I was just wondering if that is SOP for a diverted (due to mechanical reason) flight, or whether it is unusual for AA to award such bonuses.
It's neither. While such bonuses are far from rare (except to me personally ), they are definitely not given to everyone each time a flight is diverted.
As suggested above, the Guide to Compensation may be of interest to you.
Reading that thread you will get an idea of how and when AA tends to give compensation. 5K for 3 hours late and a spare landing is about right.
Did you get a spare segment for the FLL-MIA-LAX trip??
No additional segment posted at this point. I hadn't thought about it until now, but that actually seems like something the pax on that flight should get. It won't really matter to me since I will never qualify for any level based on segments alone.
I will post this award in the compensation section. thanks.
Date: 3/19/07
Route: FLL-LAX; AA 2083
Fare Class: discount Y
AAdvantage status: none
Compensation: 5,000 miles
What happened: flight departed FLL and was diverted 5 minutes later to MIA due to loss of airspeed indicator. Eventually new plane was subbed at MIA and flight arrived at LAX 3 hours late. I was given a 5,000 miles customer service award. I did not complain or write anyone at AA, so I assume every pax got this award.
Programs: AA EXP & SPG PLT. Long-suffering Mets fan.
Posts: 3,485
This reminded me that I missed a post here:
Date: 12/7/06
Route: JFK-LAX; AA 185 (last flt of day -- 8:30pm departure)
Fare Class: discount Y
AAdvantage status: PLT
Compensation: none
Flight boarded on time. Pushed 10 minutes late. Returned to gate for MX. Sat for half an hour (9:15pm), then told to deplane for new a/c. When deplaned, told that new a/c had MX issue and might not go either. Decision at 10:15pm -- go. Boarded & pushed by 10:40. Sat in typical JFK mess til wheels up after midnite. Arrived LAX 2:45am -- 3+ hours late.
Nothing asked for - nothing given.
Date: 1/4/07
Route: JFK-LAX; AA 185 (last flt of day -- 8:30pm departure)
Fare Class: discount Y, upgraded to J w/miles
AAdvantage status: PLT, travelling with wife (GLD) and 2 kids (no status)
Flight delayed to 11:00pm boarding & 11:45pm departure due to combination of MX on original plane and WX delaying arrivals of possible alternate equipment. Nothing asked for -- but got 9,000 miles pp a month later, along with an email.
Location: City with Tax-Payer subsdized AA Maintance Base
Programs: Enough to Cause a Migraine
Posts: 689
Testimony of Exceptional AA Customer Service
Kudos to AA for Unsolicited & Unexpected Apology Letter:
-------------------------------------------------
March 27, 2007
Dear Max M:
When your March flight didn't operate on schedule, we, too, were disappointed. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience this flight delay may have caused you. We know how valuable our customers' time is and all our efforts are focused on the on time departure of each and every flight. We'll continue that focus, and the next time you fly with us we'll do our best to ensure you arrive at your destination as scheduled. Just to give you a little encouragement to fly with us again sometime soon, I've credited your AAdvantage® account with 9,000 bonus miles. This mileage adjustment will appear in a few days. To view your account, go to http://www.aa.com/aadvantage. Again, we are sorry for the delay of your flight. We'll do better next time. This is an "outgoing only" email address. If you 'reply' to this message by simply selecting the reply button, we will not receive your additional comments. Please assist us in providing you with a timely response to any feedback you have for us by always sending us your email messages via AA.com at http://www.aa.com/customerrelations.
Sincerely,
Mr. R.
Customer Relations
American Airlines
----------------------
This exceptionally generous offer from American was extremely unexpected, as I did not in any way make a compliant--- matter of fact, I was happy enough with just getting home, regardless of the delay. [The delay was caused by weather, the flight was ex-ORD, and domestic]
So yes, these random acts of kindness by AA aren’t an FT urban legend.
__________________ Hate foreign call centers?
Let businesses know you're fed up. Call, hang up. Repeat.
I'm also curious how late your flight was and what criteria they use for these bonuses. I have 3 million miles on AA and have encountered lots of late flights, aborted take offs followed by mechanical cancellation, diversions, etc - all par for the course with lots of flying ...and have never gotten an apology or bonus miles.
Location: MSP (and will only fly NWA in re-routes if I HAVE to)
Programs: AA EXP (4.5MM), hotel programs as needed
Posts: 5,802
Quote:
Originally Posted by DFWFlier
I'm also curious how late your flight was and what criteria they use for these bonuses. I have 3 million miles on AA and have encountered lots of late flights, aborted take offs followed by mechanical cancellation, diversions, etc - all par for the course with lots of flying ...and have never gotten an apology or bonus miles.
Could it be that when you live in DFW you are sort of a captive audience for AA???
I have over 4MM and have probably received 10 of these 'we are sorry compensations' over the years.
The local airport Station Manager at the airport where the problem occurs has to initiate this 'irregular op' report to Customer Service. I wonder if each airport has a 'budget' of how many times/miles they can award .. larger stations (like DFW and ORD) seem to be less likely to be proactive (or maybe they have just gone home for the night) in some situations.
Location: City with Tax-Payer subsdized AA Maintance Base
Programs: Enough to Cause a Migraine
Posts: 689
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGR01
Yup.. AA knows why you fly!
Indeed, AA does know why I fly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGR01
Look at Guide to Compensation for lots of additional comments (where yours will go soon - tho better to follow that format).
That's a thread I neglected to read.
With that said, moderators, feel free to PM/E-Mail me if you prefer that I post my details in the format listed in the mentioned thread. If you so choose, feel free to delete/lock this thread.
__________________ Hate foreign call centers?
Let businesses know you're fed up. Call, hang up. Repeat.
Location: City with Tax-Payer subsdized AA Maintance Base
Programs: Enough to Cause a Migraine
Posts: 689
Quote:
Originally Posted by pistonsdc
How late was your flight?
The flight I was generously gifted miles by AA left 5.5 hours later than the originally scheduled departure time. However, because of the weather @ ORD, my originating flight was also delayed coming into ORD due to an ATC hold @ ORD. Thus, with the delay of my originating flight, I only waited about 4.5 hours before the delayed flight finally left.
I must say that of my flying experiences, it was the highest level of uncertainty as to whether the flight would or wouldn't be canceled that I have experienced as a traveler at the ripe old age of 25. [and the gittery nerves as to whether or not if I would need to book a room in Chicago for the night or if I would get home that night or not]
Despite this, I in no way contacted/complained to AA: I figure that American has no control over ORD's ATC airport weather decisions.
Again, I am utterly shocked at the generosity on American's behalf for such an uncontrolable force: the weather @ ORD. [Especially considering that it was booked in Z Class]
One possible guess I have as to why I received such a high level of miles, as to perhaps the inconvience I experienced with an attempt to make 3 roundtrips in one day to qualify for the ORD Fly3 Promo which was botched due to weather in late Feburary? [I didn't complain to AA for one of my MSP-ORD flights being canceled-- despite spending all night @ ORD sleeping in a baggage claim-- again, another joyous weather-related cause--- after all, AA gladly refunded my el cheapo ticket, per their generous weather cancelation/trip interuption policy that they run when severe/extreme weather strikes]
Or, perhaps AA's bean counters decided that 9,000 miles was proportionate to the number of miles redeemed to claim the domestic award for the segment with the flight delay--or perhaps a combination of both theories.
__________________ Hate foreign call centers?
Let businesses know you're fed up. Call, hang up. Repeat.
Location: City with Tax-Payer subsdized AA Maintance Base
Programs: Enough to Cause a Migraine
Posts: 689
Quote:
Originally Posted by DFWFlier
I have 3 million miles on AA and have encountered lots of late flights, aborted take offs followed by mechanical cancellation, diversions, etc - all par for the course with lots of flying ...and have never gotten an apology or bonus miles.
Indeed, travel interruptions are all par for the course for flying, and am still mildly baffled as to why I received an appology and bonus miles.... I stress mildly baffled because....
Quote:
Originally Posted by DFWFlier
what criteria they use for these bonuses.
Perhaps AA makes note of cost cutting suggestions submitted to them at no cost to the airline by creative members of the flying public, that a consultant would have charged handsomely for.
[Cost cutting suggestions that saves AA in excess of $250k minimum annually-- that cost savings estimate is extremely conservative]
If you need innovative cost cutting suggestions for your company that doesn't undermine your company's brand/identity/level or quality of existing service, feel free to PM me with requests for you company, we'll talk.
__________________ Hate foreign call centers?
Let businesses know you're fed up. Call, hang up. Repeat.
Date: March 2007 AAdvantage Status: GLD, 1MM Fare class: V outbound, S return What happened: AA.com allowed me to ticket flight IB7704 on same itinerary as IB3435. IB7704 is a code share with IB's new LCC partner ClickAir. IB then kept cancelling the code-share portion when I would review my res at AA.com. AA would add it back in and IB would remove it the next day. Apparently in the formation of ClickAir, in order to get approval of pilot union, etc., IB is unable to sell itineraries with tickets on both IB metal and their ClickAir (XG) code-share. AA.com then had to cancel my first leg and I had to buy the IB/XG ticket separately on my own. I believe this glitch still exists in AA.com if you try to book a multi-leg routing from Spanish cities apart from MAD (BCN, VLC, SVQ) to points in the US that are served via ClickAir destinations like LHR and ORY/CDG. Compensation: $250.00 voucher (worth $180 after buying XG ticket) Comments: Agent at AA.com Christopher Winberg was a huge help to me in sorting this out. Thank you!!
Last edited by brettyokom; Mar 28, 07 at 6:26 am.
Reason: fixed a few typos
I have 3 million miles on AA and have encountered lots of late flights, aborted take offs followed by mechanical cancellation, diversions, etc - all par for the course with lots of flying ...and have never gotten an apology or bonus miles.
I think there was another thread saying these automatic apology miles are new, or at least handed out more readily now.
Programs: AA EP 4 million miles, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 181
Reason for this delay is UNREAL
Was supposed to fly out of Canouan Island at 7:15AM on Sunday, arrived (5:30 AM) and checked in only to find no plane. The plane finally arrived at 10:30 with a flight crew that hadn't eaten since 4:00PM the previous day and not enough fuel to take us to our next stop. Flight crew ordered food (took 1.5 HOURS for food delivery) and we finally took off at noon. We then flew to an airport on St Lucia to refuel (in sweltering 95 degree heat in an Eagle sweat box), then onto another St. Lucia airport (we didn't have enough fuel to land there originally) to pick up passengers (sweat in the Eagle box again) and then on to SJU...arrival time 3:00PM. Probably one of our most uncomfortable AA experiences. Customer Service is offering 10K into our accounts. Do you think that is appropriate? There were no weather delays etc. Dispatch missed the note that Canouan fuel trucks were broken etc. Pilots left St Lucia 3 hours late etc.
), they are definitely not given to everyone each time a flight is diverted.
Reason for this delay is UNREAL
