Dave Noble

No it wouldn't

JonNYC

Not to mention guidance from an automated system (Helix) that makes it so that 2 members of the same status experiencing identical disruption will receive sometimes substantially different compensations based on their Helix ranking.

So, no, the broad-brush generalizations of what they will or won't give to a given member for a given disruption are not at all accurate.

KLMairliner

I am sorry you have issues with AA. I can only say I have had several issues in the past with AA and they could care less. This is why I have switched over to KLM- delta and AA has lost ALL business from me. I have been a medallion member for over 10 years flying back and forth to Europe several times a year in business class and economy comfort and have several very good friends that has switched to my airline and got away from AA also. Sorry this really does not answer your question but AA Corporate office could care less also, you only get I am sorry for the issues you have.......... Really AA. oh by the way I lost a free flight using miles to Austria as I refused to fly them even free.... that should say something about this airline.

JonNYC

It really doesn't though.

tom911

When was your last complaint to AA? You mentioned something in your post about 10 years with Delta. Was your most recent complaint to AA 10 years ago? What did you complain about, exactly?

studio76

Hi,

1) can I reply to an email from AA customer relations, or do I need to go back to the web form?

2) what is reasonable to expect from AA for a non functioning J seat? Paid J (D fare basis if that matters) JFK-LHR - seat recline completely INOP. No empty seats to relocate to. Cabin crew able to somewhat manually manipulate, however as the leg rest would not move, there was no chance of a flat bed.

Thank you.

RogerD408

Read the email you received. There should be a statement about the sending address not being able to receive replies. The other thing to look at is the return address, typically people use an address of NOREPLY@ or something similar to indicate a reply will not be delivered as desired.

If you use the web form, be sure to include the reference number since someone else may get the message and have no history of the previous discussion.

flyerCO

Check the email some can be replied to and others require you filing out a new message. The email should say if you shouldn't reply to it using wording "this email address is unmonitored" or the like.

shoxwort

Hey, FT, this is my first post and first time joining although I've read a decent amount of advice from this forum before. Thanks ahead of time to anyone who offers advice to help me out in my situation.

At a high level, here is my situation... My wife was in a bad car accident about 5 months ago, and has required continuous treatment in the US (we lived in Bermuda prior to this) for her Traumatic Brain Injury. Because of this, I've been traveling back to the US significantly more frequently in the past 3-4 months.

In each of my last 3 trips, American Airlines has cost me a full vacation day and a full day of time with my wife, each time in a different city, and each time due to their own mismanagement of the situation or inability to hold up their end of the contract made when a ticket is purchased.

The most recent occurrence was today, and it will end up costing me well in excess of $500 due to changing rental car reservations, meal costs, and hotel accommodations. Today's snafu is compounded by the fact that they are requiring us to stay in the airport for an additional 7 hours, with no A/C in the building, and they are not offering water, snacks, food, or anything at this point. If people require water, they must purchase it with no reimbursement from AA.

I'm at the end of my rope here with this being the full 3/3 for every trip I've taken on American being messed up and then immediately and horribly mismanaged (this time, American detained a large group of people for a number of hours without allowing them any food or water, and not allowing them to leave the airport even though they opted to remain another night and just fly out in the morning).

I would like full compensation for all additional costs from this trip and my other two (since I didn't end up getting compensation like I should have), and in addition to that would like American to make amends by treating me and my wife to a trip somewhere since they've cost us valuable time together that we may never get back, as well as the vacation days they've stolen from me.

Anyways, any help you are able to give is greatly appreciated - I look forward to your responses!

JonNYC

There isn't the -slightest- possibility of those things happening.

You can and should write in after any trip where there are serious screw-ups and ask for compensation. And,for the most recent set of circumstances (which sound awful,) you should push as hard as you can for some kind of compensation.

But looking for a catch-up/make-up omnibus compensation-response as you detail isn't in the realm of possibility.

tom911

The one thing you've omitted here is "why" your flights were delayed. Could any of these incidents been air traffic control/weather related? If so, AA's conditions of carriage only require they get you out on the next available AA flight with seats. They have very limited liability in those circumstances.

If the delays were caused by mechanical issue/crew shortages, a complaint after each incident would likely result in some AA miles, but it would be rare for AA to compensate for lost hotel nights or lost wages/work days, let alone free trips. It's just how travel is these days.

Don't quite understand why you're currently stuck in an airport terminal for 7 hours. Is it a customs issue, that they won't let you exit once you've entered the secure area? What's the reason for delay here? AA doesn't normally distribute food to passengers, though I did have a regional partner distribute sandwiches at LAX last year on a multi-hour delay to Sacramento, something that took me by surprise.

pmanchuk

The specific details of each trip really would determine any sort of assistance that's due - for example, are these domestic trips (in which AA's contract of carriage pretty much says they don't owe people anything) vs international trips (that are subject to international general rules which are a little more in the passengers favor), but likewise even in that case, hotel accommodations if the delay happens in the city you reside in are not due.

At most, generally some consideration from AA for food and beverage at the airport during the delay is what a realistic expectation by way of vouchers, but to retroactively try to get some sort of financial restitution on past flights will most likely result in a form letter saying something along the lines of "so sorry, no." With that said, the only thing I'd expect from them at this stage after the fact if I were approaching them might be a minimal amount of miles credited to your account as a gesture of goodwill in their eyes.

Do keep in mind that AA's contract of carriage very clearly states they "are not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages if we do not meet this commitment," and as such, complaining to them about lost vacation days, other 3rd party costs, and particularly expecting they give you a free trip somewhere would probably be met with even less of a helpful disposition.

My personal advice for what it's worth if you opt to send a complaint, is to keep it short and concise - definitely leave out the request for a pair of free tickets - without too much emotion/anger, and expect very little if anything in terms of compensation... see it's value being that you've expressed your complaint but recognize that technically while you may have been inconvenienced more than once, the airlines actually "owe" very little in terms of compensation except in very specific situations.

tom911

I'd also suggest you look at the credit card you're charging these trips to and see if they provide any type of travel insurance that might cover things like cancelled hotels or airport meals due to delays. I know one of my cards offers significant benefits after 6 hours, including meals and hotel benefits.

JonNYC

God yes.

JDiver

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