nikad

Fellow FT members,

This is an extract of the letter I just sent AA. Really I doubt I will be flying with them again. Every flight is a different problems. The only thing they provided us with were problems and a really bad experience. Will report if they ever reply to my message. Any thoughts? Is it always like this? Or I have some ad karma?

nik

Dear Sirs,

I called AA several times before our return trip to check if our upgrade had cleared. The day we were traveling I saw it under My Reservations on aa.com, I called and talked to two different employees that assured me that everything was fine and that both my husband, me and our baby were traveling in business class. To our surprise when we are check in in the luggage at MIA airport, the agent tells us that there was a problem and that only my upgrade had cleared. That only one e vip had been authorized and that my husband would have to fly in economy ( 20 seat rows from us ). There was no way I could contact our friend as he was traveling for business too.

A supervisor told us the same thing and said there was no way around it. Since I was sick, I asked if it would be possible to then fly in coach just so we could be together and my husband could help me with the baby in case I needed to use the restroom. Were were told " no " that there were no seats left and that I had lost my economy seat. I was charged of course the fare difference for the baby BEFORE we were told we were not traveling together, had I known of this I would not have taken any upgrade.

This all took well over an hour. At this point my baby was screaming and getting really fussy, yet nobody cared. Also, it seems AA employees do not know that disabled people, elderly people and babies have priority! Even the agent at the airport made some nasty comments about why we were given permission to go past the other people!

At the gate I asked if there was a chance we could all be seating together, and we were told the flight was totally full. I also asked the flight attendant before we took off and a few minutes after. My husband was not allowed to come into the business class to help me out make it into the restroom I guess my only option was to leave a sleeping baby alone to be able to make it. There was a free seat right next to my husband in the end. I had a miserable experience, sick, alone with a 14 month old baby. This flight was again late 45 minutes.

Once I was able to check my mail back home, I learned that our friend had called the elite help desk and had been told the three of us were ok and authorized to travel and use his e vips without any problems. It looks like the supervisor at MIA ignored all of this and even tough I gave her his name, she could not be bothered checking this with the elite help desk!

Our experience was horrible. We had had several problems with AA flying into the US, flight was 90 minutes late and we lot the connection. My business class seat was not working, neither the screen, and it was all dirty and full of crumbs and nuts. I have already sent a message to AA on this issue.

I used to think AA was the best option and the airline with the most professional people, but I am having second thoughts on this. I am not sure I will chose your company again for our future trips, I would appreciate an answer and explanation, the dirt, the lack of priority access traveling with a baby, the never ending contradictory information, flight delays, rude agents really damaged your name and our experience.

Flight 909 Nov 14th MIA-EZE
Flight 952 Nov 2nd EZE-MIA

DataPlumber

Its not bad karma, perhaps unrealistic expectations though. I've taken my kids as infants on many flights and never received priority, nor expected it. I view keeping my kids placated (fed, entertained, behaving, quiet, etc.) during the entire airport process however long it takes and flying as solely my responsibility and not anyone else.

Pickles

Why should anybody except you care about your fussy baby? My concern with a fussy baby is to get it as far away as possible from me.

sts603

No they don't. That is simply inaccurate.

It sounds like there may have been some errors on AA's part. Or maybe not. hard to tell what really went wrong with the upgrade authorization. That said, I've had many a VIP applied for me, and applied several of mine for others and NEVER had a problem.

nikad

Well, I was not expecting anybody to feed, calm or entertain my baby, but definitely was looking to be able to skip the long lines with a baby, stroller and car seat + 5 big bags. Also there is a law that entitles people to get PA, it is not complimentary as far as I know...

farrish11

[First getting my popcorn]

I'm sorry to hear you had a frustrating experience on AA. However, it sounds like much of your frustration stems from an unfamiliarity with AA's methods. Also, this kind of stuff happens on any airline. Read the other airlines' forums if you don't believe me.

My productive suggestion: I'd resend your letter, but cut the length by 75%, and make it more clear. I read the whole thing but it's incredibly confusing. Also, remove most of the hyperbole and unnecessary nonsense. For instance, this whole paragraph could go:

Babies generally scream and get really fussy. I know. My 3rd is coming in the next two weeks. The first two have combined for almost 80 flights. Also - and I may be wrong - I believe that AA's boarding policies differ from those at many other airlines. I don't think that families or people with babies or small children are entitled to early boarding on AA, although many gate agents use their discretion to offer it. Perhaps that explains why an agent made a comment wondering why you were given permission to go past the other people.

Also, the fact that you were "authorized" to use an EVIP isn't too relevant. You mentioned that it was a sold out flight. There was no room for him in business class. The problem was lack of space, not lack of authorization.

I'm sure others will chime in both ripping you to shreds and offering good advice. Listen to the advice, learn from it, and give AA another chance to show you it's no worse than any other U.S. airline.

aamilesslave

Your letter is confusing from the start. You mention your "friend" but I have no idea why.

nikad

Why would they care? basically because I was standing there for well over an hour due to their errors!!

Sorry for that I am so upset about the whole thing! My friend was trying to make it easier for us, he has elite status and gave us e vips for the trip.

Pickles

Sounds to me like there was a cockup somewhere along the line, and you took the hit. Keep in mind, however, that the fact that you spent an hour arguing with them about it and your baby getting fussy have limited causality. Your baby would have gotten fussy no matter what, and not connected to how long you spent trying to sort things out. Your baby getting fussy is not going to be a catalyst for AA to do something they don't think they are obligated to do, whether they are in the wrong or not.

sts603

I know that at least UA has also eliminating priority boarding for families within the last 12-18 months. Not sure about US, DL and the heffer-haulers.

nikad

Thanks for the input. I actually removed that bit before I sent the letter When we were going to the US, my seat was not working and when I opened the table/tray I was covered in crumbs :P Also they told me we were ok and that we had been both upgraded ( talking to 2 different employees over the phone a few hours before we got into the airport ) Also I read on aa.com that we were entitled to priority access.

farrish11

Why would someone who is clogging up the line want to go clog up line for people with priority access? Letting everyone use priority access defeats the purpose.

Really? I'm pretty sure people traveling with 5 big bags, a car seat, stroller, and baby do not qualify as a protected class under U.S. law.

Bottom line: when traveling with a baby and enough items to support a small circus, get to the airport early. Some airports have family lines (ATL comes to mind) but special access isn't something to be expected.

nikad

I really wasn´t arguing, the agent spent a long time looking at stuff and then waiting for the supervisor to hear the same thing. I just wanted to sit along with my family. I bought this tickets in person 3 months in advance and had seats assigned.

farrish11

Why does everyone always forget about us Golds?

nikad

I was not pushing all that stuff, my husband was there. we got to the airport 3 1/2 hours before our flight. This was not a fantasy, aa.com says I´m entitled to priority access.

In case it was not clear: I was sick, with a baby and they would not let us sit together just so I could use the restroom. They would not let my husband come grab the baby to help me, they charged me a fare difference and AFTER that they told me we were not flying in the same cabin, had I known that I would have kept my coach seat. Then they did not let me go back to coach cos they said I had lost my seat after the upgrade and my husband had an empty seat right next to him the whole flight.