Author Archives: simply three cents

January 19, 2011

Don’t cry for me Argentina, here I come!

By simply three cents

Argentina – here we come! The boyfriend, who does not have the wanderlust I do, agreed to a trip to Argentina! This is not without hesitation on his part (as with every trip). Super excited.

We have the international flights in and out of Buenos Aires booked and are working on the internal flights throughout Argentina, and places to stay. The trip is three weeks from today!

I know how the boyfriend travels, and he needs a rough (but confirmed) plan. He won’t take an active role in making the plan, he just needs one. Good thing that I enjoy doing the research (and have been on it for months!). I love a happy boyfriend, so a compromise of some planning and some spontaneity it is!

Can’t wait!

2 Comments   |  tags: , | posted in things that make me smile, travel, wanderlust

January 18, 2011

Dress Up

By simply three cents

I saw owners with their dog earlier today. It was dressed. Seriously. It was wearing a sweater and shoes.

It’s very cold out so I understand the dog may need warmth, just like us. But on the flip side, it’s a dog, and dogs have fur coats. Also I realize that there’s ice on the ground so it may be slippery and the shoes may offer grip. I also seem to remember  a dog being electrocuted in the city a few years back because of ice and a manhole cover. Or the salt and the manhole cover. In any case, if it is for safety’s sake, forgive me.

However, two things to note:

1 – Dogs have been walking for years in the ice and snow without shoes. Will this catch on?

2 – The pink shoes matched the pink sweater.

1 Comment | posted in in and around NYC, just silly, why

January 17, 2011

Weather or not…here I come?

By simply three cents

Airlines reserve the right to change/cancel flights at a moment’s notice. Yet, if I want to change my flight in advance of bad weather I will incur financial reprecussions.

This winter in the Northeast has been fairly snowy thus far and I am just being proactive, knowing that weather and flights do not equal on-time, if at all. So I’m just trying to change my travel plans in advance of the flying clusterf*ck we all know will happen should there be snowfall.

[US-based discount airline] has not yet determined if they will allow changes free of charge due to the storm’s path. If I decide to make the change and there are no fee waivers in place I would need to pay a change fee and the difference in the cost of the flight as it stands on the day of the change.

Obviously the cost of the flight is going to be much higher if I decide to change the dates withing 24-36 hours of travel.

Suggestion of the day: save the fares for the date I booked the travel and let me pay the difference of what that fare was on that particular day. Not the fare two days prior to travel. In reality, those of us trying to plan ahead would be helping the airlines. The seats we’d be willing to give up for an earlier flight are two less seats the airline would need to get from point A to point B should the weather go awry.

1 Comment   |  tags: | posted in peeves, travel, why

January 16, 2011

Response to: You asked for feedback…here goes

By simply three cents

A nice response from [US-based legacy carrier]. I hope they plan to extend the food for purchase options to all passengers. Here it is in it’s entirety, except, as with the initial letter, I removed identifying details like names and titles.

********************************************************************************

Thank you for contacting [airline] regarding your recent experience at the [airline] Terminal at JFK.  X has asked that I extend her personal apology for the unsatisfactory conditions you described and thank you for your well-focused comments on what areas need improvements.

We appreciate your interest in our company and applaud your efforts to make recommendations to better the needs of all our customers.  Be assured X has shared your message with Y.  We also appreciate the opportunity to address some of your issues.

As you no doubt noticed construction is underway with the relocation of [airline] Terminal 3 operations to Terminal 4 which is anticipated to be completed by May 2013.   The project also includes the expansion of Concourse B, including 9 new international gates, the construction of a passenger connector between Terminal 2 and Terminal 4, expanded areas for baggage claim, Customs, and Border Protection, and, ultimately, the demolition of Terminal 3 which will be completed for aircraft parking in May 2015. [Airline] continues to make substantial investments in New York and our terminal project at JFK is among the most significant.

As to your comments about restaurants in the terminal, I would like to point out that we recently signed an agreement with OTG cafés and bars and they are now located within our JFK [Said airline’s frequent flier program] Club locations.  As a result of feedback from our [FF program] Club members, they also asked for an outlet with the option to purchase made-to-order food products, premium liquors, specialty cocktails, and expanded beer and wine products without having to leave the Club.  As a gesture of goodwill, I will be mailing you a couple of [FF program] Club one-day passes so you can enjoy the amenities at one of our JFK Clubs.  We look forward to seeing you in our Club soon.

Regarding your comments about the security lines and dressing areas after security, we encourage you to contact the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regarding these issues.  You may access their web site at www.tsa.gov/public/.

As a [Frequent Flier Program] member, you are an integral part of our customer base and we are always interested in your feedback.  Thank you for taking the time to write.  We deeply value your business.

Sincerely,

X

Leave a comment | posted in letters, responses

January 15, 2011

Scheduling Posts

By simply three cents

Loving this. So when the mood hits I can write and write and write and then I have posts that I can schedule ahead of time. Of course, if I have something timely, I can post again the same day OR I can just edit the scheduled time and date of the previously scheduled blog. Fantastic!

I will be at my cousin’s wedding this weekend. If this post does not get pre-empted, I have scheduled it to post at 7p EST on Saturday. That’s just about the time that I hope to be ordering my first cocktail at the reception. See, not only do I get to pick the day, but the time too!

Cheers!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , | posted in introduction, just silly

January 14, 2011

Customer DISService

By simply three cents

Since when did it become de rigueur for people working at a retail store to act like they are doing us a favor by doing their jobs? If I behaved that way to my clients, I’d be fired. Immediately.

Earlier this week I went to a local drugstore as I needed to pick up pictures that I had ordered online over the weekend. My order was for just five photos.

I waited at the photo counter for a few minutes thinking that the clerk would be there any minute. When I finally realized someone may not actually be working the counter, I went to the main checkout and asked if someone could help me. The girl there seemed annoyed as she paged the photo tech.

The photo tech shows up a few minutes later but looks pissed that she has to <gasp> work. She obviously hadn’t yet processed my photos (even though I had received an email that my order was completed) and told me she was working on it now. I reiterated that there were only five pictures. As I had worked in a photo lab a long time ago, I know that should only take a few minutes.

Ten more minutes go by. During that time she’s filed her nails, played with her phone and casually wandered around the store. The machine is cranking away, and loads of pictures are printing. I think nothing of this because I figure she hasn’t worked all day so she’s playing catch up and my order must be way behind these other photos.

After what feels like an eternity, she grabs a small stack of photos and proceeds to ring up what she thinks is my order. I stop her and said I only ordered five pictures. With the biggest sigh she could possibly utter, she pulls out five photos. And now I see that she processed each of my five photos, five times.

Thanks. I think.

Leave a comment | posted in in and around NYC, peeves

January 13, 2011

Lawrence and Julia

By simply three cents

A former colleague posted this link on Facebook. I have to share because it is freaking hilarious.

This guy, Lawrence, pledges to watch Julie and Julia every day for one year and blog about it, yes, kind of like Julia did with cooking and her blog in the movie. Yes, silly premise. I didn’t time it but I am pretty sure I was on his blog for…um…longer than I thought.

Just for the record, I actually enjoyed Julie and Julia. I don’t think you have see the movie to find this blog funny, but what do I know?

In one of his entries, Lawrence mentions that the Huffington Post was responsible for driving traffic to his site. So of course I Googled it because I wanted to see what they said, and I found out that it was mentioned in an article called, 7 Sites You Should Be Wasting Time On Right Now. Out of the 7, I only wasted time with Lawrence (and briefly with the Blues Maker) so far, and I think you should too. Here’s the link to the HP article for your reference.

And while we’re on the subject of links that help you waste time – here’s another one of my favorites.

Comments Off on Lawrence and Julia | posted in just silly

January 12, 2011

Remembering

By simply three cents

Four years ago today I lost someone very close to me. I miss him terribly and not a day goes by I don’t think about him. I’m thankful for our time together, but that doesn’t make my heartache go away. I truly believe a part of me died when he did. We talked on the phone a few times a week and when we did it was for an hour, if not more. I didn’t, and haven’t, done that with anyone else since.

As I do every year on his birthday, and today, I will down a Sam Adams, his favorite.

xoxoxo

1 Comment | posted in why, winter

January 11, 2011

Good work, Southwest

By simply three cents

Everyone flies for different reasons. Here’s a reason that you never want to have to fly. But, if you are flying because of a loss, or an emergency, you would want a pilot like this one.

http://www.elliott.org/blog/southwest-airlines-pilot-holds-plane-for-murder-victims-family/

2 Comments | posted in in and around the USA, news, travel

January 10, 2011

You asked for feedback…here goes

By simply three cents

Here’s a recent letter I sent to [US-based legacy carrier]. After my trip, I received an email asking for feedback about my recent trip. Rather than put my thoughts into a form letter, I sent my thoughts to an actual person.

Mr. X,

My recent experience at JFK on December 2010 warrants some advice on the [airline] terminal at JFK.

Let me just be clear. This is not a rant on service I received, and while I was delayed (expected), I did make it to my destination safely, and without incident. That is what is truly important.

This is just a note with suggestions on how to improve the terminal. JFK is a major airport in the world, and the first point of entry for many travelers into NYC, or even the United States. Let’s make it a little more welcoming, shall we?

Caveat: I know some of this is [airline]’s responsibility and some is JFK’s, as well as their vendors. I also know [airline] is redoing their terminal. Hopefully this advice comes in handy.

1 – Getting off the AirTrain
No signage and no personnel to direct travelers. The [airline] terminal I usually go through was closed for business and there is simply a pilot getting into an elevator, so I decided to follow him. Even though it looked like a dungeon (more on that later), I did get to the right place (after walking outside, inside, back outside, up an outdoor ramp and back inside.)

2 – Security line
Ridiculously long AND there was only two of the four lines open. Hello! Holiday weekend?
My suggestion: make the length of preparation (trays, length of table) into the X-Ray machine AND the gather your belongings parts (length of table) longer. This way, inexperienced flyers have time to de-robe before, and time to collect their belongings, before it gets jammed up, after.

3 – Dressing area after security
For those that can’t collect their belongings and put their shoes on fast enough, have an area where they can sit down and do so instead of jamming up the pick up area.

4 – Dingy terminal
Realize you are updating, but take note. It is one ugly terminal. Get a designer. Brand it [airline], make flying fun again and create it like you care about your passengers.

5 – Three planes out of one gate
I listen to directions and can read so when I get outside I know that I will be on the right plane. Perhaps adding some electronic signs, or enabling the gate agents to speak with better microphones will help. I felt sorry for them. Hundreds of customers eager to board swarm the gate for information that only one person can hear because there was no microphone, or garbled words were coming out of that microphone.

6 – Seating at the gate
If you have three planes leaving at the same time at the same gate, there are going to be a lot of bodies. Spread the gates out from other gates nearby, provide additional seating, do something to minimize the masses by the gate agent.

7 – Dogs out of the cage, walking around the terminal with no leash

Lawsuits and allergies abound. Do I have to mention it’s written in your contract of carriage that those traveling with pets must keep them zipped in their carry on bags?

8 – Seating at the restaurants near the gates
Who was this meant for? Gumby? The seats are nailed to the ground and made for a 6 foot toothpick. Very uncomfortable, and not very design friendly.

9 – Wendy’s (realize this is an airport vendor, and not [airline]’s responsibility)
Completely overpriced. And they ran out of ketchup. What?! There wasn’t even a snowstorm yet. Get some great chefs to partner with [airline] and some healthy, reasonable restaurants, and you can get travelers to sit and enjoy, rather than bombard the gate agents (see number five).

10 – Signage
I cannot stress this enough. English is my first language, and I am a frequent flyer. What about the people who are visiting JFK for the first time, what about those who don’t travel much and what about those visiting from other places, or just do not have a strong command of the language? I travel a bit, and abroad, to countries where I don’t speak the language, and the signage is universal, so it makes it possible for me to get around without too much trouble. Give our international travelers the same respect.

I have more ideas, if you want…..happy to discuss. Just email or call.

Regards,

PS – I wanted to send this to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well but their site is even more complex and confusing than their airport. Feel free to forward.

1 Comment | posted in in and around NYC, letters, travel