I recently had the uncomfortable experience of flying with US Airways. Now, to be fair to me, it wasn’t my choice. I do a fair amount of business travel and my company chooses who I fly with to balance economy and convenience. I think everybody must be aware of the foolishness airlines have perpetrated with their baggage handling policies. Now I like to be a good sport, and carry on one reasonably sized bag that allows room for my computer, some in-flight reading materials, and my noise-suppressing headphones. Everything else gets checked. See how this plays out on US Airways … I sent them this message (I confess, I have corrected some minor typos):

Your treatment of passengers continues to worsen. Because of the checked bag fees, more passengers carry large roller bags on board. Regrettably, the policy of obliging passengers with bags that are too large to check them is rarely enforced. For my part, I checked a bag … to reduce the problem. I carried on a moderately sized back pack. I paid an additional fee for a choice seat, enabling me to board early so that there would be room for my one small bag. So, I have paid a fee, and another fee, and accepted the inconvenience of having to wait for my bag and carry the risk of it not arriving at my destination in a timely fashion. Imagine my astonishment and indignation at the suggestion that I should leave overhead space clear for those who have accepted none of those costs and inconvenience, and put my backpack under the seat in front of me, so that I should be more cramped, even, than usual. This is piling injury upon insult upon injury. I suggest that you desist from making this request, or make arrangements to enable those with choice seats to store their properly sized carryon bags in overhead compartments (when only one is carried), or that you withdraw some of these nickel and dime fees. I have travelled recently with other major airlines, which neither charged me for “choice” seats, nor expected me to store my single, small, carryon bag in front of me. Until you do better, other airlines will continue to be my preference.

Here’s the response I got:

Dear Mr. Rowlands:
Thank you for contacting Customer Relations at US Airways. We appreciate your comments and concerns regarding the fees that are imposed for baggage and Choice seats. We value the insight and feedback of our passengers and your concerns have been documented and sent to the proper departments including In-Flight. Many of our current policies or changes to policies have come about because of the feedback from our customers.
Mr. Rowlands, we appreciate the time you have taken to make us aware of your concerns. Given the privilege of serving you again on US Airways, we look forward to providing you with a more satisfying travel experience. Sincerely …
preference.

I don’t know about you, but to me it translates as “thanks … we don’t expect to do anything for you … “. What do you think?