Crochety Consumer

So below is an email I recently sent to Independence Air. I sometimes just contact companies to amuse myself and really because it bugs me and writing helps me to get it out. I suppose I should really think about if I'm going to spend 20 minutes writing it could be for perhaps a better cause than saving me a couple bucks on plane tickets. Soemthing for me to think about.

After rereading this I feel like they must be imagining me as a crochety old lady with nothing better to do than get online and gripe.

To Whom It May Concern: I am writing regarding a recent flight cancellation. I had scheduled two tickets for a flight from Dulles to Louisville for travel in late December. About a week ago, I was contacted by an Independence Air Customer Service Rep. that this flight would be canceled due to discontinuing service to Louisville. I was given the choice of a refund or flying to another airport. No other airports are convenient for me, so I chose the refund. As a customer this is very frustrating. I understand Independence Air is a new airline and is still testing their markets in various cities. However, now I need to get tickets with another airline. In the month that we had our tickets purchased with you, other airline fares have gone up considerably. Upon further consideration, I called back to speak with a customer service representative later that day. The lady was unable to help me or really have a response at all to my concerns. In the past year, I have used Independence Air only in purchasing my air tickets to Tampa, Orlando, and Louisville. I have been very satisfied I like the simplicity, reasonable fares, online check-in, and flexibility with cancellations and flight changes. My most recent purchase, which has now been canceled, would have made my first free ticket with iclub. In the future, I might be reluctant to book other tickets with Independence Air, not knowing if they might just be canceled. I appreciate your concern and your time. Thank You,

and their response . . .

Hello Jamie, Thank you for contacting us about your experience with Independence Air. We appreciate the time you took to write to us about your dissatisfaction. We value your feedback as an important tool in finding out which parts of our operation need to be fine-tuned. Your feedback has been forwarded to the directors of those stations who will ensure that these misunderstandings are corrected. I apologize for your disappointment about our service. I hope that you will give us another try so that we can show you that we do listen to and act on your comments. In the event that you need assistance, please ask for a supervisor at the airport or call 1-800-fly-flyi (1-800-359-3594) for additional assistance. Our goal is to help you fly your way. Best regards, Customer Services

. . . slightly dissapointing . . . but no worries, we ended up finding a flight out of another airport and the world goes on.

Happy Halloween Miss Smith

So it's Halloween in Kindergarten - we've made it a couple hours through the day - I pick the kids up from lunch - I was only away from them for a frightningly short 21 minutes - it is amazing all that has gone down and fallen apart in this amount of time.

The Witch was disgruntled about Batman butting in front of her in line. Batman is very upset because Spiderman kept stepping on his cape. The Popstar Diva was all upset because she spilled chocolate milk on her sparkly spandexy pants. We get everyone calmed dowan and head out of the cafeteria in something loosely resembling a line - it's Halloweeen - we'll take it. About thirty feet out of the cafeteria, I look back to a fretting cinderella tripping over the cascading tulle of her dress and all in a tizzy about having lost one of her shoes - I litterally look back towards the cafeteria to see one little clear plastic high heeled slipper sitting there in the middle of the hallway- Luke Skywalker rescued it and we turn around to again head down the hall. Snow White left her tiara in the cafeteria and had to go back for it, three kids asked me if it was time for the party yet, Another Batman is dancing a little jig because he couldn't get out of his costume on his own at lunch - so I am trying to untie a not as he wiggles and hops up and down chanting, " I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go!". So I'm still doing okay at this point - I got the obscenely large 24 oz. coffee at WaWa this morning in anticipation of the day - I just had a "lunch hour" I can do this, but then I really start to wonder if indeed I will make it to the end of the day without losing it when Tinkerbell begins to explain her wings are drooping down and her dad said I would have to blow them up at some point in the day. It's at about this point I begin to ask myself as I unplug the little nozzle and begin to inflate - is this really my life, no wait really, I'm being paid right now to blow air into wings, is this really my life and anyway, when did costumes start coming with inflatable parts? All this in the 2 minutes on the way back to class.

We settle into the room to get some "work" done . I have to to remind the fireman that we shouldn't pick our nose and eat it. I look over at the kid who didn't come in costume feeling very uncomfortable and a bit confused. The doctor can't find his stethoscope - the policeman can't find his whacker - he knows it was on his pants this morning( come to find out he is talking about the toy plastic nightstick). The cat's tail is caught up in the neck of her costume. Spiderman asks when we get to eat the lollipops he brought in. Batman has playdough on his elbow. All this is just a 10 minute snapshot of the day.

It's like at the end of a day like that all i can really imagine doing is going home and sitting on the couch and staring forward in the complete silence - I mean going inside, dumping my stuff on the floor and crashing onto the couch. After about 20 minutes I realize I am still wearing my coat and clutching my keys and I snap out of the shell shock and realize I got to go to the bathroom once and drank about 4 oz. of water during the day. I look at myself in the mirror and discover glue in my hair and as I go to get it out , notice the orange paint under my fingernails. I love it - when did I sign up for this. And although it will really sound like complaining - I know in my heart there isn't another thing I would rather be doing with my life right now - at all. It should be encouraging - seriously - if I can handle that, I believe I can handle anything in life.