There still are nice people in this world, people who understand costumer service and at least one of them lives in the midwest.
I just got back from an exhausting business trip to Columbus, OH of all places. It was a quick trip that was all work, but that is OK. The trip was for a part of my job that I currently really like, but the travel stinks. The time change, the long plane flight, being packed like sardines in the airplanes, that is so not fun. Anyway, none of that is the point of my story. I arrived at the airport Friday afternoon about 50 minutes before my scheduled departure. I tried to check in at the kiosk, but it said I was "too early"- what? I marched up to the customer service guy and said your machine is broken, it won't let me check in. (enter 2 year old reasoning skills). Customer service guy responded, "the machine isn't broken your flight is tomorrow". Excuse me! I stared at him in disbelief as I channeled my inner two year old and said, "but I am going home today." Our conversation continued in this circular fashion for another 5 minutes, while he tried to explain that it was Ohio State's spring break and all the flights out of Columbus were booked. I stared at him in a shocked, deer in the headlights kind of way. When I finally had to accept the situation, I walked away from the desk in a defeated sort of way and started to make phone calls to find a way home. About 5 minutes later, the nice customer service guy came and found me on my bench and informed me that he had convinced his supervisor to release a seat for me that I could change my flight and go home on Friday. I could have hugged him. I couldn't believe that he had gone out of his way to help me. I was so thankful. When I tried to express this, he responded- "Well, you were so nice, but you looked so sad. I couldn't leave you stranded."
Thank you kind customer service guy in Columbus, I'm sorry that I forgot your name, but I am inclined to write a letter to the airline praising you for letting me go home.
2 comments:
It is good to know that there is a nice person who lives in part of my family's pseudo hometown. Sorry I missed chatting with you.
I would have hooked you up with ma and pa B, but they were in and out of Indy, working on buying a new house. We shall see. Back to the true roots.
AA actually tried to save me in NY. I had checked in several hours early,trying to get home in a storm. I was sitting there watchcing my flight getting delayed past any possible hope I would make my connection in Chicago. Choosing not to get angry, because what good would that do. Refusing to be brought down by the glass is half empty guy from my show that I bumped into while he was trying to be the 25th person on the standby list.
I went and found my patch of dirty carpet at Laguardia, and fancy enough, my phone rang. It was an AA guy telling me that they saw that I had checked in, saw that I was going to miss my flight, and did I want to have a confirmed seat on the flight with 25 standby folks, even if my luggage would not make it? DEFINATELY. How nice! I also took great pleasure boarding the flight while evaporated glass guy looked at me with a dropped jaw.
Glad you made it home! And glad you found a nice customer service guy.
smb
I still remember the flight were you and Andrew got stuck in Chicago while trying to get to South Bend... Was that United or US Airways? Glad someone was nice to you this time.
LisaD
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