My children flew from Phoenix, Arizona back to Milwaukee Wisconsin for the summer to visit with their grandparents. Last year we used US Airways to and from these destinations and had no issues. This year a relative was in Phoenix and flying back to Milwaukee so she occupied the children on Midwest airlines to Milwaukee. Upon the completion of the trip I used Midwest Express airlines to fly them back Unoccupied to Phoenix. I purchased the tickets online and called customer service 4 times in order to give flight information for pick up and drop off. Each time I called there was a 20 minute or more hold, when I finally spoke with a customer service rep, the women was rude and repeatedly interrupted me during the call. I have been in the customer service industry for more than 10 years and have never had a complaint against me or even written a complaint about someone. On Thursday August 6 my children flight was to leave at 7:50 am, they missed the flight. Midwest told the party dropping off my children it would be and additional $100 to have them be standby for the next flight or fly out Saturday. Either way it would cost more. I told them to choose Saturday and paid the additional $100 for the new flight and the $50 unoccupied minor fee. Saturday they arrived to the ticket line for check in at 7:25am the flight leaves at 7:50am the women checks them in( aware of the flight time) and at no point did she call ahead to let the plane know that they are on their way and to wait. They get through the checkpoint and get to the gate to still see the plane physically there and was told the plane was full, that they could not board and that it would take 30 minutes to get them on and they were not going to do it.
My question is how is the plane full and they have a ticket? Why did the ticketing agent logging them in, give them a ticket, but didn’t call ahead? They were minors. Then the party dropping them off was told that they would have to pay $600 to get them on a flight for Tuesday. No other compensation or ticket adjustment would be made, just $50 back for the unoccupied minor fee. No help what so ever. We had to purchase tickets on a different airline ( US Airways) in order to get my children back home in time for school. $700.00 for the new flight, not to mention the original flight was $306.00 plus $100 for the new flight fee that is a total of over $1100.00 for horrible service. Some type of arrangements could have been made. I have been on flights where they have waited for passengers running late. If they were called ahead that could have happened, but they had over booked the flight so my children lost out.
I was told by customer service to write a letter so that is what I am doing and also told by the aviation complaint person that called me this morning being very rude and condescending as he spoke over me and started our conversation with “ No need to repeat your story, I wrote very detailed notes” and proceeded to say they Midwest Express airlines did nothing wrong based on the aviation guidelines. Regardless, customer service is key despite whatever rules and regulations you may have. You can talk to people relaying good or bad news in a manor that will let them know their complaint is valid and cared for and despite the out come you feel they did all they could. In this situation I feel violated and unimportant. So this letter is also being sent to several news stations and blogs. I am looking for a response from Midwest Express Airlines and compensation for the rude and uncouth, offensive demeanor of all involved.