Thanks for your comment. You're right. All airlines and/airports recommend you arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before departure. I don't discount that recommendation and should have made that point in the post. As a frequent business traveller I rarely check luggauge or utilize the checkin line so I didn't realize it would take so much time to get through.

That being said, this experience goes far beyond being a few minutes late. It's the greater customer service experience and the numerous other issues I've had with US that matters here. If that didn't come through for you then my apologies.

Thanks again for the comment.

So really, whose fault was it??? (careful, don't look in the mirror) Or do rules NOT apply to you. The reason for the 45 minute cut off is TSA bag screening and ON TIME DEPARTURES. The TSA does take their time to screen bags. And US Airways does want to make sure your bag is on your flight. Perhaps the agent might have been a little nicer. But again, where did the problem originate this morning???

Thanks for your comment. You're right. All airlines and/airports recommend you arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before departure. I don't discount that recommendation and should have made that point in the post. As a frequent business traveller I rarely check luggauge or utilize the checkin line so I didn't realize it would take so much time to get through.

That being said, this experience goes far beyond being a few minutes late. It's the greater customer service experience and the numerous other issues I've had with US that matters here. If that didn't come through for you then my apologies.

Thanks again for the comment.

So really, whose fault was it??? (careful, don't look in the mirror) Or do rules NOT apply to you. The reason for the 45 minute cut off is TSA bag screening and ON TIME DEPARTURES. The TSA does take their time to screen bags. And US Airways does want to make sure your bag is on your flight. Perhaps the agent might have been a little nicer. But again, where did the problem originate this morning???

However, with that being said, the real issue is the fact that the attendant didn't check to make sure you couldn't check your bags. They didn't check the status of the flight. And to me, that is the real reason why you had so many issues. Because of the first attendant's lack of common courtesy and helpfulness, you had to wait in line again only to find out the first attendant didn't do their job and then you had to pay feeds associated with that. That is what shouldn't have happened.

What should've happened is US Airways realizing they were partially at fault due to the first attendant not doing a thorough job. Then they should've booked you on a flight that day at their expense, thus saving you expenses incurred with waiting another day. They should've done this instead of putting the burden on you. Instead of putting the ball in your court.

I hope to hear follow up from this experience and am anxious to hear how (and if) US Airways responds to this. Have you sent it to them directly as well?

I'm sorry, for your sake and your girlfriend's, that nothing appears to have changed since then. You'd think that “an industry under seige” would make SOME effort to attract and RETAIN customers, rather than doing their level best to anger them and drive them away to go write scathing open letters.