I feel terrible about my behavior

[Qanisqineq]

My husband was scheduled to return from Iraq on Saturday and I booked a flight to go meet him (he is stationed in a different state from where I currently live). Today, he learned that his return date was changed to Wednesday. I called the airline to check on changing flights while waiting to hear from my husband for confirmation of this. I was told the total difference in fares would be $100.

An hour after talking to the airline, my husband called to confirm this change. I then called the airline back to make the change (only an hour to 1.5 hours after originally talking to them) and the fare difference had increased to $220. I totally lost it and said some uncalled for things. Actually, I screamed at the guy and cried my head off. Perhaps it was the stress and the financial difficulties I have faced for the last year, I don't know.

I still think the huge price difference is totally uncalled for, especially after only an hour had gone by, but I feel like the lowest person for the things I said to this guy.

[NewHampster]

1. Call customer service

Tell them the circumstance and I'm sure they'll take good care of you.

Or call the 800 number and ask for a supervisor and keep your cool

[Qanisqineq]

6. I normally DO keep my cool

but today I was just unable to do so for some reason. And the guy gave me an address to write to, no number.

[Sandpiper]

2. Killing the messenger

We've all done it before. Don't beat yourself up over it.

[WilliamPitt]

3. I'm sorry you feel bad

If it makes you feel any better, here's a joke that perfectly represents my feelings about some airline companies and some of their employees:

"What do you call 1,000 airline reps chained together at the bottom of the ocean?"

"A good start."

I've traveled 60,000 miles by air since June, and I have run into some infuriatingly incompetent, greedy, rude airline reps.

I know there are some airline-employed DUers, so let me say this: I'm not talking about you, so stop saying that. As for the joke above, it is a re-do of an old joke about lawyers. I tell the joke alot, even though I have four lawyers in my immediate family.

Cheer up, Tolania. Personally, I'm just thrilled your husband is coming back home. The airline rep will get over it. If you think you're the only person to chew on his ass today, think again.

[Qanisqineq]

8. I wish I could write him a letter and apologize

I know it isn't his fault. It was just the last straw in so many things that have not been going my way lately.

I still feel like crap though.

[northzax]

12. do you know his name?

if so, I would write a letter to the President of the Airline, or to the customer service department. say that yo ulost your temper, through no fault of his, and that you felt he handled it exceptionally professionally or whatnot. Everyone likes praise.

[Deja Q]

4. I agree with #1, but with additional comments:

But it is essential you remain cool and level headed... at least until long after they've said "No", after which case it's then quite fair to go into a speech about the mockery and injustice of it all.

But if you're polite before and during the attempt, you'll have a greater shot of justice.

Also have the name of the person who said it would be $100.

And never forget this: Try to get someone in authority to vouch for you if nothing else. Sadly, we customers are mere peons, good only as walking billfolds and urinals to the corporate folk. Get someone of corporate status on your side and you'll much more likely win.

[SoCalDem]

5. You could have gone early and stayed in a hotel for what they charged you

Bums:(

[Qanisqineq]

15. unfortunately that thought didn't cross my mind at the time!

the heat of the moment and all, I wasn't thinking rationally.

[VelmaD]

7. Perfectly understandable reaction...

given the circumstances. Heck, it says a lot about you that you feel bad about it now. I don't think most people would.

:hug:

Call them back and explain the situation. You might just get some help if they know your hubby is headed back from Iraq. Play to their sense of "patriotic duty". Milk it. :)

[Qanisqineq]

9. I tried that

I was already shaking and trying to hold back the tears before I went into those details. It wasn't until about 5 minutes after that little speech that I started to lose it. I still feel sick to my stomach.

[VelmaD]

10. oh honey

:hug: :hug: :hug:

I am so sorry you are having to go through this. This should be a happy time for you. :)

[CO Liberal]

11. Tell The Airline to Send the Bill To Pretzelboy...

...for sending your husband over there in the first place.

Glad he made it through all right.

[Misinformed01]

13. I don't know what you said;

but, I can promise you that what I would have said would have been worse.

I can't imagine the stress of having one's husband in Iraq...

I think if you call customer service and tell them the details that they might just give you a break. If not, post the name of the airline, and we will call and boycott them.

Stephanie

[Qanisqineq]

14. Thanks for making me laugh!

I'm glad to hear someone THINK they would have said worse! Hehehehe
Actually, I didn't say anything bad about him, I just told him the airline he works for is crap. But I didn't say it so nicely or so calmly and so I feel really bad. I had to sit there and wait for about 10 minutes while he changed everything... 10 minutes of me not saying anything. I calmed down and was cordial towards the end. So I wasn't nasty the whole time.

In some ways I know he probably just shrugged it off after we got off the phone. I've been on the receiving end of such comments in the past at former jobs and I found it rather funny afterwards. But that doesn't make me feel much better.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. You might want to get a supervisor on the phone and explain the situation

Sometimes, they can help with fares or offer reductions due to hardships.

I had a similar thing happen when I had to get a kid from a base in the west to atlanta for his brother's funeral...the airline, after hearing the situation was accomodating.

[SoCalDem]

17. I thought I sent you a PM, but somehow it went to email

the title is What airline??

[Qanisqineq]

20. hmmmm, I didn't get either one

but I sent you a PM with the name.

[Misinformed01]

18. Glad I could help!

(I should get a free DU t-shirt for winning the "on the most ignore lists" contest....kid you not)

Please, please promise me that you will call the airline and tell them what's going on.

[Qanisqineq]

19. on the most ignore lists?

how do you find this out? I wonder if I'm on any... ?

[Misinformed01]

21. ha! I've been on DU a long time

You should go back and read the archives before DU had all these new rules to keep the upset moniter jockies from verbally trying to blow each other up! :)

Please let everyone know about your reunion with the hubby! I KNOW it's going to be awesome! Despite all the crap, congratulations on him coming home-

Stephanie

[JVS]

22. You were totally right to say whatever.

[Qanisqineq]

23. thanks, that makes me feel better

[latebloomer]

24. Is he coming home for good??

I hope!

[Qanisqineq]

25. for good or until he gets deployed again

(possibly in a year) but it isn't just for R&R.

[latebloomer]

26. That is wonderful

Enjoy your reunion!

[southerngirlwriter]

27. What airline?

Demand that they give you the original price. If they don't, tell them that you personally guarantee that the story of how they tried to fuck over the wife of an active duty serviceman will be all over the internet, including e-mails to as many reporters as you can find, in one hour's time.

What fuckwads!! That reminds me of Al Franken's story about how Hertz tripled their rent-a-car prices right after the planes got grounded on September 11th.

Honey, no matter what you said, they deserved worse. :grr:

[Qanisqineq]

30. .

Northwest

[Love Bug]

32. When you send your emails...

be sure to include the Minneapolis StarTribune. "Northworst" is headquartered here, so anything that happens with them tends to be big news. Here's the link:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/2003227.html

[cally]

28. Can I call them for you?

I guarantee I'll be much meaner than you without calling anyone names. Don't apologize but start sending letters and emails to the local papers and supervisors. It's ridiculaous that you have to pay more money for this.

I sounded like I was kidding but I actually sort of enjoy making these types of phone calls. I don't know why. :shrug:

I'm glad your husband is coming home and enjoy the your reunion.

[southerngirlwriter]

29. I'll help, too.

Without lying or calling anyone a name or using any profanity at all, I once got an airline to give me a special rate so I wouldn't miss someone's birthday party. I'm just a bitch, but I usually get my way. I'd be happy to call them on your behalf -- or follow through on a threat to launch a massive bad PR campaign against them for treating you so shabbily. You have sacrificed enough by having your husband over there for any three Americans. Milking you on the price to get to a reunion is just evil. :grr:

[WillParkinson]

31. I feel for you!

I did the same thing the other day. I NEVER get rude with customer service because they are trying to do a job. The guy that I was talking to, though, didn't seem to understand or care what I was saying. I got so angry I just screamed in the phone and hung up.

That said, though, I'm about to do the same thing again in about 20 minutes (unless I can find a way to keep my cool...)

[Qanisqineq]

33. ok, I HAD calmed down about this

now I get an email receipt and the total new charges is actually MORE than the $220.02 I was told on the phone yesterday. I was told that is the TOTAL NEW CHARGES, taxes and everything else included. But my receipt says the new charges are actually about $20 higher.
AUGH!



:argh: :wtf: :grr: