I tried to address an email to AA Customer Service..but i got this after clicking send ... ? I think i lost my letter
I always draft any emails I send to Customer Relations in Word - that way I have the file for future reference and can easily retrieve in case of system problems/timeouts, etc.
I always draft any emails I send to Customer Relations in Word - that way I have the file for future reference and can easily retrieve in case of system problems/timeouts, etc.
Well,there's always a first time.Today i learned the hard way.No worries, i wrote it again and finally sent it.This time,i saved a draft.Anyhow thank you for replying my messed up post.
First time that i write to a Customer Service.Hmm we'll see how it goes.
Programs: American AAdvantage Gold, Continental OnePass
Posts: 6
Christmas without underwear
Date - December 2006 - Europe for Christmas AAdvantage Status - GLD Fare class - Full fare coach used miles to upgrade to Business
What happened - Flight 132 JFK-LHR. Serious London fog which had grounded many flights for the previous few days. On day of travel no delays (I obsessively checked, including calls to AA). Made my POS-MIA-JFK flights no problem, checked again and everything on time to LHR. Within half an hour a serious of 'delayed' signs start flashing against AA 132 and 116 to LHR. 116 was now due to leave at 1:00am and 132 to leave at 2:00am. I hustled to the Admirals Lounge and found pandemonium reigning supreme. I was on edge myself as I was meeting a friend in LHR who was already in transit and then we were both on connecting flights to Ireland. Got to the desk and the rep said that the flights were delayed as the incoming flights from LHR were late in their departures. Fine, whatever. No room on the Brussels, Madrid, or Paris flights (could have made it on Eurostar if the CDG or BRU were available). I was stuck.
Turns out my friend was stranded in MIA due to mech. prob in DFW and was told she could not get another MIA-LHR flight until the next evening...no mention of any other possible connections, I might add.
I got on the computers in the lounge, got the relevant info, and called my friend with her new flight to JFK to connect to one of the delayed JFK-LHRs...unfortunately, not my flight. She arrived in JFK and the delayed CDG flight was in the designated gate. (It was overbooked by 40 ppl!) Plenty of other gates, especially at midnight, but for some reason her MIA-JFK flight HAD to pull into this gate and this gate only. She made her flight (JUST as she had to go to another terminal for her new ticket to be issued...al in 30 minutes), I made mine and we made it to Ireland in one piece...without her luggage, and with me about US$1400 poorer due to new last minute bookings to Ireland.
Compensation - 20,000 miles in two parts
Comments - My concern was that the incoming London flight was delayed something ridiculous like 5 or 6 hours...and their status on the JFK screens changed roughly an hour before it was scheduled to arrive in JFK, yet in actuality, it was barely an hour and a half out of LHR. I have a both a UK and US phone, both numbers are known to AA and nothing was done to contact me about the delays which were known to everyone but the passengers. I could easily have made other arrangements in MIA...though I suppose it's lucky I didn't based on my friend's luck!
Anyhow, a week later I received an email with 11,000 miles gratis and an apology...not sure if it was for everyone scheduled on the flight or just me because I had upgraded to Business, or even because I was Gold. My friend received nothing (even after calling AA) and technically she should have been more entitled to compensation as her delay was mechanical and not weather related. I wrote to AA about this and after a rather..."snappy" response, "I" received an additional 9,000 miles. (Maybe they just didn't 'get it'). Friend still got nothing, so I split the combined 20,000 with her.
I've been traveling with AA and partners for about 15 years now and I'm generally quite impressed with all of them. When they're good, they're good, but when they're bad...wow....
Is this many miles common? I have heard of people getting 4,000 to 10,000 before for inconveniences, but not 20,000 (not that I'm complaining!).
January 5, 2009
Dear Mr. XXX:
I know you must have been disappointed when flight 996 made an unexpected stop in Panama when you attempted to travel to Dallas/Fort Worth with us on December 20. As soon as our manager in Buenos Aires let us know what happened, we wanted to take the opportunity to apologize to you for disrupting your travel plans.
While the diversion of your flight was necessary because of the mechanical issue that developed, we can only imagine how frustrating that situation must have been. Your patience must have really worn thin when it was ultimately discovered that the repairs were more complicated than originally thought and it then became necessary to cancel your flight. I am truly sorry for the resulting inconvenience.
In appreciation for your patience, we've added 20,000 Customer Service
bonus miles to your AAdvantageŽ account. You should see this mileage adjustment in your account very soon.
Upon review of the circumstances, we are reminded that our responsibility to provide our customers with quality service is a major priority, one that we can't afford to overlook. Please be assured that we'll do our best to provide a smooth trip the next time you fly with us. We will look forward to the opportunity.
Sincerely,
B. J. Russell
Customer Relations
American Airlines
Last year, an LAX-LHR flight I was on left approximately five hours late due to a mechanical problem. Well, electronic, actually. The systems were inoperative. Eventually they "re-booted" the entire aircraft (their terminology, not mine) and we got on our way. I am EXP and was traveling in F. Received 9,000 AAdvantage miles. As with the OP, I didn't ask for anything or write a letter, -- this was on their own initiative with a similarly nice apology letter.
Programs: Hilton Diamond VIP, Starwood Gold, Delta PM, AA Gold
Posts: 150
That does sound nice of AA. I have in the past gotten random email's from AA with bonus miles. I'm still waiting for AA to acknowledge the email I sent them last year in regards to what they did to my luggage.
I still love the response from the baggage service department when I was at the airport. We are sorry we can't do anything about your bag being soaking wet (everything inside was wet too) it's raining outside.
Some background info.
1) The bag was walked out by some person and placed on the floor 10 minutes after the belt stopped running with bags.
2) I was flying Business Class
3) This response came from an agent who was working for AA in this intl airport.
My response was I see this is how you treat your business class passengers and elite's. Again it's raining we can't do anything for you.
Even better, in 2008 I flew 65 paid AA flight segments, plus a few on awards, and I can't remember a single one being canceled, late more than a hour, or otherwise giving me serious cause for complaint. I'll take that any day over a few more miles in the account.
[Now I am keeping my fingers crossed after admitting to this.] But it is good to see that AA is taking it seriously when it inconveniences loyal passengers.
Programs: AA Gold, *wood Gold, Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 783
Congrats to you. Thanks for the update (I remember your OP). What I find interesting is the letter from AA doesn't mention how frightening the emergency landing must have been under those circumstances. And considering what else happened that day in airline industry news, I think that might have been a factor.
And considering you were in either F or J (I apologize, I forget which) and you are EXP, I think it's actually both generous and appropriate compensation.
Edited to add: I wonder how much other status and non status passengers got in the way of compensation.
We emergency landed due to a fuel leak around 4am. I was put on a scheduled flight to DFW that left at 9am. But since it was a 777, I think 90% of the passengers could not be accommodated. My understanding is AA flew an empty 777 from Dallas down to pick everybody else up around 3pm.
So for me it was a 5 hour delay. For most on the flight it was 11 hours.
My bags showed up the next morning and were delivered to me.
Is it possible that the large sum of miles is, at least in part, due to the devaluation of the FF programs? Perhaps we'll see reports of larger average cust serv mile bonuses for irrops going forward.
Location: SFO, SJC, OAK, LVK AA EXP 2MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Commercial Pilot (not employed by airlines)
Posts: 1,340
Quote:
Originally Posted by afurman
My response was I see this is how you treat your business class passengers and elite's. Again it's raining we can't do anything for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by afurman
Is it possible that the large sum of miles is, at least in part, due to the devaluation of the FF programs?
And there you have it, folks. Once again it's proven that it's impossible to have a complimentary thread remain complimentary without someone trying to throw stones.
I made EXP for the first time last year, flew 110 segments, and only one time did I have a delay that I felt was unreasonable. Kudos to AA. You guys are doing great despite the headwinds you are flying into. You re-earn my business again and again.
