Apr 22, 2013, 11:32 am
Last edit by: JDiver
U S budget sequestration impacts or their potential to impact flying are not specific to American Airlines. For discussion about this issue, please go to the Travel Safety/Security Fora. For possible impacts affecting travellers on the ground, please see the same fora for TSA and related issues, and the appropriate destination fora covering your airport(s) for any impact on ground handling issues including FAA and Air Traffic Control, delays, etc.
AA Travel Alert Email - Sequestration and Effect on AA Travel
Apr 20, 2013, 9:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLT
Posts: 1,467
AA Travel Alert Email - Sequestration and Effect on AA Travel
Just received the alert below.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInforma...!travelNotices
Sequestration Information
American is aware that federal government sequestration may affect you, and that your flights may be delayed as a result of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget cuts. We understand your concerns and are closely monitoring the situation. At this time, we are not able to determine exactly how air travel may be affected. We will continue to post information on this page as it becomes available.
American is aware that federal government sequestration may affect you, and that your flights may be delayed as a result of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget cuts. We understand your concerns and are closely monitoring the situation. At this time, we are not able to determine exactly how air travel may be affected. We will continue to post information on this page as it becomes available.
Apr 20, 2013, 9:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: IND
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, HHonors Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 1,297
Got the same.... holding out hope that it isn't too bad and I can make it home tomorrow morning.
Apr 20, 2013, 9:25 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,537
Do we get discounted govt taxes/fees, since we're getting less services?
Apr 20, 2013, 9:31 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,385
Apr 20, 2013, 9:34 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2009
Programs: AA EXP HH GOLD EY GOLD
Posts: 340
Just got the same e-mail for travel tomorrow. Let's see how it pans out :-)
Apr 20, 2013, 10:02 pm
#6
Moderator: GLBT travelers, India-based Airlines and India; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Asia
Programs: Yes!
Posts: 15,512
Arrrgh, I have a 30 minute connection in ORD this week between my PIT ORD IAH flights. What would have been a toughie in the best of times, now looks almost impossible. 
Apr 20, 2013, 10:41 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Same email. Wonder how NYC airports are going to play out at peak periods.
Apr 20, 2013, 10:42 pm
#8
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
It would seem the sequestration budget has mostly affected U S Customs and Border Protection. USCBP has cut back most overtime, meaning Immigration and Customs processing can take noticeably longer at your intended Port of Entry (or at preclearance station). At LAX, for example, lengthy delays have even followed international arrivals passengers being held on the aircraft as long as one hour prior to being allowed terminal entry (as reported a couple of weeks ago in USA Today).
We noticed a distinct delay passing through Immigration at NAS preclearing to the USA earlier this month - check-in queues were quite light, as were security queues - it took a long time, perhaps 3/4 hour, to process USCBP. We were told this was because we showed up before normal working hours and they had reduced personnel to avoid paying overtime.
At DFW arriving from MAD, no major problems I noticed - but we arrived at an hour with no other international arrivals, and we have Global Entry.
Mod hat on: This is not an AA-related issue. It should be discussed in the appropriate fora - destination in some cases, but in most cases, Travel Safety/Security > Practical Travel Safety Issues.
We noticed a distinct delay passing through Immigration at NAS preclearing to the USA earlier this month - check-in queues were quite light, as were security queues - it took a long time, perhaps 3/4 hour, to process USCBP. We were told this was because we showed up before normal working hours and they had reduced personnel to avoid paying overtime.
At DFW arriving from MAD, no major problems I noticed - but we arrived at an hour with no other international arrivals, and we have Global Entry.
Mod hat on: This is not an AA-related issue. It should be discussed in the appropriate fora - destination in some cases, but in most cases, Travel Safety/Security > Practical Travel Safety Issues.
Apr 21, 2013, 1:41 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
FAA Air Traffic Control furloughs start Sunday, officials warn of airline delays
From examiner.com
Delay estimates:
Airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; San Diego, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, as well as Chicago's Midway Airport, are also expected to experience significant delays, the officials said, although they didn't provide estimates on how long those delays might be.
Passengers can visit the FAA's Operation Control website, http://fly.faa.gov to check airport delay status.
- Newark, with maximum delays of 51 minutes and average delays of about 20 minutes
- John F. Kennedy in New York, with maximum delays of 50 minutes and average 12 minutes
- LaGuardia in New York, with maximum delays of 80 minutes and average 30 minutes
- Los Angeles International, with maximum delays of 67 minutes, and average 10 minutes
- Chicago's O'Hare, with maximum delays of 132 minutes, average 50 minutes.
Airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; San Diego, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, as well as Chicago's Midway Airport, are also expected to experience significant delays, the officials said, although they didn't provide estimates on how long those delays might be.
Passengers can visit the FAA's Operation Control website, http://fly.faa.gov to check airport delay status.
Apr 21, 2013, 3:19 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Redding, CT
Posts: 604
I would concur with JDiver as to where the sequester has the most impact. I was at my Global Entry interview at JFK last week, and had a very friendly, talkative CBP agent. He told me that the night before at T1, the US line was about 3 hours long and he expected it to only get worse as the summer comes but again it seems to be hit or miss depending on timing and scheduling. The week before, less than 5 minutes at MIA for me (before I had my now even more valuable Global entry).
Apr 21, 2013, 5:03 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
Airlines want court to block furloughs for air traffic controllers
From the Washington Post:
U.S. airlines on Friday sought a federal court order to block extended furloughs for air traffic controllers, a process scheduled to begin Sunday that they say will snarl the nation’s aviation system.
Federal officials estimate that about a third of all passengers will face delays, with up to 6,700 flights arriving late at more than a dozen major airports each day.
Federal officials estimate that about a third of all passengers will face delays, with up to 6,700 flights arriving late at more than a dozen major airports each day.
Apr 21, 2013, 5:40 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BOS
Programs: Recovering AA flyer, LT PLT 2.6 MM
Posts: 1,543
The email was worse than useless and effectively content-free. Delays are always possible and one should always keep tabs on one's flight status. The sort of info nbevan posted would have justified sending an email. If they weren't going to send something like that, why bother?
It did, however, cause me to notice that the itinerary for my trip today BOS-JFK-LHR-BLR was unreadable on AA.com for the third time in a single day, so there's that. The only good news on this trip so far was an upgrade on to J on AA100.
It did, however, cause me to notice that the itinerary for my trip today BOS-JFK-LHR-BLR was unreadable on AA.com for the third time in a single day, so there's that. The only good news on this trip so far was an upgrade on to J on AA100.
Last edited by sinanju; Apr 21, 2013 at 5:46 am
Apr 21, 2013, 5:45 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BOS
Programs: Recovering AA flyer, LT PLT 2.6 MM
Posts: 1,543
I would concur with JDiver as to where the sequester has the most impact. I was at my Global Entry interview at JFK last week, and had a very friendly, talkative CBP agent. He told me that the night before at T1, the US line was about 3 hours long and he expected it to only get worse as the summer comes but again it seems to be hit or miss depending on timing and scheduling. The week before, less than 5 minutes at MIA for me (before I had my now even more valuable Global entry).
Apr 21, 2013, 6:33 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: AA EXP, EBS GLD, A|Club PLT, CC Silver, HH GLD
Posts: 782
This communication is most likely motivated by AA to be able and say, "Mr. Pucnit we sent an email to you regarding possible delays that impact your flights in the foreseeable future. We are sorry that you missed your connection after the CBP asked us to keep you on your arrival plane for two hours and then even with Global Entry it took another hour to process you through Immigration & Customs. Thanks for flying American."
I personally wouldn't call CR or the EXP desk because of this but lots of others probably will.
I personally wouldn't call CR or the EXP desk because of this but lots of others probably will.
Apr 21, 2013, 8:40 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
I'd say that the email, while non-specific, is still better than sending nothing at all. In fact, I'd say that the estimates are less than useful in this case. Someone may say "oh, my airport is not on the list, so I don't have to allow more time." And we know how accurate that would be. Sending an email to alert people that more time is likely to be needed throughout the system is a good thing. Some people, me included, had thought that sequester impact had already started and didn't realize that things were due to start next week.
Cheers.
Cheers.