U.S. Airways Demon Web Site: I am absolutely convinced that the designers of the U.S. Airways website are deeply disturbed individuals.

The U.S. Airways website is infuriating. For many years, when I was boycotting Northwest, I made U.S.Airways my first choice. Even back then, their website was a disaster. It would hang at random points when try to make a reservation. And even if it didn't hang, it would let you go through the multiple screen process to the very last step where you would click "complete reservation" and it would give you an error that the system was unable to make the reservation and unceremoniously place you back on the home page where you had to start the entire process over.

It got so bad that at one point I dashed off a witheringly sarcastic email to customer service that began, "After giving it careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that your website sucks!" I didn't get a reply.

Well, since I made my reservations through Expedia this time, I didn't have to worry about setting up the reservations, but I always make a habit of checking on-line the day before in an effort to get the prime seats. This I still had to do through USAirways.com.

The seat selection process seems to work fine. I was able to select exit seats (very cool) on the aisle -- always my first choice when flying coach. Except when I went to print the boarding passes, I found that I had not been assigned the seats I had chosen. They seemed to have assigned me random seats (including one in the last row directly across the aisle from the loo, thank you very much).

Huh? Wha? It turns out that U.S. Airways policy is that they will not assign exit seats on line. They will let you select them just like any other seat, but they'll assign you something random instead. Ha Ha! The joke's on you, stupid customer!

Fine. Well, I would prefer not to sit in the rear of the plane across from the loo, so I log back in to select the best non-exit row seats I can get. What an idiot! Did I really think it would be that easy? You see, once you have a seat assignment, you can't change it until you actually get to the airport and have it done by a gate agent. Gack!

WTF? I mean...WTF? What company in their right mind creates a system that encourages and entices their customers into spending a half hour to do something that, in reality, is just saving time for U.S. Airways, then pulls the chair out from beneath them thereby screwing themselves in the process. What a complete waste of time!

You know that old web meme Bastard Operator From Hell? Well U.S. Airways clearly employs the Bastard Web Site Designers From Hell. Seriously, I design software for a living and I have made every bone-headed mistake you can make, but I've never managed this level of inanity. This cannot be the result of incompetence -- it is malicious. It is the purest form of evil, done without excuse just for entertainment. There is a searing cauldron of boiling jalapeno sauce awaiting these clowns in the afterlife.

No wonder U.S. Airways is bankrupt.

Late Update: Since this little encounter, U.S. Airways appears to have been attempting to upgrade their reservation system. It looks like they mangled the proceedings again this time hammering the poor sods who try to get anything done at the airport kiosks. Surprise.