ExpressJet, a regional spin-off of Continental, started flying into and out of Tucson in April. I flew to and from Austin over the weekend and had a surprisingly pleasant experience with the airline.
I don’t mean that as a knock against ExpressJet, it’s just that I’ve never had an enjoyable flight before. Ever. Waiting at the airport for delayed planes, standing in long lines with my boarding pass, running to catch connections and sitting in tiny, smelly seats just isn’t my idea of good travel.
But this weekend, both my flights were on time and boarding was kinda like watching a family crowd into a van for a trip. The attendant pretty much says, “OK, let’s go,” and then everybody gets on the plane. You can also get free headphones to listen to free XM radio. That’s pretty cool.
After cut-backs at other airlines that have reduced service to peanuts and half a can of soda, I was surprised mid-flight that the attendant brought around $3 cocktails, mini-sandwiches and big packs of chocolate sandwich cookies.
A couple of weeks ago, ExpressJet CEO Jim Ream told the Star service is a priority in this story. “Someone was nice enough to give us a couple of hundred bucks, but then you can’t come up with 60 cents to make a sandwich better?” Ream said. “We need to make that little bit of effort.”
Good job, Jim.
Alright, it wasn’t all sunshine, but even when there was a problem, ExpressJet seemed to take care of it the right way. Leaving Austin, a flight at the terminal next to mine was delayed because the plane had been struck by lightning. The company called in a replacement plane from Houston, which was faster than fixing the one on the ground, and offered to buy waiting passengers a barbecue lunch and get juice for toddlers. Well done.
On the way back to Tucson, the little plane made for a bumpy trip on a windy day, and the seats did smell, but I guess you can’t have it all.
What did the seats smell like?
— you know who 10/23/2007 02:02 PM #
I flew ExJ to Ontario & back this spring. I’m a Platinum flyer on a major American Airline :) and never, ever get stopped at security due to the frequency of my travel on that carrier.
ExJ “marked” me at Ontario on the trip home and oh, boy, security tore all my stuff apart. Practically got out the scales to make sure I wasn’t carrying more than 3 oz of anything. My next trip to northern LA County soon will be on SWA to Burbank.
Also, ExJ frequent traveler program never credited that first flight. Startup pains, I guess, but I don’t feel like sharing their pain.
— Doris 10/26/2007 02:10 PM #
Hey Doris:
Guess what. The airline has Absolutely ZERO say in what the airport security does at the airport. You say XJT “marked” you for a security check? HA! It’s travelers like you who are the problem in the skies. Wake up, and realize that the wonderful (sarcasm here, folks) TSA is in charge of security, NOT the airline. When we go through security, we are dealing with our incredibly inept Dept. of Homeland Security. When we board the plane, then we start to deal with the airline.
— Common Sense 11/08/2007 02:22 PM #
please tell me what did the seats smell like? brand new leather and memory foam, I have flown this airline 17 times in this last year. awesome service, fun crews, yea there have been little problems (no airline is perfect), but nothing bad like flying on a little united express turbo prop in the la area, that sux (and scary, fly on xjet is like flying on your own corporate jet i love it.
— bigbadceo 11/08/2007 02:49 PM #
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— you know who 10/23/2007 02:02 PM #
ExJ “marked” me at Ontario on the trip home and oh, boy, security tore all my stuff apart. Practically got out the scales to make sure I wasn’t carrying more than 3 oz of anything. My next trip to northern LA County soon will be on SWA to Burbank.
Also, ExJ frequent traveler program never credited that first flight. Startup pains, I guess, but I don’t feel like sharing their pain.
— Doris 10/26/2007 02:10 PM #
Guess what. The airline has Absolutely ZERO say in what the airport security does at the airport. You say XJT “marked” you for a security check? HA! It’s travelers like you who are the problem in the skies. Wake up, and realize that the wonderful (sarcasm here, folks) TSA is in charge of security, NOT the airline. When we go through security, we are dealing with our incredibly inept Dept. of Homeland Security. When we board the plane, then we start to deal with the airline.
— Common Sense 11/08/2007 02:22 PM #
— bigbadceo 11/08/2007 02:49 PM #