The latest “goodwill gesture” given to me — September 2023 — is from an airline through which I repeatedly attempted to apply a future flight credit to a ticket which I was purchasing for travel next month but was unsuccessful; and it was not my fault.
The Latest “Goodwill Gesture” Given To Me. September 2023.
Whenever I book a reservation, I usually book it under the name of Brian Cohen. That is my name. I do not use nicknames. I only use the initial of my middle name or the entire middle name whenever it is required…
…but regardless of which name I used at the official Internet web site of United Airlines, I kept getting the same error of not being able to select the future flight credit to apply to my ticket: “This credit can only be used by the traveler it was issued to, so the names on the credit and booking must match.”
Try as I might, I could not get the future flight credit to recognize my name — no matter which variation I used. I was frustrated.
I then contacted United Airlines via its official Twitter — er…X — account for assistance.
Although the agents were helpful and patient, one part of the communications with United Airlines hit a nerve.
“The lowest available fare in booking to this round trip flight is $355.45 and the $25 non-refundable booking service fee. Please know that fare varies from time to time depending on the availability. As a goodwill gesture, we will waive the booking service fee.”
Well, I should hope that the booking service fee of $25.00 would be waived. I could not use the future flight credit any other way. Why would I otherwise be charged for something that was not even my fault?!?
Final Boarding Call
If you have patronized a company over the years without a problem and you have a record of being a good customer, you might get the customer service representative of the company to offer you a “one-time courtesy” — of changing your itinerary, offering a refund, or some other service which the customer is otherwise charged a fee and obligated to pay it — as a gesture of goodwill in the hopes that you will continue to do business with that company.
Sometimes a company will grant the good will courtesy gesture more than once; and sometimes new customers may be fortunate to have the “one-time courtesy” bestowed upon them — especially if the company is in a highly competitive business — but again: do not count on it happening. Rather, expect your request of an exception to the restrictive terms of the rate which you booked and reserved to be denied so as to mitigate disappointment.
In this case, I expected the issue to be resolved without being charged a fee. Although I thank the representatives of United Airlines in finally resolving the issue to my satisfaction after several hours, I could have done without that “goodwill gesture” being stated.
“One-time courtesy” and “goodwill gesture” are terms that are so overused in customer service these days that they sound empty and hollow when applied to a situation — even if the person who uses those terms is genuine about doing so…
Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
