(no subject)
Usually I rant on here about more personal issues but today I'm going to blog about something a bit more widespread.
I regularly read dooce.com, the blog by Heather Armstrong. While I do not agree with everything she says 100%, I enjoy reading her blog and realize I do not have to agree with her completely. She recently complained about Maytag over Twitter after her new washing machine did not work. It ended up landing her a repaired washer and a extra one to hand out to a shelter.
She just tweeted about Kevin Smith and his misfortunes with Southwest Airlines.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/84393157.html and www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/not-so-silent-bob and http://twitter.com/ThatKevinSmith
Basically Kevin Smith was kicked off a SWA flight for being too fat. However he passed the "armrest test" as outlined in SWA's policy statement: "What is the definitive gauge for a Customer of size?
The armrest is the definitive gauge for a Customer of size. It serves as the boundary between seats and measures 17 inches in width. Customers who are unable to lower both armrests and/or who compromise any portion of adjacent seating should proactively book the number of seats needed prior to travel."
I completely agree that no one should pay for a ticket just to have another person encroaching on their seat. But the majority of airline seats today are barely big enough for a supermodel to be comfortable. And if someone passed your "test" then why should they be denied a seat?
Southwest is saying that Smith previously purchased two tickets for flights with them. Smith is saying that he did not make that a practice before this trip. He has also said that he only did it this time because he wanted more privacy. Basically he can purchase 2 SWA tickets for much less than a first class ticket on another airline.
This brings up a bigger question of consumers using social media to "attack" corporations. Personally I am all for it. As customers we pay for goods and services. Why should we not be able to complain or for that matter compliment the companies we make these purchases from? I guess it is a lot easier for the word to get out when a person has a million followers on Twitter but maybe that just means the company pissed off the wrong customer.
I regularly read dooce.com, the blog by Heather Armstrong. While I do not agree with everything she says 100%, I enjoy reading her blog and realize I do not have to agree with her completely. She recently complained about Maytag over Twitter after her new washing machine did not work. It ended up landing her a repaired washer and a extra one to hand out to a shelter.
She just tweeted about Kevin Smith and his misfortunes with Southwest Airlines.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/84393157.html and www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/not-so-silent-bob and http://twitter.com/ThatKevinSmith
Basically Kevin Smith was kicked off a SWA flight for being too fat. However he passed the "armrest test" as outlined in SWA's policy statement: "What is the definitive gauge for a Customer of size?
The armrest is the definitive gauge for a Customer of size. It serves as the boundary between seats and measures 17 inches in width. Customers who are unable to lower both armrests and/or who compromise any portion of adjacent seating should proactively book the number of seats needed prior to travel."
I completely agree that no one should pay for a ticket just to have another person encroaching on their seat. But the majority of airline seats today are barely big enough for a supermodel to be comfortable. And if someone passed your "test" then why should they be denied a seat?
Southwest is saying that Smith previously purchased two tickets for flights with them. Smith is saying that he did not make that a practice before this trip. He has also said that he only did it this time because he wanted more privacy. Basically he can purchase 2 SWA tickets for much less than a first class ticket on another airline.
This brings up a bigger question of consumers using social media to "attack" corporations. Personally I am all for it. As customers we pay for goods and services. Why should we not be able to complain or for that matter compliment the companies we make these purchases from? I guess it is a lot easier for the word to get out when a person has a million followers on Twitter but maybe that just means the company pissed off the wrong customer.