes you do not get the service you deserve. And some companies are well known for not giving the service people deserve. NWA is one such company. If I was the only disgruntled customer I would not have much of an impact. But there are tens of thousands of customers who have had enough of NWA. I have supplied a rallying point to allow them to be heard. And even more importantly to drive legislative changes which will help to reign in companies like NWA.
Ronald J. Riley www.NorthWorstAir.org
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