Programs: AA Ex Plt, 1.6MM, BMI Diamond, HH Diamond, SPG Plt
Posts: 5,690
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tries
Does anybody know, why FA could start to serve not from the front? Is there really no written policy about?
There is a policy for First/Business class orders which is based on the flight number. Orders for even numbered flights will be taken starting in the front of the cabin while orders for odd numbered flight will be taken from the back of the cabin. However, service usually begins in the front of the cabin.
To have service from the back of the cabin is very unusual - but so is AA buying food at the airport and serving it to coach passengers on a domestic flight (which happened to the OP).
Seeing that my example does not hold a light to yours, I would expect you to hit your next million before the end of the month
Not exactly for that reason but as soon as AA post the miles for the DFW-EZE flight I finish today, I will get my first million. This same flight will make me Ex Plt for the first time when the DBEQM for it post in 4-6 weeks.
No compensation for upgrade denied. You flew in the cabin you purchased.
You could ask for compensation for 6 hours late arrival. AA normally provides this automatically to everyone whether they ask or not.
On the plus side, AA did exercise proper caution, and did not endanger your life unnecessarily. Would you have preferred that they ignore the problems and try to fly anyway?
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Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 5,119
Quote:
Originally Posted by gemac
No compensation for upgrade denied. You flew in the cabin you purchased.
You could ask for compensation for 6 hours late arrival. AA normally provides this automatically to everyone whether they ask or not.
On the plus side, AA did exercise proper caution, and did not endanger your life unnecessarily. Would you have preferred that they ignore the problems and try to fly anyway?
I'll agree with this post. I do think the OP deserves compensation for a six hour mechanical delay. My crystal ball says AA will give about 7,000 miles.
It seems to me that AA did an above-average job in handling the misconnect and the ground delay.
OP, if you do write to AA, please leave out the part about the seat entirely. Your thread title makes it sound like you were denied an upgrade that you were owed.
Thanks for all the answers.
I will wait a couple of weeks to see if an automatic compensation is done, and if not I will write only about the mechanical problem.
I perfectly undestand that the delay was to be sure to have a safe trip and there is no obligation for the FA to give the upgrade.
Date: 6/12/2009 AAdvantage Status: PLT Fare class: O What happened: Total of ~10 hour mechanical delay. Three 763's across three different terminals. No delay officially more than 30 minutes at any given time. Issues spanned the following: First 763(pilot seat broken without spare part, refused aircraft); Second 763(cleaning delay, security inspection delay, instrument cooling problem, avionics problem (slats/flaps computer), ground crew delays, more cooling problems, refused aircraft); Third 763(cleaning delays, security inspection delays, catering delays, trash cans missing, pull away from gate then trash cans wrong size). Compensation: 9000 miles deposited (adjusted to 15K after phone call) Comments: I'd received 10K for broken audio on a DFW-LHR flight recently. So I called AA customer relations this morning, asked the agent to look up both cust serv bonuses, then and politely asked how they could justify something as minor as no audio being worth 10K while a 10-hour mechanical delay is only worth 9K. After that single question alone, and without him even answering it, I was put on hold while the agent gathered info on our flight, came back and asked about the 5 other Oneants on the flight (my wife and 4 other family members), then credited all our accounts with another 6K.
On top of the 9 AApplause certs I handed out the day of the flight, I also had the agent note on each of the crews records (7 FA's, Capt, and FO) how amazing of a job they did in spite of their company continually letting them down throughout the day.
I missed the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, but I made the wedding. In the end, I am ok with the outcome and happy with AA's final compensation.
Compensation: 9000 miles deposited (adjusted to 15K after phone call) Comments: I'd received 10K for broken audio on a DFW-LHR flight recently. So I called AA customer relations this morning, asked the agent to look up both cust serv bonuses, then and politely asked how they could justify something as minor as no audio being worth 10K while a 10-hour mechanical delay is only worth 9K.
I think that, with the extra 6K, this was pretty reasonable. 9K seemed a bit chintzy. As for the comparison, I think that 10K is very excessive for the broken IFE, and should not be used as a standard for comparison.
As for the comparison, I think that 10K is very excessive for the broken IFE, and should not be used as a standard for comparison.
I completely agree that 10K is excessive. But in offering the 10K without solicitation, they set the mark, making it, IMO, fair game for a comparison on this occasion.
Date: 6/12/2009 AAdvantage Status: PLT Fare class: Q. Itinerary: LAX-ORD, connecting ORD-MAN What happened: Arrive 8 hours after original arrival time.
Aborted take off from Los Angeles. Aircraft was returned to the gate and repaired (engine generator problem). As I was already loosing my connection, called AA and the ORD-MAN flight was changed to ORD-LHR/LHR-MAN, with arriving time 8 hours later than original schedule.
On the way to Chicago, another mechanical problem Developed (also related with electricity generator) prompting a diversion to Palm Springs. We were advised that we'll have to go back to LAX by bus. One hour later, the original problem was fixed. Passengers were given the choice to go back by bus or continue to Chicago, which I did. Compensation: 5000 miles automatically deposited Comments: free snacks and alcoholic beverages in after Palm Beach departure. Continuous update of the on-going situation by the captain all the time.
Fortunately at ORD the connecting gate was in the same Terminal, 2 gates from the arriving one, as I get off the plane only 35 minutes before the departure to LHR. Got the very last seat on the plane.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockhound
Thanks for all the answers.
I will wait a couple of weeks to see if an automatic compensation is done, and if not I will write only about the mechanical problem.
I perfectly undestand that the delay was to be sure to have a safe trip and there is no obligation for the FA to give the upgrade.
Last week I was scheduled to fly SAT-DFW-BWI around 6pm, landing in BWI well after midnight (thank you, corporate travel service!)
I arrived at SAT ~8am to try the standby route, hoping I could get to BWI at a reasonable hour. A flight had been cancelled earlier that day, thus making the standby lists quite long.
Anyway, so I finally get on a flight ~2pm-- the cancelled 8am suddenly went back into service, they loaded it up, and got it out. It had nothing on board besides bottled water, but who cares...it was just going SAT to DFW. I got to DFW, connected, and got in ~10:30pm. Late, but still earlier than my original itinerary. Not bad, I say.
Yeah, it was sort of a frustrating travel day, but I wasn't mad, nor did I complain to AA customer service. After all, I was going standby-- when you do that, you ARE risking delay!
This morning, I get an e-mail from AA:
Dear XXX:
While we realize that arriving at your destination on time was important on June 15, we sincerely apologize for our flight delay and the disruption of your plans. However, we would like you to know that the safety of our customers and crewmembers will always take priority over on-time departures.
Nevertheless, we realize you were inconvenienced and we'd like to offer you a gesture of goodwill and encouragement to continue to fly with us. We've added 6,000 miles to your AAdvantageŽ account. You will see the mileage soon at http://www.aa.com/AAdvantage.
Again, we are sorry. We hope you'll give us another chance -- we'll see you aboard American and American Eagle again soon.
Sincerely,
B. J. Russell
Customer Relations
American Airlines
I'm curious if they gave that 6k mi to everyone who wound up on my reinstated flight to DFW, most of whom HAD been inconvenienced, as they experienced a 6 hour delay. I, however, did not. This feels sort of like finding a wallet and keeping the money. I feel dirty.
(I'm not giving the 6k miles back, though.... )
I have on several occassions gotten miles for delayed flights and in one case a boarding process at MIA that was totally out of control in which I never complained/asked for compensation. Delays are part of the system, don't want them then don't fly, particularly in and out of NYC. The boarding process at MIA was something out of movie about the third world but as a PLT that time I got an op-up.
I assume that other paxs complained loudly and that AA wanted to CYA particularly with its elites.
I'm curious if they gave that 6k mi to everyone who wound up on my reinstated flight to DFW, most of whom HAD been inconvenienced, as they experienced a 6 hour delay. I, however, did not. This feels sort of like finding a wallet and keeping the money. I feel dirty.
(I'm not giving the 6k miles back, though.... )
I believe they give the compensation to all elites flying on the delayed flight - this is normally the case for flights with long IRROPS delays (>3 hrs?). In your situation you lucked out by not being one of the original passengers who was actually inconvenienced. I had the same thing once, when I got to the gate early and noticed the previous flight had been delayed by 6.5 hrs, but was boarding, so I jumped on that flight in standby and got to my destination early. Then I received a letter such as yours. I agree about the feeling dirty, but I suggest that you treat the compensaion in lieu of next time you are genuinely inconvenienced. That way it saves you writing a complaint in the future and the balance is reset! (That's how I justified it at least).
DATE: June 17, 2009 ADV STATUS: PLT CLASS: O (into X) ITIN: MIA-DEN
OCCURANCE: Strange thing about this was the fact that this was the day the massive thunderstorms hit DFW, so the GA kept insisting it was a weather delay that cause the late inbound aircraft (from DFW-MCO-MIA), so I didn't make a single complaint...
COMPENSATION: 5,000 Bonus miles
Dear Mr. denCSA:
While we realize that arriving at your destination on time was important on June 11, we sincerely apologize for our flight delay and the disruption of your plans. However, we would like you to know that the safety of our customers and crewmembers will always take priority over on-time departures.
Nevertheless, we realize you were inconvenienced and we'd like to offer you a gesture of goodwill and encouragement to continue to fly with us. Because you are one of our most loyal travelers, we've added 5,000 miles to your AAdvantageŽ account. You will see the mileage soon at http://www.aa.com/AAdvantage.
Again, we are sorry. We hope you'll give us another chance -- we'll see you aboard American and American Eagle again soon.
Sincerely,
B. J. Russell
Customer Relations
American Airlines
4 hour delay in departure.
Received exactly the same e-mail today. We were also told that delayed departure was for delay of the inbound aircraft
COMPENSATION: 5,000 Bonus miles
Quote:
Originally Posted by denCSA
DATE: June 17, 2009 ADV STATUS: PLT CLASS: O (into X) ITIN: MIA-DEN
OCCURANCE: Strange thing about this was the fact that this was the day the massive thunderstorms hit DFW, so the GA kept insisting it was a weather delay that cause the late inbound aircraft (from DFW-MCO-MIA)...
COMPENSATION: 5,000 Bonus miles
Dear Mr. denCSA:
While we realize that arriving at your destination on time was important on June 11, we sincerely apologize for our flight delay and the disruption of your plans. However, we would like you to know that the safety of our customers and crewmembers will always take priority over on-time departures.
Nevertheless, we realize you were inconvenienced and we'd like to offer you a gesture of goodwill and encouragement to continue to fly with us. Because you are one of our most loyal travelers, we've added 5,000 miles to your AAdvantageŽ account. You will see the mileage soon at http://www.aa.com/AAdvantage.
Again, we are sorry. We hope you'll give us another chance -- we'll see you aboard American and American Eagle again soon.
Sincerely,
B. J. Russell
Customer Relations
American Airlines
I suggest that you treat the compensaion in lieu of next time you are genuinely inconvenienced. That way it saves you writing a complaint in the future and the balance is reset! (That's how I justified it at least).
Agreed. Althought I wasn't inconvenienced with the delay, I have to say I was pretty ticked at how the GAs were treating status members that day. very little information forthcoming, and nothing in a timely fashion. To boot, I'd had a few less-than-stellar first class flights lately on which I used stickers....so I don't feel TOO bad
)
