Update: United Airlines Response #2

Below is another letter that my friend Cheryl received from another Customer Care Manager.  Glenn Tilton is the CEO of United Airlines.  This is exactly the kind of response Cheryl was looking for, not the LAME ASS CRAP she got in the first email. 

 

Glenn Tilton gave me your letter of July 21, and asked that I respond on his behalf with sincere apologies for the problems you reported while traveling with your daughter on Flight 943 from Paris to Chicago on May 24 and returning on Flight 942 from Chicago to Paris on July 18, 2008. 

 

On its way to me for a thorough investigation, your e-mail letter passed through many hands at our company, with deepening concern that we had caused a disservice to you as a valued guest, whose top priority is maternal care and protection for the safety of your baby.

 

As a former flight attendant and in-flight safety manager, I was very disturbed to read of the behavior you described on the part of the flight attendants.  So I have requested reports from the crew members involved.  Knowing that there are many different brands of child safety seats on the market, it is in everyone’s best interests for crewmembers to collaborate with parents in order to install the child’s car seat so it that it meets both the FAA requirements, as well as the manufacturer’s instructions.  Peace of mind for the parent is essential, and I am deeply saddened by the perception that was created that other guests’ comfort took precedence over your daughter’s safety. 

 

I admire you as a champion for your child’s well-being and would like to discuss the subject further if it is convenient for you.  I serve on the board of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation of the China Welfare Institute and am always striving to advance public awareness of children’s safety issues.   Aside from the technical issues of reserving bulkhead seats and bassinets on United airplanes – which we can discuss in detail if you are interested — I believe that you could teach us a lot from your perspective as a parent and consumer.  Please let me know a time and date when we can set an appointment for a phone conversation, and I will be happy to place the call to you in your time zone in France.   If you’d prefer to communicate via e-mail, that is fine, too.  The important goal is regaining your trust and confidence in United Airlines.

 

            Cordially,

            Sara XXXXX

Customer Relations

 

SLD/ca

Ref #: 7732173C

 

Update: United Airlines Response #1

Below is an email that my friend received on Thursday from United Airlines Customer Service.  What a joke!!!!  Enjoy…

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: UACustomerCare17 Reply <UACustomerCare17@united.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 5:40 AM
Subject: RE: FW: flight incident TEXT CORRECTION -Ref#: 7732173A

Dear Ms. Sasso,

It’s always good to hear from our customers but we are concerned with the reason that prompted you to communicate with us on this occasion.

I understand that you encountered the following:

1.  No record in the reservation for the bassinet.
2.  You did not receive the bulk head seat.
3.  You were not allowed to board first.
4.  Flight attendant’s behavior was not professional.
5.  You could not keep the car seat of your baby in a correct position.

I can understand how an experience like the one you described would be stressful.  Please accept our apologies for the concern caused you.  Let me assure you that the safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority.  Our flight attendants have the training and ability to do a far better job than your comments indicate, and I apologize for your experience.  I have forwarded your comments to our onboard management for their review with the staff involved, to ensure that we do a better job in the future.

We realize that at times we are not doing as well as we should be in assisting our guests when there are circumstances that disrupt your travel.  While I realize that the performance of your flights does not demonstrate strong on-time performance, we have many improvement initiatives so your future flights go as planned.  These include increasing crew reserve staffing to aid overall reliability and designing a proactive equipment upgrade plan that will ensure we have mechanics stations where we need them and implementing standard work.  We appreciate your candid feedback very much as this allows us to share your experiences and to learn from them.

We cannot change the past nor return the time you lost but I would like to do something from a Customer Relations standpoint to express our goodwill and concern.  I have issued a $100 travel certificate for you enclosed along with this mail.

Regards,

Shailesh Xxxxx
United Airlines Customer Relations