Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?
Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:
My best: Good customer service from Alaska Airlines and TSA
This week, I took a trip to Sacramento. When I arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the counter agent said the computer showed that I hadn’t checked in. I told her I had tried to change my seat because, due to a respiratory problem, it works better for me to sit by the window ahead of the wing. She was nice about it and said we probably needed to start over since I’d asked for a seat change.
The counter agent assigned me the seat I needed and prepared my boarding pass. She was friendly and polite, a really nice airport experience.
Next, I went through airport security. The TSA employee held up my backpack after it went through the scanner. "Do you have a water bottle in here?" he asked. I said no, forgetting that I’d left a water bottle in my backpack three weeks ago when I came back from Madrid.
He said he’d need to throw the bottle of water away and check my backpack again. I apologized for my mistake. He didn’t yell or get angry. He was polite and courteous.
It was an amazing way to begin a trip. I was smiling at people. They were smiling back. I don’t think I’ve ever started a trip in such a great mood.
My worst: Having to think about a new trial for my failed roof
Although I won the arbitration related to my leaking roof, the contractor and his lawyers filed for a new trial.
Hopefully, we can reach a settlement before I have to pay an attorney more money a trial. At $195 an hour, I just paid another big bill for help looking at the arbitrator’s award statement and other details.
