Ahh, the decline of customer service

Was it ever really good at all though?

But the poor customer service stories continue to irrate me. I prolly shouldn't read them, but with a head like "Passengers Aboard Flight Delayed 18 Hours" with quotes like:

In an ordeal that made some passengers feel like hostages, about 300 people aboard an Amsterdam-to-Seattle flight were delayed for 18 hours on the ground, unable to leave the plane for much of that time, as food and water ran out and the toilets stopped working.

How could I not resist? So what do these passengers after an 28 hour ordeal (flight included) get? Well, they got an apology, which is pretty much mandatory after a hassle like this, even if it came from the Northwest spokeswoman and not the President or CEO of Northwest. They also got "a gift pack that included phone cards and vouchers for a free ticket anywhere Northwest flies in the United States and Canada."

Well, thanks, but if that was me, I don't think I'd ever fly on Northwest again. Heck, I took a Northwest round trip flight once from TF Green to Columbus, Ohio and after the hassle I got I never wanted to fly with them again, and I haven't and never will.

Do you seriously think those people will ever want to fly Northwest again? I think not. The way Northwest should've handle it (well, other then letting the people out of the plane and trying to get someone from customs to that particular airport they were stuck at, or at least landing the plane where it should've been in the first place.): they should've just refunded the passengers' ticket price. All of it. They gave them a ticket anywhere Northwest flys in the US or Canada, so what is a few more bucks and just give them that particular flight for free? And an apology from the President - a letter of apology with a signature from the President of Northwest with a check for the cost of their flight.