Did you actually send an email via AA.com to Customer Relations?
I agree. ffI - a concise, factual, dispassionate email to Customer Relations is the best approach to having one's concerns addressed. AA tends to provide significant, some would even say generous, compensation for onboard equipment problems when reported in this fashion (and sometimes will do so proactively). I, too, have been very happy with the response to the few significant problems I've had on AA.
What happened: 4 hour delay (SFO-JFK) due to late inbound (JFK-SFO). THe original reason was mechanical, and status was reliably updated.
Compensation: 5,000 miles
Comments: Received an email 4/29 indicating the 5000 miles. mrs brp probably received it as well.
Seems 5K is what they do for a big delay and, yes, I think it is enough
Cheers.
Very similar to myself:
Status: PLT
Class: W upgraded to X
What happened: MIA-LAS, boarded plane, taxied out, taxied back in again, waited on plane for an hour while mechanical problem was fixed. Then something else broke. Deplaned. Replaned. Departed four hours late.
Compensation: 5000 miles
Comments: I was going to write in as a couple of things happened on this trip that I wanted to comment about, however I just noticed a 5000 mile customer service bonus in my account for that day. Not had an email about it though.
Programs: Mucci Diamond Hairbrush Elite, AA Plat, BA Blue, and a host of others.
Posts: 341
My IFE in J LHR-ORD at first wasn't working. The FA reset it several times and it finally came up but only had the Y offerings (which ain't much, let me tell you) The FA was very busy (full flight) so I didn't think the glitch would get reported. I sent in a comment about it; I did not ask for compensation. I got 3000 miles.
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Platinum, Avis First, CO, DL, UA, etc.
Posts: 39
Date: Nov 2008
AAdvantage Status: None at the time
Fare Class: A rather expensive economy ticket
What happened: On XNA-DFW, flight was oversold, so I told the GA that I was willing to be bumped, but they weren't sure they would need it and I boarded the plane. Turns out they needed my seat, so when the junior GA came to let me know they could use my seat, I told him I would only give it up if they would upgrade me on the DFW-SLC segment. The junior GA went and talked to his supervisor, came back and let me know that they would put me on the upgrade list. Good enough for me, so I gave up my seat. Turns out that they were planning on using my 500-mile stickers to upgrade me (sneaky) but since I didn't have status, I had no stickers. So I stood there, still insisting that I get my upgrade but they told me there was no way they could do that for me. A promise is a promise, right? Plus, I was pretty excited as it would have been my first time to ride in first class. So I went down to the front desk and talked to them about it and they seriously tried for 1/2 hr to find someway of getting me in F. They told me short of paying for the upgrade from their own pocket (which I almost requested they do), they couldn't upgrade me. He then offered me 2,500 miles instead. I said no. Then he said "How about 5,000 miles?" I said "Make it 10,000 and you've got a deal." I don't think he could have been happier to give me those 10,000 miles to resolve the situation. I was very patient and courteous the whole time - if you're nice to them, they will generally be nice to you. I did, however, insist on them keeping up their end of the bargain. Long story short (too late), a week later, the miles were still not there, so I called customer service and a couple hours later I got a call from some mid-level manager apologizing and saying the miles would be credited that day. I thought 10,000 miles was a good resolution, don't you?
I agree. ffI - a concise, factual, dispassionate email to Customer Relations is the best approach to having one's concerns addressed. AA tends to provide significant, some would even say generous, compensation for onboard equipment problems when reported in this fashion (and sometimes will do so proactively). I, too, have been very happy with the response to the few significant problems I've had on AA.
I used this advice last week after a bad experience - and was credited 5,000 miles the next day. Factual, concise, (I'd add polite) and dispassionate was the key.
Programs: AA Gold, Delta Silver Medallion, ANA Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 43
San Salvador to Miami Mileage Credit + Bonus Miles
Date: May 31, 2009
AAdvantage Status: None
Fare class: Q Economy
What happened: Flight CXL from SAL to MIA
Compensation: 10,000 plus actual flight miles
Comments: My flight from San Salvador was cancelled for mechanical reasons about 2:30 hours before departure. All other flights out of SAL were full (or AA was unable to book me onto them). I finally was reaccomodated on Delta 22 hours later. Customer service gave me the actual flight miles for both segments, customer relations gave me 10,000 miles for "hardship" of not being accomodated sooner and for the lack of accomodation/food vouchers upon CXLation. On the plus side, I was rebooked into Full Fare Y bucket on Delta, which allowed me to get automatic upgrades on both segments (with my silver medallion status). Not sure yet whether AA flight miles will give me DEQM during the current promotion.
Programs: Various bits of plastic with names of noble metals on them
Posts: 1,987
Date: June 7, 2009
AAdvantage Status: None (AS MVP Gold)
Fare class: K Economy
What happened: VDB, AA 249 LAS-LAX
Compensation: $300 voucher
Comments: Arrived at McCarran for my AA/AS return to Seattle from a trip (LAS-LAX-SEA) and found they were taking volunteers for VDB, as well as announcing periodic delays due to a bad seal on a pilot windshield for a Super 80. Didn't bite at $100, but saw a friend who was going to drive home to LA that day come online while I was waiting, and arranged for a ride once the VDB rate was raised to $300, and flew a late AS flight home for the LAX-SEA leg (got home about 5 hours later after a strawberry shake and gyro at the Mad Greek in Baker).
As a note, AA 249 did not leave LAS until almost 7:30 am today (19 hour flight delay), so I assume had I not taken the VDB, I would be receiving miles and accommodations instead (and been REALLY late getting back home). Much happier with the compensation and getting home much earlier.
Programs: AA EXP 2MM!, BAEC, UA MP (virtually nil), Skyteam (<10k) HH Silver
Posts: 1,314
AA1612 on 5/28 over 3 hours late departing SFO.... we had to run (literally) to catch AA292 ORD-DEL with only 10mins from door open to scheduled departure. AA automatically gave me ("N" inventory upgraded via eVIP to J) 5k RDM and Mrs.Grates3 (award ticket, no status) 3k RDMs.
Programs: Various bits of plastic with names of noble metals on them
Posts: 1,987
So, to add on to my earlier compensation...
- called AA after I posted about my $300 VDB voucher and got $80 of my $120 fare refunded, because I didn't fly the LAS-LAX leg of my LAS-LAX-SEA trip. $40 for LAX-SEA? Not bad.
- Then woke up this morning to an apologetic letter saying sorry about the problem, here's 15,000 AA miles for you.
Wait, but I was crediting AS for my mileage- it had the number in my record...
(checks Alaska account, no 15,000 miles from AA there)
Waaaaaiiit, they aren't seriously...
(checks AA account that has small handful of miles in it that I never credit anything to, since I dump everything but *A flights into AS, and notices it now has 15,000 more miles in it)
So, total final compensation for AA 249:
- $300 VDB voucher
- $80 partial refund of fare
- 15,000 AA miles
All for getting home about 5 hours late- but into LAX WELL before everyone else on that flight did.
I probably should have played the slots while I was at the airport, too.
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 eponymous_coward
Wait, but I was crediting AS for my mileage- it had the number in my record...
(checks Alaska account, no 15,000 miles from AA there)
Waaaaaiiit, they aren't seriously...
(checks AA account that has small handful of miles in it that I never credit anything to, since I dump everything but *A flights into AS, and notices it now has 15,000 more miles in it)
AA can print their own currency but has to buy it from others. I'd enjoy the 15,000 AA miles. You made out big on that. Just go get a credt card and you will have enough miles for a trip to Europe.
As for the slots. The airport slots have the worst odds in Vegas. Better that you didn't.
Programs: Various bits of plastic with names of noble metals on them
Posts: 1,987
Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining that it wasn't AS miles. I wasn't expecting 15K AA miles as delay compensation for a flight segment that I didn't actually take, to be honest: the VDB voucher and refund were fine, this went way over the line into "wow, that's really cool". (I'm not a believer in the "ask for the moon" school when something goes wrong- I try to be pretty laid back about delays and problems as long as I can tell people are working in good faith and trying to do the right thing for the customer.)
And I'm aware of the airport slots in Vegas being bad- the was more thinking that I was pretty lucky that day.
As for what I will use it all for... I'll probably figure out a way to combine the miles with the voucher creatively to have my daughter travel with me on a vacation- maybe have my daughter fly a one-way segment on miles with my segments earning more AS EQM and RDM...
Date: December 2007 AAdvantage Status: GLD Fare class: Discount Economy What happened: On a flight from LAX-ORD-CDG, transferring at ORD, I was treated pretty rudely by a GA. I fly often on Asian carriers using my OW Ruby status, and I usually board with business class. This was the first time I flew on AA metal internationally, so when the GA called business class to board, I got in line. The GA used a condescending tone and said, "Business class only, Busi-ness-cl-...-on-ly", dragging out his response when he repeated his statement twice, like I would be having trouble understanding him. I came back to the states, checked the AAdvantage benefits, and found that I was wrong to board with business, and should board when they call the elites. Nevertheless, I wrote an email to customer relations with what happened, and ended by admitting that I was wrong, but I shouldn't have been treated with rudeness and snobbishness. Got a canned email stating the correct boarding order was First->Business->Elites. Compensation: I got a call from AA a week later asking why my flights have decreased for the year, and if there was anything they could do to win back more business. Apparently, this call was unrelated to my email to customer relations, but I told the story to the representative again calmly, and stated that I know I have a choice in the airline I choose, and I'm thinking of ditching OW to join Star Alliance. The representative bumped me up to PLT (I was at 46K EQM for the year).
flight delayed and upgrade denied. should I ask for compensation?
Hi
I was on flight 836 LAX-ORD last friday.
Being first on the upgrade list I was quite sure I will get the upgrade but didn't.
In the middle of the take off, it was suddenly aborted. The captain said that there was a signal light on. We wait on a side until we were directed back to a gate. The problem was that the generator of one engine was not working. After about one and half hours later a "fast" solution was done, something like redirecting a tail generator. My connection to Manchester was lost so I called and was redirected ORD-LHR-MAN, arriving 6 hours later than original planned.
So, here we started the flight again.
Half an hour later, the captain said that we'll have to go back to LAX as the tail engine was down.
Just after the turn, the captain said that he decided to land in Palm Springs (better weather and closer).
Half an hour later, the bad news. We must get out of the plane, pick up our luggage and a bus will be arrive one and half hour later to send us back to LAX (there were not any more flights from palm springs until next day).
After about 1 hour no signs of the luggage, then the captain call us and told that they fixed the original problem so we can continue to Chicago, but if anyone want to go back to LAX they can go in the bus. He ws very polite answer all the questions of the 140 people there, and assured that the plane was in perfect condition to continue.
I continue to ORD. When all the passengers were on the plane I realized that there were at least 4 biz seats empty, so I politely told the FA that I was on the upgrade list, if I can use that upgrade now that there are empty seats. He refuse saying that he can't do that.
On the flight free food and alcoholic beverages were given to coach passangers.
Was too much to ask for a better seat after all that delay and problems?
Should I ask for a compensation (for either the refused upgrade or the delay)?.
P.S. By the way, we landed at 8:55PM, being my flight to LHR at 9:45PM. At 9:00 we were at the gate, but we couldn't get out of the plane until 9:10PM. Fortunately my conection was in the same terminal and two gates away, run a few meters and make it to grab the last seat to London.
It looks like you got some pretty good service given the circumstances: clear and accurate communications, a choice of whether to continue on, confirmed same day flight to your original destination, free drinks, etc. Many crews unfortunately handle things far worse.
As far as your pseudo-inflight upgrade, AA didn't owe it to you, and I can see how an FA without access to the actual upgrade list did not want to risk starting an inflight riot as to who "deserved" those seats.
Wait, but I was crediting AS for my mileage- it had the number in my record...
