As the world begins a process of calculated and careful re-opening, it’s important to remember which airlines, hotels and car rental companies were your friends through the crisis.
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Loyalty Is a Two-Way Street
Loyalty is always a two-way street. Airlines and hotels need frequent travellers to make their business run and keep fares low for leisure travellers. And frequent travellers rely on travel providers to make their businesses run and fulfill their dreams.
When airlines went through hard times in the past, they relied on their clients to carry them through. But loyalty is not always reciprocated. Maybe this time will be different, we always say.
Some Have Been Good to Their Customers
Let’s give some credit where it’s due.
Southwest enacted a policy whereby a ticket sold can be changed for free (standard policy) but (new and improved) without incurring a change in fare if you choose to move to another date. That’s incredible and we should all be buying tickets to destinations we frequent at their lowest possible price point for future travel.
Hyatt and Hilton were early to the party to let their frequent guests know they were valued by extending their status. United Airlines and Air Canada Aeroplan were innovative in their approach to cash travelers, though redemptions are a separate issue (see below.)
IHG was initially very responsive in reducing requirements and later adhered to industry-standard protocol.
Some Have Not Been Good Friends
Marriott has Bonvoyed its customers, again. They were last to offer easements to their many members and have been no friend to their customers. It’s no surprise, really. Someone at United, who did a great job in their approach to 2020 and 2021 loyalty, woke Scott Kirby up as United desecrated partner-earning policies enacted just months ago, then redefined the word cancellation.
Conclusion
We are coming to an end to this season. The curve has been flattened, states are re-opening in an overly cautious manner and things are returning to normal more so day by day. Remember who protected you, who empowered you when we were all in a terrible situation, and reward them for their actions. Equally, I suggest punishing those who acted with impunity.
What do you think? Are their travel brands you will remember and honor as you once again return to the world? Are there some egregious actions from companies I missed? Are there laudable actions I failed to mention?
States are not reopening in an “overly cautious” manner. In fact, very few of them have met the federal government’s guidelines to reopen. As seen in South Korea – it’s very easy to have another spike because of irresponsible people.
I think travel is going to come back fast and furious Middle to late summer.
I’m seeing more and more people flying every week, and it’s gonna be great to get back to normal.
“We are coming to an end to this season.”
Until the next one begins, anyway…
There will always be another… I had murder hornets are gaining steam.
I had a one-way ticket to Cancun from the States. Spirit first gave me a voucher. Then, when I said I couldn’t travel in the time allotted to use the voucher, they provided a full refund. Spirit has better customer service than United — and many other airlines. Give them a try in the future — I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
James – I actually love Spirit: http://bit.ly/2qiOi6C
United has LOST my business. They’ve been way worse than their competitors in this! They were already only a backup as I had mostly switched to spirit, but at this point delta will be my backup
I had a similar experience with Delta – a roundtrip booked from New York to Liberia, CR that was originally issued as a voucher but changed to a cash refund when I called a month later (after things slowed down) to inquire about the possibility. Add in their advanced cleaning protocol and how much more quickly they have rolled it out compared to AA, UL and I know who I’ll be flying first when it feels responsible to be flying again.
I’ll be exteremely loyal to IHG, since they fully refunded my failed stay at Intercontinental Berlin very quickly and without any issues, even though the stay was booked via third-party website.
Accor, as I hear, are refusing refunds to people, which is a good reason to stay away from their properties in the future.
I had 2 domestic flights ticketed in March: one AA, the other UA. AA was characterised by chaos, confusion, incompetence, contradiction; UA was clear, helpful, responsive. I have OW top tier, only Silver ( via Marriott) in Star.
It’s very clear to me which airline I’d choose in the future, all things being equal. AA was scandalously pathetic, UA was professional.
Most of my ire is reserved for QANTAS, however. They tried to screw everyone, top tier members included: wouldn’t refund fully refundable tickets, trying instead to fob people off with highly restrictive vouchers. I’ll be giving a significant part of my domestic business to the new Virgin Australia, in preference to the ratbags and rogues at QANTAS.
26 states are worsening as of last week. NY is getting better but could get worse as soon as people ride the subway. The trouble with Covid19 is that each person who gets it infects more than 1 person so it spreads and spreads.
Absolutely! Southwest and Turkish Airlines are at the top of the list. My hopeful future travel starting end of August is booked on Southwest. I even fly Southwest when it requires going to the further of the three airports in the DC area aka going to BWI. Turkish Airlines was my first international flight and I was so impressed by their economy class they earned a semi regular customer. I only fly internationally a few times a year this the semi, but I am likely to be on Turkish when I do. I know no matter if I am in economy or business they take care of their customers.