Don't lock the courtesy car - PLEASE!

Jay Honeck

Jay Honeck

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Ingleside, TX
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Jay Honeck
Tonight we had a pilot fly in at 10 PM only to find our last remaining courtesy car at the airport LOCKED with the keys inside.

For those of you who may not understand the concept of our hotel courtesy cars, they are for pilots who fly in to use FOR FREE. There is no FBO at our airport, so if you put the keys under the floor mat and lock the car when you leave, the next guy is totally, completely, 100% screwed. Worse, I end up buying a really ticked-off guest a cab ride in to the hotel.

It's SO frustrating to provide something no other hotel in America provides to pilots, taking on enormous liability and expense -- only to have freaking idiots mess it up for the next guys who fly in!

:mad2: :( :rolleyes:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Tonight we had a pilot fly in at 10 PM only to find our last remaining courtesy car at the airport LOCKED with the keys inside.

For those of you who may not understand the concept of our hotel courtesy cars, they are for pilots who fly in to use FOR FREE. There is no FBO at our airport, so if you put the keys under the floor mat and lock the car when you leave, the next guy is totally, completely, 100% screwed. Worse, I end up buying a really ticked-off guest a cab ride in to the hotel.

It's SO frustrating to provide something no other hotel in America provides to pilots, taking on enormous liability and expense -- only to have freaking idiots mess it up for the next guys who fly in!

:mad2: :( :rolleyes:
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I guess you could put an aftermarket keypad entry system on it and not worry about the car getting stolen and have an easy way for pilots to get into it.
 
ausrere said:
I guess you could put an aftermarket keypad entry system on it and not worry about the car getting stolen and have an easy way for pilots to get into it.
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Well, eventually my F-150 will work its way out to the airport as a courtesy car. It's already got such a system. :wink2:

Sadly, that's probably a few years away. This isn't the first time this happened -- and it won't be the last. The poor guy who flew in tonight with his family was NOT thrilled to be standing there with his luggage waiting for a cab on a Friday night.

What especially sucked is that this is the first Friday night since last July that I wasn't around (it's Mary's birthday) to go fetch these folks from the airport. My staff did the right thing by buying them a cab ride, but, jeez, talk about frustrating....for all concerned.
 
Well, I guess you could do what my mother did to hers, break the lock. Problem solved :rolleyes::rofl:

Jay Honeck said:
Well, eventually my F-150 will work its way out to the airport as a courtesy car. It's already got such a system. :wink2:

Sadly, that's probably a few years away. This isn't the first time this happened -- and it won't be the last. The poor guy who flew in tonight with his family was NOT thrilled to be standing there with his luggage waiting for a cab on a Friday night.

What especially sucked is that this is the first Friday night since last July that I wasn't around (it's Mary's birthday) to go fetch these folks from the airport. My staff did the right thing by buying them a cab ride, but, jeez, talk about frustrating....for all concerned.
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Put a lock box up with emergency keys in it? Give the guy the code if the plane is locked. ;)
 
Get a Jetta for a courtesy car. They can only be locked from the outside with a key.
 
I hope the guy was ticked at the person who locked the car and not ticked at you and Mary.
 
Gee ... could it possibly have been an accident?

Sorry to hear that your super-special service was ruined by some cretin of a guest. :rolleyes:
 
Why don't you make a little placard to describe the procedures you'd like followed?
 
ausrere said:
Well, I guess you could do what my mother did to hers, break the lock. Problem solved :rolleyes::rofl:
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Yeah, disabling the lock mechanism is a sure-fire way to eliminate the problem. On many cars you can easily disconnect the actuating rod by removing a circlip. On both of my cars you can get to it by removing one screw which holds on the door lever/lock thumbpiece assembly. The outside key cylinder still works.
 
Steve Foley said:
Get a Jetta for a courtesy car. They can only be locked from the outside with a key.
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I would imagine any modern car would suffice. Mine prevents the scenario in the OP, literally cannot lock the drivers door with the key anywhere in the interior. It's based on the idea that you need to close the door before locking using the key

But the reverse to Denver's above applies
 
What about one of these:

http://www.nokey.com/noname18.html

Seem like it would do the trick. Or have on of the hidden key boxes (magnetic, stick it under the car somewhere) in addition to the normal protocol of leaving the key under the mat. Then if someone locks the keys in the car, you have a way for the hapless pilot to get in.

As a driver of non-keyless entry cars up until about 3 months ago, locking the car door when I got out was so automatic I never thought about it. Putting the key in my pocket was also almost as automatic. But if something interrupted my flow I could and did lock my keys in the car. It only happened about 2-3 times in the last 10 years, but it doesn't make me an idiot. (I probably have other quals for that!)

John
 
Yep... The lock-box solution seems to be the most inexpensive, least intrusive (damaging the locks not necessary), fool-proof solution. GOT MY VOTE!
 
Bob Noel said:
I hope the guy was ticked at the person who locked the car and not ticked at you and Mary.
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Bob, after ten years in the hospitality business, I can say one thing with absolute assurance: It is ALWAYS our fault. :lol:

Seriously, it doesn't matter WHY something goes wrong. All these folks will remember next December, when they are considering coming back to the island, is that "Something went wrong at that Amelia's place. Honey, do you remember what it was?"

The answer, if it's like my house, will be "Nope" -- but the negative vibe from the experience will be enough to make them stay somewhere else, even though they can't remember precisely why they were disappointed...

It's the nature of the bidness.
 
ausrere said:
Well, I guess you could do what my mother did to hers, break the lock. Problem solved :rolleyes::rofl:
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That is actually a great idea -- although folks do occasionally go to lunch with all their "stuff" in the courtesy car, and may not appreciate (or even notice) that the doors can't be locked.

It's far-fetched, but I would hate to have someone's stuff stolen because I disabled the locks....
 
Captain said:
Why don't you make a little placard to describe the procedures you'd like followed?
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The instructions are already ON THE KEY CHAIN.

I don't think it's a good idea to put a placard on the dashboard that is visible from outside the car, saying "Don't lock car, put key under the mat". :lol:

Not that it probably matters. We've already had pilots show up in the wrong car having inadvertently "stolen" a car that looked similar to one of our courtesy cars. EVERYONE leaves the key under the mat, and there are probably 25 cars parked there...
 
Stash one of those magnetic key holders (complete w/ key) under a bumper or something.
 
The good news:

1. Mary and my daughter drove out to the airport early this morning with the spare key, and drove the van back for our pilots to use today.

2. They are happy, and have extended their stay with us.

Hopefully this indicates that they're not too ticked off at us. :yesnod:
 
Jay Honeck said:
The good news:

1. Mary and my daughter drove out to the airport early this morning with the spare key, and drove the van back for our pilots to use today.

2. They are happy, and have extended their stay with us.

Hopefully this indicates that they're not too ticked off at us. :yesnod:
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So what happens when this "idiot" reads your post about him?
 
MadseasoN said:
So what happens when this "idiot" reads your post about him?
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It wasn't the current guest who stupidly locked the courtesy car. The current guest was the VICTIM of a previous guest who locked it so that this guy couldn't get in when he arrived late last night.

Do try to keep up. :rolleyes:
 
Jay Honeck said:
It wasn't the current guest who stupidly locked the courtesy car. The current guest was the VICTIM of a previous guest who locked it so that this guy couldn't get in when he arrived late last night.

Do try to keep up. :rolleyes:
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So what happens when this previous guest "idiot" reads your post about him? :wink2:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Bob, after ten years in the hospitality business, I can say one thing with absolute assurance: It is ALWAYS our fault. :lol:

....
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you need smarter customers.
 
MadseasoN said:
So what happens when this previous guest "idiot" reads your post about him? :wink2:
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With any luck, he might learn that his actions had bad consequences? Just sayin'...

The poor guy with his family last night certainly did not appreciate standing in the dark in front of a locked vehicle, with no way to enter or get off the airport. What seems like a minor thing to you was a pretty major thing to him -- and thus, to me, as my guest.
 
Bob Noel said:
you need smarter customers.
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I'm not holding my breath on that one, Bob. :lol:

The bell curve is real, and it impacts everything we see and do. As a result, at least 10% of our guests are complete morons. They can't figure out a TV remote, they can't figure out an air conditioner, they can't figure out a coffee maker. I know you know this, but it's...scary.

These people really do walk among us -- but thankfully our target market (pilots) tends to skew more toward the "good side" of the bell curve... :D

What we REALLY need are more pilots. We are running about 95% non-pilot guests, which is GREAT financially, but not nearly as much fun as I would like...

Regardless, when my book is complete, someday, you'll be able to read all about our "adventures" with the public... :lol:
 
Jf1450 said:
Wellllll, with some of the posts I see out here that may be open to debate. :)
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Geez, Jeff, I'm trying to be NICE here. :D

Seriously, pilots are the best group of potential customers anyone could aim for. We pilots are almost universally friendly, out-going, curious people who live without fear and don't suffer fools gladly.

My kind of people. I only wish there were more of us.
 
Hey, I just received word from our vintner in New Braunfels that they're going to be on Mustang Island tomorrow, and they're going to DELIVER our new "Amelia's Landing White Zinfandel" to us!

This speeds things up by a few days, and saves us the flight to New Braunfels to pick it up. Good deal all around.

Here's a deal for y'all: If you fly down and stay with us this coming week (6/11 - 6/15), we'll throw in a bottle of our new Amelia's Landing white zinfandel. (We're only having 60 bottles made in this inaugural batch, so it'll be a real "collector's item".)

Hurry, before Mary and I drink it all ourselves! :lol:
 
Pikers....60 bottles of white Zin? I've got 26 cases of Margy and my CODE: PURPLE SYRAH and 24 cases of our HEARTSTRINGS (red) ZINFANDEL. What is particularly amusing is that TTF when approving the wineries house label (which has the morse letters V and H on it) made them decode the morse code on it. The entire background of the CODE: PURPLE label is a sort of Matrix movie style set of letters which comprises a encrypted message. Oddly enough that one sailed through approval without notice.
 
flyingron said:
Pikers....60 bottles of white Zin? I've got 26 cases of Margy and my CODE: PURPLE SYRAH and 24 cases of our HEARTSTRINGS (red) ZINFANDEL. What is particularly amusing is that TTF when approving the wineries house label (which has the morse letters V and H on it) made them decode the morse code on it. The entire background of the CODE: PURPLE label is a sort of Matrix movie style set of letters which comprises a encrypted message. Oddly enough that one sailed through approval without notice.
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Um, who is "TTF", and why would they have to "approve" the house label?

We bought this batch of wine on a whim while we were in New Braunfels a few weeks ago. Stopped in for a tasting at wine bar, and ended up ordering our own wine from the vintners.

Then, we went across the street and tried to order a batch of our own house lager from the Faust brewery.

They just looked at me funny... :lol:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Um, who is "TTF", and why would they have to "approve" the house label?
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Sorry, that should read TTB, the Tarif and Trade Bureau. While I own the entire production run of these two wines they are actually legally salable wines in Virginia
 
Jay Honeck said:
With any luck, he might learn that his actions had bad consequences? Just sayin'...
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Ah well, he was probably one of those liberal democrats! :D

Keeping a car at the airport for use by your guests is, in my book, huge!! :thumbsup:

My wife is a big fan of old historic homes, the National Geographic Guide to the top 500 historic homes in America is her bible. Works out well, I get to fly, she gets history. Ground transportation is, on occasion, a problem, particularly if the airport is relatively rural and it is the weekend. For a short trip, a crew car is nice, but they seem to be harder to find and if it is an overnight, I don't want to tie it up that long.

That's a wonderful service! Bummer about the keys however, maybe the magnetic box is the easiest solution.

Gary
 
If any of you is interested in a quality Rhienhessen and region wines, my cousin has some vines and some wines that are pretty tasty.
 
flyingron said:
Sorry, that should read TTB, the Tarif and Trade Bureau. While I own the entire production run of these two wines they are actually legally salable wines in Virginia
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Cool.

I technically "own" this entire production run, too -- but Texas state law says that I am only buying the "grapes" -- and turning it into wine myself.

The fact that I've hired another entity to stomp the grapes (ala "I Love Lucy"), change the resulting juice into wine, bottle it and label it doesn't seem to matter. :dunno:

I can't legally sell the stuff -- so I guess we will just have to give it away! :goofy:
 
Props to a guy who cares enough about serving his customers that he gets a little cranky when something interferes with it. So, I second the approach of eliminating opportunities for a good experience to go wrong. But, how about a cellular remote unlock for cool factor, onStar style? :)

And, a microbrewery that isn't willing to do a private label run seems like madness. Keep asking because there are plenty of house beers examples here. You just may have to buy about 5 bbl. There are certainly worse problems than that! :goofy:
 
Jay Honeck said:
With any luck, he might learn that his actions had bad consequences? Just sayin'...

The poor guy with his family last night certainly did not appreciate standing in the dark in front of a locked vehicle, with no way to enter or get off the airport. What seems like a minor thing to you was a pretty major thing to him -- and thus, to me, as my guest.
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He probably locked the keys in the car on accident. You called him an idiot on purpose.

Im just trying to offer another perspective. You're on an Internet forum berating your customers. Is that good for business? I mean, whatever you post stays here forever.
 
I had one of my coworkers lock the keys in the rental car on me. I had pulled up into the valet slot at the hotel and had gotten out and was talking to the valet when my coworker (one of these paranoid types) instinctively hit the electric door lock and then shut his door.

I'd been up for something like 30 hours straight at that point so I just told the valet to put it away when he got it open. I expected to still find it in front of the hotel, out of gas and dead battery and still locked up the next morning, but in fact I'm sure they put a slim jim to it as soon as I was out of sight.
 
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