No Peanuts for you!
U.S. Airways is cutting 13% of its flights, laying off a ton of employees and implementing a rediculous set of policies which seem be advocating a when-the-going-gets-tough, gut-customer-service business strategy, in order to bootstrap themselves out of bankrupcy. Apparently now, if you miss a US Airways flight, tough luck. The ticket is now worthless. Nor can you stand by for another flight.
Imagine the following scenario: You're on your way home to spend Thanksgiving with your family. A massive snowstorm cancels most of the flights coming out of your airport, including yours on US Airways. You may now either A) Pay a grip for a new ticket, B) Stay home or C) Go Greyhound.
Is this what we've come in air travel, a frail, panicked industry, hostile to its own customers? Yes, we all know September 11th was devastating but do you know anyone who doesn't fly anymore because of this tragic day? I don't. Yes, it will take a while for the industry to get back on its feet but is this draconian nonsense supposed to reaffirm public faith? I say buy stock immediately in Southwest Airlines, Jet Blue and any other airline that has customer service as part of its business plan. They're about to take off.
Oh and I just love how their marketing guy compares a flight to a Broadway show! Yeah, like people are roaming up and down an airport ready to impulse buy a ticket to Vancouver. I mean c'mon! Even Broadway offers refunds if the lead suddenly falls ill or if a show were to suddenly cancel.
Prediction: 6 months from now you're going to see a lot of lawsuits when travelers on a prime DC-NY route are stranded with non-refundable tickets.