US Air: pretending I'm a satisfied customer

I recently received these two letters from US Air. So, they've now responded to my third and fourth letters, but, as you can see, they have ignored my request for further accommodations for my trip.

In the meantime, my roundabout trip to avoid the scanners was extremely inconvenient. My husband says the millimeter wave scanners were indeed in use at BWI, but he, himself, avoided a scan or custody search.

Crossing paths with US Air

I just wanted to post this letter from United US Air (below). It is apparently a response to my third letter, not my most recent letter. However, Ms. Kerman did not address my concerns at all, and seems to be responding to what I wrote in my second letter. Very confusing, isn't it? The delay between letters this time is much longer, so I will wait longer this time to hear their response to my most recent letter.

Oh, and no word from Orbitz, yet.

Which side will Orbitz and US Air choose?

Will these companies stay on the side of those who are wrong - violating privacy and basic human rights - or the side of the angels, so to speak?

Orbitz Scanner Letter 3

Read the letter to US Air, as well:

Update on US Air and Orbitz

I have received no response to my letters last week. Does this mean that they have no intention of trying to retain me as a customer?

I've used Orbitz almost exclusively for my travel needs for the last 10 years. Good-bye, Orbitz!

As a bi-coastal family, I've flown cross-country at least twice a year for these last 10 years. The airport that I fly into is served only by US Air and United, although I've been known to frequent Southwest and Jet Blue in the past. So far, I've been nonplussed by responses from all of these carriers.

Because I made a promise to my husband's family that they would get to spend Christmas with my daughter this year, I will be making every effort to get her to California. I truly hope that I am not forced to make a decision between our privacy and our vacation. But I can see no reason to continue to support companies that show such little disregard for the my family's fundamental rights.

US Air, will you protect your pregnant customers?

Elliott McElroy wrote to US Air earlier this week about her upcoming Thanksgiving travel. She has not heard from them, yet, and has asked me to post her letter here:

November 15, 2010

US Airways
ATTN: Customer Relations
4000 E Sky Harbor Blvd
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Dear Sir or Madam:

I’m writing to express my concerns about the newly implemented security procedures at airports around the country, and how my family intends to respond to them.

I recently purchased roundtrip airplane tickets for myself and my husband to travel between Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Philadelphia International Airport before and after the Thanksgiving holiday. My online check-in number is XXXXXX and the tickets were purchased through www.travelocity.com. At the time of purchasing the tickets, I was not made aware that PHL would be using AIT scanners. 

My husband and I object to submitting ourselves through the scanning technology. I am not convinced of its safety, nor am I convinced that our privacy will be respected. Simply because the TSA website reports that the scanning technology will pose no threat to my health does not mean that I will blindly believe the information presented, especially in light of the fact that I will be 18 weeks pregnant at the time of planned travel.

Round 2: Turning up the heat on Orbitz and US Air

I've sent these letters to Orbitz and US Air letting them know what I think of their responses so far:

Strong words from pilots' unions

Captain Mike Cleary, head of the US Airways pilot union is using stronger language than his American Airlines counterpart did last week. An excerpt:

Let's be perfectly clear: the TSA procedures we have outlined above are blatantly unacceptable as a long-term solution. Although an immediate solution cannot be guaranteed, I can promise you that your union will not rest until all U.S. airline pilots have a way to reach their workplace ... the aircraft ... without submitting ourselves to the will of a TSO behind closed doors.

His recommendations are that pilots do not go through the scanners, opt for a private pat-down, and make sure to bring a witness to the private screening room, and then: "After being subjected to an enhanced pat-down procedure, pilots must evaluate their fitness for duty."

Hey, pilots! Don't forget about the mere customers who pay your salaries!

US Air revises their "offer"

Cynthia from US Air called me and stated that they will now waive the $150 change fee (the letter I posted earlier today said that they will not waive the change fee). So, I've booked my new flight going through a scanner-less airport*, but had to pay the $100 fare difference and will also have to (as of now) pony up for the one-way rental car.

*In case you're interested, Allentown, PA, Atlantic City, NJ, and Norfolk, VA are the nearest airports to DC that have no scanners. All are about a 4 hour drive. Let me just say that if I were not going clear across the country, the amount of time I'll be investing in this trip would not be worth it.

Response from US Air

My most recent letter crossed paths with US Air's response to my first letter. I don't have time to transcribe this or comment on it now, so I'll leave it at: this is a really lame reply.
USAir Response #1

Letter #2 to US Air

I have not received a response to my earlier letter to US Air. I just put this one in the mail today:

USAir Scanner Letter 2

Update on US Air

US Air has not yet responded to my letter. I will be sending out a follow-up to them shortly, so stay tuned!

Letters to US Air and Orbitz

I sent these letters to US Air and Orbitz earlier this week. I will be posting updates on my communications with these companies regarding their complicity in abuse of the 4th Amendment on a regular basis on this blog.

Today's update: no response from either company, but I expect that they have only just received the letters.

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