Guide to, and listing of, compensation (consolidated)
Since the topic comes up from time to time, when someone has a mishAAp, I was wondering what sorts of compensation people have received from American for various problems. The form I propose is:
Date AAdvantage Status Fare class What happened Compensation Comments
Some examples from my experience:
Date: Feb 2002 AAdvantage Status: None Fare class: Discount Y What happened: Mechanical MIA-DCA causing delay of 3 h. Didn't arrive at DCA until 2 am, had to work the next day at 8 am. Compensation $200 voucher or 5K miles or 4 500-mile upgrade certificates Comments Wrote letter to customer relations in DFW, didn't get a reply. Called back and chose the $200 voucher.
Date November 2002 AAdvantage Status GLD Fare class J What happened Mechanical DCA-MIA caused me to be 45 min late to MIA. Was denied boarding MIA-LHR even though I arrived at the gate 10 min before the flight left. "Seat already given away." Spent the day at the MIA Raddisson. One less day of a European vacation. Had to pay hotel in LON for the missed night. Compensation 10K miles Comments Wrote in to customer relations, got the standard reply (i.e. nothing offered). Followed up with a call and was given the miles.
Date March 2003 AAdvantage Status PLT Fare class Discount Y What happened Food poisoning which I suspected I got from the Bistro Bag. Vomiting for two days, vacation ruined. Compensation 2 K miles Comments E-mailed customer service. Did not ask for anything, mainly wanted to get them to check their catering standards. Miles were a nice gesture.
Date March 2003 AAdvantage Status PLT Fare class discount Y What happened Bags lost for two days. No cell phone service as charger was inside. Compensation 2.5 K miles Comments On the phone with lost luggage via the PLT desk. Asked in a manner of passing if I was entitled to anything having not had my bags for 36 h. Agent put me on hold, called her help desk and said, "We don't usually do this, but since you're PLT, we'll give you 2.5K miles."
[This message has been edited by CharlesMD (edited 04-17-2003).]
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jace: Looks like AA has a lot of complaints from you in your AA record... hope you never need a favor.</font>
Like any of these problems were made up? Seems to me AA should do you a few favors. Hard to believe the logic of a few posters. God forbid your flight is delayed, maybe AA should push you out the door?
Thanks CharlesMD for the info. I actually think this information is good for both the passengers and AA.
Passengers who have had problems can feel that AA cares and AA can do something for the passenger that is a contingent benefit provided only if there are empty seats on future flights (i.e., award seats for miles).
Programs: AA million miler (gold), HH gold ,SPG PLT, AX Plat
Posts: 2,206
Date March 2003
AAdvantage Status PLT
Fare class Discount Y
What happened Food poisoning which I suspected I got from the Bistro Bag. Vomiting for two days, vacation ruined.
Compensation 2 K miles
Comments E-mailed customer service. Did not ask for anything, mainly wanted to get them to check their catering standards. Miles were a nice gesture.
Charles, to me this is very intresting and surprising. While all the other incidents are specific to AA, One can never be sure of the cause of food poisoning. Hey as an MD, You know this mopre than me
IMHO, Its almost as if AA token goodwill gesture is tautamount to an admission , that at least was a decent likelihood , that AA Bistro was the cause.
From a corporate P.R.. view, I think that AA should have sent a letter thanking you for taking the time to share your experience and then talk about the safety & sanitation methods/ precautions that they use/ implement in Catering. ESP. snice you did not ask for compensation.
I'm curious if others think that AA was overly agressive in responding to this issue? IMHO, its almost a tacit admission of fault/ liability.
Out of curiosity, what email address & phone number do you use for complaints ? I mailed a letter a while ago with no response; I would like to follow up.
Thanks.
[This message has been edited by hoya (edited 04-17-2003).]
Location: watching the CPH departures from my balcony.
Posts: 282
even though this was not AA related, I experienced a 3 hour delay on an SK operated LH flight FRA-CPH due to a mechanical some months back. We had a hard time getting "snack" coupons from LH which didn't even cover lunch. Is a $200 voucher really something you should count on for a 3 hour delay? I feel cheated.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jace: Looks like AA has a lot of complaints from you in your AA record... hope you never need a favor.</font>
Could not have said it better myself. Someday your constant greed for compensation, even for the most trivial matters, may well come back to haunt you.
Programs: AA EXP & 1MM, HH Diamond, PC Plat RA, Hertz 5 Star
Posts: 877
Howdy,
Hmm...never considered myself a greedy SOB, but I've gotten some compensation for some inconviences. I fully agree AA never had to do it, and of all the vendors I deal with in the various aspects of my life, AA certainly has provided more in the sense of 'customer service' than any who come to mind.
Date: Feb 02 Advantage Status: PLT Fare class: J What happened: Many flights delayed out of LGA, after some schedule changes (to get me home sooner) the flight I ended up on was delayed by both weather and because a baggage cart rammed the plane (that's what the pilot said). Compensation: 10k miles Comments: I never asked for compensation, it just showed up in my account one day. A week later I got a letter from Customer Service apologizing for the delay.
Date: Apr 02 AAdvantage Status: PLT Fare class: J What happened: Late arrival on AC in ORD caused me to miss my connection. Compensation: Checking in at the AC, the nice Scottish lady noting that I now had a two hour delay gave me a $20.00 voucher for food. I didn't ask for it, I just checked into the AC. Comments:
Date: Sep 02 AAdvantage Status: PLT Fare class: J What happened: Ticked was booked in YUP26, seat was confirmed. When I checked in I found I was sitting in a middle seat in the back of the plane. Not wanting to argue with the check-in person (for some reason it took me over 30 minutes to check in, the guy kept running to the back a few times). Anyway, once I got to the gate and found my flight was delayed 2 hours I decided to call customer service. I explained the situation, and asked if possible for an explination as to why I wasn't sitting in F (I was polite, as I did not then understand the fare code fully and figured it might be a space-avalible thing and wasn't *****ing - just wanted an explination). Compensation: Seat upgraded to F and was given a $100.00 voucher (I have no idea why they gave me the money...in fact...I just remembered this - I wonder if it's expired by now...). Comments: Since I didn't ask for either of the comps, I was shocked at the offer from the CS person (by the way, spent a good 30 minutes on hold as the CS person could not understand why I wasn't sitting in F and spent a bit of time checking it out).
Date: Feb 03 AAdvantage Status: EXP Fare class: F What happened: 3 out of the 4 seats in F we flew were broken (no recline, numerous problems). I did write an email complaining about the seats. Compensation: 10k miles, which I was quite happy to accept. Note: This time I did complain.
For what it matters I had over 130k total butt-in-the-seat miles with AA in 02. With a total of 190 some segments (lots and lots of short-haul domestic).
I think AA's customer service is fantastic. Given the way they have treated me, I'm happy to book all possible flights with them (as I do).
Keep the faith,
Pakse
Edited to convert my HTML style tags < /> into UBB [ /] style tags.
[This message has been edited by Pakse (edited 04-19-2003).]
Programs: SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, UA Premier, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,394
Just 3 weeks ago I flew IAD - LHR on United. The flight was delayed for 3:30 hours, causing us to miss a connection in London. United wouldn't even give a food coupon, let alone rebook us! I wrote a letter two weeks ago, but no reply yet .
Quote:
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by galaba: even though this was not AA related, I experienced a 3 hour delay on an SK operated LH flight FRA-CPH due to a mechanical some months back. We had a hard time getting "snack" coupons from LH which didn't even cover lunch. Is a $200 voucher really something you should count on for a 3 hour delay? I feel cheated.</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hoya: Out of curiosity, what email address & phone number do you use for complaints ? I mailed a letter a while ago with no response; I would like to follow up.
Thanks.
[This message has been edited by hoya (edited 04-17-2003).]</font>
For e-mail,go to AA.com,use the customer service link. The non toll free number is there also along with the hours available.The number is 817-967-2000,8AM-6PM,Central Time,M-F.
From personal experience,phone call is best approach,though waiting time can be long.Sending a letter seems to be the worst method unless directed to customer relations at DFW by name.
I was expecting to get flamed a little when I started this thread. My view on this is as follows. The airlines expect us to pay all kinds of penalties and fees: taxi breaks down on the way to the airport and you miss your flight? Fork over the ticket change fee and fare difference (if the agent's in a bad mood). Want to get home two hours early so you can spend time with your kid? Need to pay the standby fee (even if your original flight is way oversold and the flight you want has tons of availability). Bag 10 lbs overweight 'cause you want to give your uncle some pineapples from HNL? Excess baggage fee.
So when an airline makes me late for work, cuts a day off my vacation, separates me from my belongings, makes me sick, etc... is it unreasonable to expect something in return? Apologies with meaning (i.e. not a form letter pasted together) actually give the airline an incentive to take corrective action. I agree that American has a great customer relations department, which is one of the reasons I fly them.
Date Various AAdvantage StatusNone/GLD/PLT Fare class Discount What happenedWeather delay into ORD caused a missed international connection Compensation $50 meal vouchers & a free night in an ORD airport hotel. CommentsThis is done automatically & have been given the vouchers at the ac door.
Date Aug '99 AAdvantage StatusNone/GLD/PLT Fare class Discount What happened7 of us travelling bhx-ord had been pre-allocated exit row seats, we were told by check-in we had exit row seats, but in fact had been given the 2 rows behind the exit rows & a group of teenage girls had the exit rows. I wrote to AA in the UK complaining about being lied to. Compensation£100 ($150) travel voucher each.
[This message has been edited by bhxnick (edited 04-18-2003).]
It seems some people have finally been conditioned by the airlines to accept bad service without complaining and be thankful they got to fly!
Why wouldn't you complain if you feel something was not right? I think most of us here fly enough to know what issues are worth complaining about and not b****ing about the fact the snowstorm delayed our flight.
To carry out the original idea of the post, here goes:
Date: Nov 2002
AAdvantage Status: PLT
Fare class: Coach upgraded to Business with miles - LHR-BOS
What happened: In-seat Video System inoperable
Compensation: Return of 10K miles (of the 50K) used to upgrade each of us
Comments: I felt this was a fair request, as this is one of the reasons you "pay" to upgrade
Date: Mar 2003
AAdvantage Status: PLT
Fare class: Coach
What happened: Engine failure on takeoff
Compensation: 8K miles
Comments: I wrote to compliment the flight crew and gate staff on the way this was handled. Don't think the miles were in response as someone else on the flight also got them.
