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"MY EXPERIENCE WITH CLINT, THE ALASKA AIR SUPERVISOR" by Todd Thomas. 1/23/12
On 1/21/12 I went to the Alaska Airlines (AA) Ticket Counter at SeaTac Airport in Seattle, Wa., to purchase two previously reserved tickets for an AA flight in April 2012. When purchasing the tickets, I intended to redeem "customer care" certificates (eight certificates valued at $25.00 each, good for $100.00 off each ticket) that were given to me by an AA rep. in baggage claim at SeaTac a few years ago, after an AA flight during which both my wife and my bags were lost, and sent via courier to my home two days later. The certificates read "our apologies for your inconvenience" and were intended, per the AA rep. at baggage claim, to provide a $100.00 per ticket discount on a pair of tickets, for future travel with AA.

On 1/21/12, at 6:15 pm, at SeaTac airport, the ticket agents at the AA counter discounted my tickets for the flight in April 2012, per the “customer care” certificates, and charged my credit card for the fare. However, before the transaction was finalized, the "shift supervisor," or whatever his title was, passed by the counter, saw the "customer care" certificates, and proceeded to inform me that AA does not issue such certificates. This man, Clint was his name, went on to pull me to the side, and asked, in a very accusatory manner, where I got the tickets, just after I had explained to him the story of the lost baggage (check your courier records for the delivery of my lost baggage to my home if you, like Clint did, think I am lying). So, I explained to him, for the second time, that the certificates were given to me by an AA rep., in that very airport's baggage claim. Clint then smirked, and informed me, with great disdain and smug certainty, that AA would have NEVER have given me eight certificates for one lost bag. I replied that I never told him it was ONE bag (AA lost four bags on that flight, my wife's included), and nonetheless, I was not trying to scam AA out of a discount on two fares by 1) showing up in person at the airport 2) filling out the certificates with my address and phone #, and 3) paying for the tickets with my credit card. Give me a break! However, Clint proceeded to inform me that he was "taking" the certificates, and would not allow me to use them. This was done with no explanation, aside from innuendo that the certificates were phony or somehow being improperly used. When I asked for documentation of the "confiscation" of the certificates, as essentially Clint was taking cash value certificates out of my possession, Clint rudely refused to do so. It was if he expected me to slink out of the airport, caught in my alleged lie, grateful Clint was not turning me over to airport police.

In summary, I received the certificates from a representative of AA, as a gesture of goodwill, to make up for the inconvenience of lost bags and lost time. When I attempt to redeem them, I am treated like a low-life scam artist by an AA supervisor on duty (Clint), despite assurances by an AA telephone rep. earlier that day that the certificates have no expiration date, and would be honored (I was concerned that the certificates were a few yrs. old, despite no language printed on them re: any expiration date or limit on the time frame during which they are used, so I double-checked with your airline). Check your records for documentation of that call, during which I reserved the flight. Also, check with AA reps. who may have worked in baggage claim during the time period of 2006-2007. If I were a betting man, I would lay money that they would report that issuance of such certificates was fairly common practice at that time, in the event of lost luggage. Lastly, examine the certificates Clint “confiscated.” Surely he kept them as “evidence” if he felt it necessary to take them away from me. Do they look like counterfeits? Three other AA employees who looked at them at the ticket counter that night when processing my transaction sure didn’t seem to have any problem with them. I’ll attest that I tried to redeem them. If they are bogus, or if you can prove there was any impropriety associated with my attempt to use them, then I guess I’m guilty as charged!


So, I wasted a trip to the airport (required to redeem the certificates), was essentially called a liar and was treated like TRASH by Clint, the AA supervisor on duty, and ended up with no reserved flight to boot. I was hence unable to make further trip plans with family, as I am now not sure when I will be arriving at my destination. A great night!(heavy sarcasm). Who likes having their character and integrity brought into question with no justification, especially in such a public place, and by someone who is supposed to be, per your airline's claims, courteous and respectful? What a joke! By far this was the worst "customer service" experience I have ever had, in my 42 years of dealing with bored hotel desk clerks, cab drivers, Department of Licensing clerks, and otherwise cynical and burnt-out people. I am still trying to make sense of what happened the evening of 1/21/12; it was almost surreal.
Sincerely,
Todd Thomas (still a loyal customer)


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