I’m finalizing the plans for a trip to South America next month and had to contact both Mexicana and Avianca today via telephone. I was very impressed with the high level of service for a "no status" flyer like me. Hold time was about two minutes for each airline and the agents were courteous, helpful, and profusely thanked me for my business.
Can’t say the same for United. Thankfully, I am shielded from having to deal with the United International Call Center or surly U.S. agents, but I shudder to think (vividly recalling what it is like) what most travelers have to deal with–20 minute hold times and incompetent agents–when trying to reach United.
Am I exaggerating?
I don’t know about United, but I was on hold with Alaska Airlines for 18 minutes the other day just trying to get a seat assignment.
Kudos to Mexican and Avianca if their times are that much quicker.
I usually have very good experiences with the customer service departments of foreign airlines, which is totally different than the legacy US airlines, except for WN which always has pleasant people.
The only good experience that I have had with a legacy domestic carrier is with surprisingly a United off-shore rep back in January. I had found a really cheap PVD-ORD-MSY roundtrup using the multi-city and put it on hold. A couple of hours later after checking with my meeting schedule, I went back to book it, but dotbomb had deleted. I called the dotbomb support ready to have a fight, but instead I got a nice Indian lady who rebuilt my itinerary with proper price in five minutes with no fight. I was shocked and thanked her for her work.
Thats the only pleasant experience I have ever had on a legacy.
I’ve had pretty good experience with AA phone agents. I do focus on the achievable, but they’ve usually come through.
Interestingly, the BA forum on FlyerTalk is completely convinced that the US BA phone agents are worthless and should be avoided at all costs. (Just to counter the foreign carrier lovefest.)
@kd5mdk: I didn’t mean to engage in a foreign carrier lovefest. Aeroflot, Swiss, and Air Canada have very mediocre U.S. agents in my experience.
I was just pleasantly surprised at how well (and quickly) Avianca and Mexicana handled my calls.