Boycott of American Airlines

I am just saying.... my Dad passed away in 2003. Three days before Christmas. He had purchased a round trip ticket for me to come spend the holiday with him and my Mom.  Tickets were mucho expensive back then. Imagine having your Dad cremated on Christmas day. I couldn't leave my Mom over the New Years holiday so I called American Airlines Rep to have the flight switched to a later date. Rude doesn't even come close. "We get a lot of these calls" she told me. Didn't they charge me $100.00 to reschedule my fligth which I asked her to drop so I wouldn't overdraw my account. I told her everything. And then they resold my seat which I gave up for twice the price as all the flights were sold out for folks returning from the holiday. I wil never ever ever fly this airline again. And I haven't to this day.

I am writing to bring to your attention the absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable situation your airline placed me in.

My company, flew all of us back from New York to Seattle on a business trip on American Airlines Flight 269 arriving in Seatac airport 10pm last night, Wed Dec 5. Upon arrival I and three other passengers were notified to go to the American Airlines baggage claim service counter. I was informed that due to a glitch in the computer system in New York, my bag was still in New York. 

I informed them that I had all my cosmetics and contact lens cleaners etc in that bag and did not have any spare at home so that situation was rather inconvenient. But none-the-less I appreciated that there was nothing that could be done at that time. I was informed by the male serving me behind the counter (I could hardly read his name on the badge hanging from his neck), that they would try to get my bag on the earliest flight and would deliver my bag to my work in the afternoon Thursday Dec 6. Failing that, the bag would arrive on an equivalent flight at 10pm and I would have my bag delivered by 11pm to my home. Again, although highly inconvenient my expectations were set.

My bag did not arrive in the afternoon to my work. However after 11pm I received a message on my phone that my bag would be picked up by the delivery company around 1am and be delivered within 6 hours after that.

I was totally distraught by this as there were items that I needed particularly for work for Friday, however I was now informed that my bag may not arrive prior to my departure for work. 

I called the Baggage Claim Service number. After having to Google to find out how to get through to a live person since the claims information did not provide this, I finally got through to a live person – Mark who apparently was located in Dallas. I informed him how distraught and angry I was that my bag would not arrive this evening as I was expecting and therefore the items that were critical for my work. I also informed him that I could not understand why my bag would take over 24 hours to be reconnected with me seeing as American Airlines new where it was, could have had more than one flight from New York during the day. He provided me with his robotic response that there was nothing he could do. By this time I was rather irate given the stress of not having my required items for work. When I asked to speak to a Supervisor, his response was a rather flippant 'I'm sure you do'.

I was placed on hold, then I spoked to Goldie. She basically repeated the same stance, Mark had provided. I kept stressing how important that I receive my bag due to the items in that bag that I needed for work. I kept asking why they couldn't have the delivery company deliver my bag now. The response was the delivery company did not deliver to residences this late. It was 11.38pm. During my conversation with Goldie she had placed me on hold on several occasions. She indicated she was on the phone to the Seattle Baggage Claim counter and was speaking to the manager there.

I asked to speak to a manager. The response, sent me over the edge and it was rather disturbing that it reflected how low American Airlines had sunk in their level of service. She indicated that the managers no longer wanted to speak so they wouldn't talk to me. My husband asked me to ask Goldie, if American Airlines could at least place my bag in a Taxi. She indicated the would not. She then indicated that the only thing I could do, if I needed my bag that badly was to drive to the airport and pick up my bag. I was stunned by that comment. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. Goldie initially offered me a $50 voucher when during the course of my conversation turned into $100 but that was certainly not enough to compensate me for the inconvenience of having to go out my way to head to the airport to retrieve my bag.

I indicated to her that the airport was 1 hour away therefore at this late of the evening that I had to go out of my way and drive an hour there and an hour back to retrieve my bag. By the time I would be home after retrieving my bag would be at least 3am and I had to be then up early to go to work.

I just found this whole situation that American Airlines created and placed me in to be absolutely asinine and absurd. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was so angry and distraught. I needed my work items. I stressed how critical it was. I therefore had no choice but to get dressed and drive to the airport to retrieve my bag. By this time it was 12am and I was 1 hour away from the airport.

American Airlines – seriously! How low have you sunk in treating your business flying customers? Firstly in your greed for revenue, you charged me to check my bag. Therefore with the fee, should I not expect a satisfactory performance of that service that was associated with that fee, namely the timely delivery of my bag with my arrival in Seatac.

Failing that performance, why isn't the people you hire to handle situations like these empowered or trained to think outside of the box and figure ways to help your customer. Why can't they empathize with their customer especially having stressed how important and dire the situation was, again that American Airlines created. Instead, I received robotic responses, on top of that unacceptable responses such as the managers don't want to speak anymore? What kind of response is that?

As I was getting dressed, my husband got on the phone with Goldie, really upset. He indicated that he couldn't understand why American Airlines was forcing me to drive to the airport at this late hour and that should I get into an accident because of the late hour and how upset I was, then he would seek legal recourse because it was American Airlines that created this mess and then forced me to go out of my way to resolve the situation. He also wanted to confirm that when I got to the airport, the American Airlines Baggage Claim Service would be still open. She confirmed that the Baggage Claim Service was open 24 hours.

What was also incredulous was when my husband asked Goldie why the manager's didn't want to speak anymore, Goldie indicated that the managers she was speaking to were over the phone in Seattle. They also spoke to the delivery manager in Seattle and they too didn't want to be connected to speak with me. They just didn't want to speak anymore to Goldie about this situation. That was the response. My husband asked who the manager was in Seattle that could be so unhelpful. She said his name was Gavin and that is who I should ask for when I got to the airport. 

Then to top it off, I mean, how can American Airlines right royally screw up and cause more pain and inconvenience to their customer, when I arrived at the American Airlines Baggage Claim counter, I saw a guy with several bags on a rack ready to push the rack away. I saw my bag and told him that was my bag and what was he intending to do with it. He indicated he was taking all the bags to his office to commence delivery in the morning. 

So here's the kicker or should I indicate, here's where American Airlines kicked a customer when they are down – I noticed the employees of the Baggage Claim counter were starting to lock the doors and close for the night. I quickly approached them and asked what they were doing. They indicated they were closing for the night. I mean seriously, so had I been a few minutes later, I would have driven all the way for nothing. Let me remind you here that Goldie at the Dallas call center had confirmed with my husband when he raised his concern that the counter may be closed when I arrived, that she had indicated it was open 24 hours.

I was so angry, I forced Devon to reopen the door and service me. By this stage I wasn't going to let American Airlines get away with not giving me the $100 voucher even though that would never compensate me for the stress, inconvenience, unnecessary anger and emotional turmoil and tiredness from being forced into driving to the airport and having to then deal with the counter closing before it was even 1am. My interaction at this stage was pure outrage given all the string of events and interactions thus far from the time I arrived last night form my flight culminating in the almost comedic dealings with your employees not only over the phone from the Dallas center but then to arrive and find I could have almost a) missed my bag as it was being taken and b) the office was closing before 1am even though I was informed it would still be open (otherwise I would not have made the trip).

Because I forced Devon to reopen and I told him what ordeal I had gone through I started to cry and get really upset. I mean what a F'd up company American Airlines was in making me go through this. Devon then had the hide to tell me that he was recording my name as a belligerent customer. Well that really sent me over the edge. I just couldn't believe what a farce tonight had been and what an absolutely ridiculous situation American Airlines had forced me in. I will be reporting this to my company travel agent and to my company directors. 

Devon was in the back room for sometime. Finally when he came back all he gave me was a $25 voucher. When I told him that was not acceptable. I now was determined from a principal standpoint to get the $100 voucher Goldie offered. Devon indicated no, his manager would not do it. I said then I wanted to speak to the manager. He said the manager was not here and that it wasn't going to happen that I was not going to speak to the manager. By this time was really really really angry. I told him I wasn't going to leave until the corrected this situation. Devon then told me if I didn't leave he would have to get security to force me to leave. So I left with the $25 voucher that I would unlikely use since I plan on making sure my company travel partners are aware of what happened tonight.

On the drive home I was so upset, I was crying and I was extremely tired. I even didn't notice until too late that I was low on gas and had to figure out where to get gas. I couldn't believe how American Airlines totally ruined my last 24 hours. I have been on an IVF program trying to get pregnant and having to inject myself with hormonal medicine. I was already emotional wrought  prior to my trip to New York having found out the IVF didn’t work and then American Airlines took a knife and decided to jab and exacerbate my already fragile and emotional state.

How can you operate like this and expect to survive as a company. How can you have managers who don't want to do their job but instead hide behind a phone and not speak directly to their customers. How can you not have someone trained to help calm and resolve the situation. How can you not have people go out of their way and help coordinate a resolution from Goldie in Dallas, to Gavin the manager. All these missteps your employees did only worsened my plight. I really just can't believe it. I have never ever encountered anything like this. I just hope you do not ever place any other customers in this situation, ever. 

I will never fly AA again. Just got off the phone with a so-called rep. that handles problems, and she wouldn't even listen to my story. ALL THEY ARE OUT TO DO IS GET YOUR MONEY WITHOUT PROVIDING GOOD SERVICE!!! If your smart, you'll book another airline, I know I will.

UNAmerican Airlines mistreats their customers. My husband and I flew with them almost a week ago and they destroyed a religious drinking horm and a family heirloom that was carefully packed and protected. I threw some coffee mugs into my suitcase and they came out just fine. While on the flight, the flight attendants were extra rude and condescending to my husband, who is in the military. Sounds pretty UNAmerican to me! They won't even take responsibility for the broken items. I will never use them again, and I am going to spread our sxperience like wildfire.

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES IS ONO (BEST) ....ALL OTHERS NEED TO BE BOYCOTTED AND BROUGHT BACK TO SERVICE PAYING PASSENGERS NEEDS....ANY OTHER SERVICE BUSINESS WOULD NOT SURVIVE TREATING HUMANS AS CATTLE. THE ENGINEERS THAT DESIGNED THOSE COACH SEATS MUST BE MASOCHIST !     MAKE MORE MONEY! MAKE MORE MONEY! MAKE MORE MONEY!  HOW'S THAT WORKING OUT MR. AIRLINES ?????????????????

AA's treatment of alec baldwin was typical of their fascist corporate mindset....alec should be treated better than a unknown coach customer or an overweight flyer....or a passenger sneaking outside food....AA has under estimated the power of his celebrity and his ability to create levity and humor, although alec should attend anger management classes, vs teaching one !

2001-11-29 It's been more than 10 years since 2 bags were damaged by AA, sent  to their repair facility, and then lost.  AA has never offered a cent or admitted any resposibility despite numerous letters even to CEO. AA has a policy then and now of not paying anything for lost or damaged baggage.

Today AA filed for bankruptcy! Watch AA treat their employes like their customers.

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I am angry with how they don't appreciate their customer. I schedualed a flight and had to change the flight time 12 hours back and they charged me 175 dollars to do it. My flight is 2 months away. Support my with my boycott.

I had a horrible experience with AA this morning - however, I feel so sorry for the agents who have to absorb all this anger from the clients.  They are patient and for the most part able to  withstand the anger from the travelers.  I don't know if I could do such a good job.  They should be commended.  The airlines however sucks.

American Airlines outsourced its human resources department to the philippines.  The job recruiters are only hiring filipinos, that is why there are so many filipinos working for american airlines.  My friend works at SFO, she said that filipinos always steal whatever passengers leave behind in the airplane.  Boycott american airlines!

I am posting this response on every blog I can find to get the word out. Don't waste your money on American Airlines.

I wish I had found this blog before my trip last week. I would NOT have bothered with these AMERICAN AIRLINES ***holes.

My suitcase was broken into and some of my tools were STOLEN while my bag was in posession of their company. I was on a business trip and really needed them.

The lock was cut, but hung back through the loops so it appeared to be intact when I glanced at at after pulling my bag off the carousel.

What did I get from AA?

A SAPPY letter full of meaningless niceties and hollow, canned platitudes telling me that I should have reported the loss within 24 hours.

Gee thanks, for nothing you jerks.

In the past, I just wore my pocket tool and swiss army knife on my BELT and they were NEVER stolen. I also never hijacked a plane with them either.

But now that EVERYONE is treated like a terrorist... we have to check our personal property ...and trust that these clueless corporate jerks are competent enough to hire honest employees. Obviously, they don't deserve MY trust or my COMPANY's money.

I don't care who you fly with folks, but DO NOT FLY WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES.

12/29/2009

This morning I had the displeasure of having to deal with customer service representatives from American Airlines.  I try not to ever have to do this (dealing instead with them only on-line), but today the unexpected and unexplained cancellation of a flight that my daughter was to take made it necessary. This was, regretfully, not the first time that I have had to speak with someone from that company; it will, hopefully, be the last. 

I’m posting this recounting of what transpired because, well, why not.  My airline of choice does not serve Des Moines, where my daughter lives, and this makes it difficult to enjoy their conscientious way of doing business when transporting her back and forth to Austin, where I live.

I was not notified in any way that my flight had been cancelled, but discovered it on-line prior to having my daughter leave for the airport—a lucky happenstance that prevented the wasting of hours and hours.  When I mentioned this to “Susan” (one of the three American representatives with whom I spoke today and, by far, the shiniest example of what passes for customer service there), I was informed that “American does not have the man-power to provide such a service.”

Upon first discovering that the flight was cancelled, I initially spoke with “Janet” who informed me that all flights from DSM to DFW were being cancelled “right and left” because of weather.  Checking the DSM website I found that this was completely false, and that my daughter’s flight was the only one that had been cancelled.  When I informed “Janet” that the flight the next day to which my daughter had subsequently been assigned was not acceptable, she told me that there were no other options available to me.

Customer “Service” representative number two was “Joe,” and, to his credit, “Joe” did actually come close to helping by almost getting my daughter on a Delta flight.  Almost, I say, because flying from Des Moines to Atlanta and then on to Austin seemed a bit much for me given that my daughter is 15, would be encountering the Atlanta airport for the first time—at the height of holiday travel—during this proposed 10-hour sojourn, and is someone that I, you know, care about not losing.  Further consultations with family members were necessary.

Which brings us back to “Susan.”

Now, bearing in mind that prior to talking to “Susan” I did a bit of on-line poking about and found that there was not a shortage of ways to get my daughter from DSM to DFW—on an American flight (and what I mean by that is that there were seats, for sale, on flights, that day, on the American website)—you will understand that I was a bit taken aback when I was again told that there were many cancellations and that there was nothing that could be done.  After I told “Susan” that according to the DSM website it was actually only my daughter’s flight that had been cancelled and that all others seemed to be right on schedule, she brusquely informed me that if my daughter wanted to get from Des Moines to Austin she was going to have to take the already assigned next day flight. 

I again asked about other flights and inquired as to how the available seats on those had been assigned once it was known that my daughter’s flight was going to be cancelled. I was told that the assigning of any available seats on those flights was automatic and had been done already, and that the only way to get a flight would be for my 15-year-old daughter to come to the airport and hang around in hopes of gaining standby accommodations.  Not unexpectedly, I didn’t think this was such a great idea.

When I asked if the “automated flight re-assignment” process could be somewhat circumnavigated (since I had only discovered the original flight cancellation through happenstance, I figured that many of the automated seat re-assignees on flights later that day could be similarly re- or un-assigned to accommodate me: a concerned and persistent American customer), I was not helped. I was starting to very strongly suspect that I was not going to be helped by any further association with American.

I asked “Susan” if there was the possibility of cancelling the flight altogether and getting a full refund.  “Susan” informed me that this was indeed a possibility. (So my gambit of using the loss of business as an enticement to service was not going to be any more effective than any other ploy had been.)

It was with this hasty (emotionally-charged) cancellation that I had to now start entertaining the notion that I was not going to see my daughter this holiday season.  This was, as you might guess, not something that was going to make anyone very happy, least of all me.  So when “Susan” asked me, seemingly in conclusion, if there was anything else she could do for me, I informed her that she hadn’t really done anything yet.  That’s when things got surreal.  I was told that if I did not curb my attitude that she would “end this call,” and if I indeed did not believe that she had done anything for me, she would not cancel the ticket and refund the cost of it to me.

This was the moment that I decided to stop doing business with American and find other means by which my daughter and I will visit each other in the future.  To help solidify this decision I then called Continental and spent twice as much as the American trip had cost for my daughter to fly in the next day..., to Houston. (The Des Moines to Omaha drive that would have allowed me to use my preferred airline was logistically impossible for the family at the Des Moines end this time.) I think I’ll thumb-tack the receipt for that $1200 Continental flight to my bulletin board to remind myself of this commitment.

I was able to donate the 30,000 points I’d accumulated in their AAdvantage awards program to  their “Miles for Kids in Need” before parting ways with them, so hopefully some good will come to someone of my having done business with them over the years.  I hope this helps someone…, maybe a child who wants to travel at the holidays to see someone dear to them that they haven’t seen in a while.  Maybe American will use their heads and get someone else to provide that flight.

01/27/2010

Called American yesterday to try to track down the $600 that "Susan" told me would be credited back to my Credit Card account within 7 days.  There was no record of that transaction needing to take place.  Apparently, "Susan" had been a bit more upset with my bad attitude than she let on and had let my cancelled flight refund request slip through the cracks.  I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you.  The Saga continues...