ORDinaryPax

Does anyone else think the ground staff at SFO are lacking in the quality customer service department? I have been through SF five of times this past year, and I have had a sub-standard experience each and every time. There isn't one "grievous injustice" I can point to, but I have generally found the TAs and GAs to be unpleasant, inattentive, and to display a generally bad attitude toward pax.

Perhaps they are understaffed, because it's very hard to get a gate agent's attention... they act like they are doing you a favor for helping you, almost like getting a drink at a crowded, trendy night club. And if you need help before the gate is opened for your flight, the standard response is "I'm not working that flight, go talk to someone else." At ORD, for example, I usually just go to the shortest line when I need to be rebooked due to IRROPS or have simple requests like seat changes or getting on a standby list.

Sorry for the pointless rant, but I am just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

All American Flyer

I haven't had any issues in SFO and I fly there quite a bit. You are correct that there is this prevailing attitude that the staff are doing you a favor by helping you but I have gotten some great help with irrops and standby stuff from the AC staff. There are other airports, however, where the staff is much worse (won't say where )

TheAAdmiral

I am sorry that you had bad experiences with the ground staff at SFO. This year, I've been flying through SFO a couple of times of month and have encountered good ground staff and excellent AC AAngels.

Safe travels.

PandT

If you're looking for specific responses re: SFO ground staff - I have to say that I have had just the opposite experience. I rarely interact with the TA's but the 3x I have this year it's all been very professional and very friendly, though this has been as EXP in the First line. The GA's, too, have been very helpful - just last month one went the unasked extra mile, to make an announcement prior to boarding to see if a J pax would be willing to switch seats (aisle for aisle) in order for my (nervous flying) dad to sit next to me - with a successful result. Maybe I fly this route too much and get "insider" treatment but I seem to notice GA's who are regularly processing pax requests.

getoffthe grid

I fly out of SFO regularly (as my home AA airport). I would not characterize the TAs and GAs as inattentive but they are not exactly warm and fuzzy either. I think the fairest assessement based on my experience is that they are understaffed and have been so for several years.

AC employees at SFO are top notch in my experience, helping with IRROPS rebookings, upgrades, etc.

gamehendge2000

SFO is my 'other' home airport. AC staff is +10. Have had super experiences with one particular TA who I now seek out each time.

GA staff - gotten quite a bit of indifference, few surly looks, some
snarky comments, etc.

ESpen36

I flew out of SFO last weekend. The AC AAngels were wonderful, as always! They helped me get on the standby list for an alternate flight. When I went to the gate and approached the GA to see if I could be cleared onto the flight, she said "Oh, did the club set this up for you?" When I said yes, she kind of got snippy, although ultimately she did help me.

I would suspect that a combination of being short-staffed and having many late-night departures makes the GAs not the warmest/fuzziest in AA's network. On this particular night, AA 18 (to JFK) was delayed 3 hours until 1:30am, and the supervisor stopped by while I was at the gate counter and loudly announced to her colleagues that she was going to keep ALL of them there until after flight 18 departed.

tied

I have had mixed results with the SFO staff, including an episode where I walked into the AC with a complimentary one-day pass, but felt as though I was seen, and treated, as less valuable than an AC member. But to be fair, I have also gotten some smiles and fine service from the SFO ground staff as well.

Generally, I've seen mixed, but overall decent, service most places. That said, my favorite staff experiences have been at ORD, surprisingly.

JDiver

Our unofficial motto is YMMV. I use SFO frequently and have had one or two instances where the GAs seemed harried and distracted, but most instances I have had good service from TAs, and most GAs. The AC staff have been extremely helpful. That being said, those times when pax throng the Gate desks because something has gone sideways I am usually using my 'phone (preprogrammed with several AA and my pending hotel, etc. numbers) or hitting the AC to get it fixed.

SFO to BOS

I had a pleasantly surprising opposite experience. This past December, I got bumped and had almost 9 1/2 hours to kill until my next flight. I had a complimentary one-day pass and decided it was the perfect time to use it. I wasn't sure how I would be treated in the AC because I look really young (am 26 but regularly get mistaken for a high schooler) and was dressed in sweats. But, the AAngels were extremely attentive and friendly the entire 9 1/2 hours. I was highly impressed.

Short hair Francis

I'm surprised you didn't went home, I like lounges and all but no lounges can keep me unbored for 9.5 hrs. I do agreed with the others that the SFO crew can get unraveled due to the large amounts of red-eyes leaving at the same time.

All American Flyer

My God! With 9.5 hours in SFO you could have gone into the city and seen quite a bit before coming back (or gone home if you lived in the area) How did you occupy yourself at the AC in SFO for 9.5 hours if you don't mind me asking? That being said, it's not a bad use of a day pass. I will say that the AAngels are the only real strength of the SFO AC (IMO it's small/dark/cramped/over crowded)

CMK10

I've had overall good experiences with AA staff at SFO, particularly in the Admirals Club.

That being said, I did once encounter a really awful gate agent who made it seem like he was doing me a favor after I put him through a terrible imposition when I cleared the upgrade list and he printed me a new boarding pass.

ORDinaryPax

Thanks for all the replies. It appears my experience is not the norm. I'll have to chalk it up to bad luck.

pdquick

I once heard a TA scold a passenger for late check-in of his luggage, but the passenger was being a jerk. The TA let him know his luggage may not make the flight because of late check-in. The passenger demanded it be delivered to him in that event, and the TA got downright testy and raised her voice: "You were LATE! That's not our fault, is it?" That's the only surliness I've ever seen. While it could have been handled better, the guy seemed to have it coming.