Originally Posted by
JonNYC
It's a sincere, well though-out and well written post as are quite a few others in this thread.
But, if you don't mind me asking, at this juncture are you attempting to "win over hearts and minds" as it were, getting the highest number of posters to agree with your P.O.V. compared to other views -OR- do you actually see these posts as getting you closer to getting what you want in this instance?
Is that last goal now a lost cause in your mind? I can't quite see where "all this goes" simply based on a few posters on FT agreeing with your outrage vs a few that maybe do not.
Is there a goal or just a desire to express disenchantment, etc. NO offense intended, genuinely asking.
Answering for myself, I believe there are multiple routes to influence airlines in the choices they make. One can communicate directly which works well on individual cases but less so on policy or schedule issues. One can bring legal action which requires locus standi and loss and works better in individual cases. The third method is to engage in public discourse and raise issues of concern on blogs and social media. Airlines watch their PR almost as closely as their costs. Too much negative opinion will prompt action if financially it is considered viable and aligned to strategy. The key though is for the debate to be logical, factual and reasonable.
I think the original Poster was offered a poor substitute and that calling AA he could have got a better result on a daytime service via ORD or a non stop in the evening. AA always issue an automatic rebook as their computer systems do it automatically but agents can amend easily without charge as this is an airline reroute.
Asking for AA to pay the costs of moving the OP to another airline is in my view unreasonable. Asking the DOT to force a foreign carrier to change its mileage rewards program is unreasonable. However expressing anger on a cancellation of schedule or route is very reasonable as is expressing a desire to avoid a particular carrier because of predatory conduct.
It is of secondary concern to me whether I influence posters. My aim is to air reasonable complaints that if voiced by sufficient numbers will make AA think differently within policy and budgetary constraints.
You ask for 10% you may get 5% you ask for 100% you get laughed at and zero.