Miserable Week on AA
Apr 20, 2000, 9:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Norman, OK, USA
Posts: 35
Miserable Week on AA
I took a business trip to Milwaukee last week that went miserably wrong in every respect. The short list:
Flight from OKC to DFW on American Eagle...seat so broken down in center it actually felt like a toilet. Full flight.
Flight from DFW to MKE 45 minutes late taking off, promised to make up time in flight, arrived, well, 45 minutes late.
Checked bag never arrived at all. Still missing after 7 days. (Did you know AA has no baggage tracking system whatsoever??? If it turns up in one of their baggage claim offices somewhere, they put it in the computer. That's it. "We're not like UPS" they said.) Bag contained every single item and file I needed to do the work I flew to MKE to do...so 5 lost days of productivity.
Flight home cancelled in DFW (Coincidence...only 29 passengers on "maintenance cancellation"...31 available seats on next flight out???). Had to rearrange ride home from airport and lost another afternoon of work.
Bag still missing. Roughly $2k worth of missing electronics and software that ticket jacket disclaims liability for (I'm a legal technology author/speaker). Have been told it's unlikely it will be found at this point. Am working 19 hour days from now 'til Sunday making up lost time with replacement stuff shipped FedEx from all over the country...needless to say, I am not happy.
Anybody have any idea what, if anything, I should request or expect to get in recompense? This is the latest in a long string of delays in OKC, DFW & ORD...I have YET to take an American Eagle flight that did not delay for at least 30 minutes per leg with maintenance problems...and I have yet to complain, but I'm just about to burst.
To top it off, I put up with it all because I had more miles on AA than anywhere else, and thought I was close to Gold...until I realized that they dumped the 20k miles I earned in the last quarter of last year from consideration. I found this board today, and learned about Challenge (which I earned by either criteria Jan 1-Mar31...but of course that doesn't count)...and I'm just overall very frustrated with AA.
Somebody here suggested to someone else that it makes sense to know what you want before you talk to them....any suggestions?
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:-} Sheryn
Flight from OKC to DFW on American Eagle...seat so broken down in center it actually felt like a toilet. Full flight.
Flight from DFW to MKE 45 minutes late taking off, promised to make up time in flight, arrived, well, 45 minutes late.
Checked bag never arrived at all. Still missing after 7 days. (Did you know AA has no baggage tracking system whatsoever??? If it turns up in one of their baggage claim offices somewhere, they put it in the computer. That's it. "We're not like UPS" they said.) Bag contained every single item and file I needed to do the work I flew to MKE to do...so 5 lost days of productivity.
Flight home cancelled in DFW (Coincidence...only 29 passengers on "maintenance cancellation"...31 available seats on next flight out???). Had to rearrange ride home from airport and lost another afternoon of work.
Bag still missing. Roughly $2k worth of missing electronics and software that ticket jacket disclaims liability for (I'm a legal technology author/speaker). Have been told it's unlikely it will be found at this point. Am working 19 hour days from now 'til Sunday making up lost time with replacement stuff shipped FedEx from all over the country...needless to say, I am not happy.
Anybody have any idea what, if anything, I should request or expect to get in recompense? This is the latest in a long string of delays in OKC, DFW & ORD...I have YET to take an American Eagle flight that did not delay for at least 30 minutes per leg with maintenance problems...and I have yet to complain, but I'm just about to burst.
To top it off, I put up with it all because I had more miles on AA than anywhere else, and thought I was close to Gold...until I realized that they dumped the 20k miles I earned in the last quarter of last year from consideration. I found this board today, and learned about Challenge (which I earned by either criteria Jan 1-Mar31...but of course that doesn't count)...and I'm just overall very frustrated with AA.
Somebody here suggested to someone else that it makes sense to know what you want before you talk to them....any suggestions?
------------------
:-} Sheryn
Apr 20, 2000, 10:35 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Dallas, TX. AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Rewards Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold VIP, Starwood Platinum Preferred, Avis Preferred Select
Posts: 863
I am sorry to hear about your troubles. Sounds like the week from h*ll.
My suggestion....ask for Gold (no challenge, just flat out) and some miles (10,000 sounds like a nice number to me). Show them the 20,000 from last year and the ones you have already got this year. Then, go into the horrible experience you just had. Your posting, to me, is a great summary.
Although I have never seen it happen, you may even ask for Platinum, but I feel you have better chances at getting Gold right away.....anyone else have any suggestions?
My suggestion....ask for Gold (no challenge, just flat out) and some miles (10,000 sounds like a nice number to me). Show them the 20,000 from last year and the ones you have already got this year. Then, go into the horrible experience you just had. Your posting, to me, is a great summary.
Although I have never seen it happen, you may even ask for Platinum, but I feel you have better chances at getting Gold right away.....anyone else have any suggestions?
Apr 20, 2000, 10:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Miami Beach, FL
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, BA Gold
Posts: 876
Hi, Sheryn, welcome to FlyerTalk. Sounds like a rough week of travel, huh? Don't think I can help much, but here's my comments...
I avoid Eagle like the plague! I've always hated it and think I always will. Even with the new RJs, these flights are not comfortable and connecting to Eagle at DFW is just a hassle. I understand AA is building a dedicated Eagle terminal there, but you'll still have to take a bus to get there. That defeats the whole point, if you ask me.
I have always wondered about AA's mechanical cancellations at DFW. Last year I was flying every week between DFW and LGA. AA has several banks of flights on this route where there will be 3 or 4 departures leaving within 1 or 1 1/2 hours of each other. Often I'd arrive at the airport to find my flight cancelled for "mechanical reasons", and rebooked on another departure within 30 minutes or so. That doesn't sound so bad, but I would constantly lose the upgrade that was confirmed on the earlier flight. At one point, this happened 3 weeks in a row. When I (hopefully politely) confronted the agent with my suspicions that AA was cancelling flights due to load factors and not mechanical reasons, she didn't exactly deny it.
As for your lost luggage, remember the Golden Rule of checked baggage! Never, ever, ever check valuables, electronics, medications, important papers, or anything else you can't do without for the length of your trip. Don't count on receiving enough compensation from AA to pay for the replacement of these items - it just won't happen.
Regarding elite status, keep in mind that the qualifying year runs Jan-Dec, and the membership year runs Mar-Feb. That means you have from Jan through Dec to qualify for Gold; once you've achieved elite status you have it through Feb of the following year. So if you get your 25K miles for Gold status in June 2000, you'll remain Gold through March 2002. The rules on the Gold & Platinum Challenges are slightly different, so call AA for the details.
Now that I've thoroughly trashed AA, let me say that I fly the airline every week and I genuinely believe they're as good as the rest most of the time and better than the rest some of the time. You had a run of bad luck on this trip, but they're not all that way. Learn from your mistakes (like we all do!) and keep your luggage with you whenever possible!
I avoid Eagle like the plague! I've always hated it and think I always will. Even with the new RJs, these flights are not comfortable and connecting to Eagle at DFW is just a hassle. I understand AA is building a dedicated Eagle terminal there, but you'll still have to take a bus to get there. That defeats the whole point, if you ask me.
I have always wondered about AA's mechanical cancellations at DFW. Last year I was flying every week between DFW and LGA. AA has several banks of flights on this route where there will be 3 or 4 departures leaving within 1 or 1 1/2 hours of each other. Often I'd arrive at the airport to find my flight cancelled for "mechanical reasons", and rebooked on another departure within 30 minutes or so. That doesn't sound so bad, but I would constantly lose the upgrade that was confirmed on the earlier flight. At one point, this happened 3 weeks in a row. When I (hopefully politely) confronted the agent with my suspicions that AA was cancelling flights due to load factors and not mechanical reasons, she didn't exactly deny it.
As for your lost luggage, remember the Golden Rule of checked baggage! Never, ever, ever check valuables, electronics, medications, important papers, or anything else you can't do without for the length of your trip. Don't count on receiving enough compensation from AA to pay for the replacement of these items - it just won't happen.
Regarding elite status, keep in mind that the qualifying year runs Jan-Dec, and the membership year runs Mar-Feb. That means you have from Jan through Dec to qualify for Gold; once you've achieved elite status you have it through Feb of the following year. So if you get your 25K miles for Gold status in June 2000, you'll remain Gold through March 2002. The rules on the Gold & Platinum Challenges are slightly different, so call AA for the details.
Now that I've thoroughly trashed AA, let me say that I fly the airline every week and I genuinely believe they're as good as the rest most of the time and better than the rest some of the time. You had a run of bad luck on this trip, but they're not all that way. Learn from your mistakes (like we all do!) and keep your luggage with you whenever possible!
Apr 20, 2000, 11:08 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Norman, OK, USA
Posts: 35
I had a ticket counter agent in OKC flat out tell me that there are two regular flights to DFW within an hour & the earlier one has service problems "a lot" (with a grin) when it isn't full.
I know that I take a risk when I check any of that stuff...but I don't really have a choice. Several times a year, I do "Gadgets" presentations in venues all over the country. For a while, I tried to carry every stick of it (about 45 lbs minimum--98lbs max) in a backpack. The damage to my neck and back took months to heal...and actually sent me to the hospital in Dallas the last time I spoke there. Besides, on Eagle, there is never enough room for two huge carry-ons, even if I could wrestle them both down the aisle.
Now I take the most valuable stuff (including the laptop and $500 20-hour battery) on board and check all the little stuff. I just never realized how fast $70 power adapters and $20 cables etc. add up. That, and for some dumb reason, I tucked my Palm Pilot in there, which I NEVER do, but I had yanked the batteries out to save my remote mouse during a presentation and it was of no use to me until I re-synced it. So I took it out of my purse and dropped it in with the "accessories." Murphy's law, I guess.
And you know, it's not the STUFF I care about. There's more where it came from. It's the fact that they don't have ANY system in place to track it that bugs...not to mention that either they are completely indifferent to the lives and schedules of their passengers...or their fleet is a frightening mess of maintenance problems. I'm not sure which is worse.
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:-} Sheryn
I know that I take a risk when I check any of that stuff...but I don't really have a choice. Several times a year, I do "Gadgets" presentations in venues all over the country. For a while, I tried to carry every stick of it (about 45 lbs minimum--98lbs max) in a backpack. The damage to my neck and back took months to heal...and actually sent me to the hospital in Dallas the last time I spoke there. Besides, on Eagle, there is never enough room for two huge carry-ons, even if I could wrestle them both down the aisle.
Now I take the most valuable stuff (including the laptop and $500 20-hour battery) on board and check all the little stuff. I just never realized how fast $70 power adapters and $20 cables etc. add up. That, and for some dumb reason, I tucked my Palm Pilot in there, which I NEVER do, but I had yanked the batteries out to save my remote mouse during a presentation and it was of no use to me until I re-synced it. So I took it out of my purse and dropped it in with the "accessories." Murphy's law, I guess.
And you know, it's not the STUFF I care about. There's more where it came from. It's the fact that they don't have ANY system in place to track it that bugs...not to mention that either they are completely indifferent to the lives and schedules of their passengers...or their fleet is a frightening mess of maintenance problems. I'm not sure which is worse.
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:-} Sheryn
Apr 21, 2000, 7:30 am
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 340
SherynB, welcome to the boards 
. I am sorry to hear about your experiences. Hope things get better for you in the travel world. Do not give up hope yet. We all have bad experiences, that is part of the challenge. Hopefully you will feel better after having the chance to vent here, and at the same time learn some valuable tricks to avoid some problems in the future.
Happy flying,
Travelcrazy
. I am sorry to hear about your experiences. Hope things get better for you in the travel world. Do not give up hope yet. We all have bad experiences, that is part of the challenge. Hopefully you will feel better after having the chance to vent here, and at the same time learn some valuable tricks to avoid some problems in the future.Happy flying,
Travelcrazy
Apr 21, 2000, 7:47 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Norman, OK, USA
Posts: 35
So, is there general agreement that Gold membership and 10,000 miles would be a reasonable request? More? Less? In all the fussing, I think I lost track of my original purpose for posting...which was to find out what your experience in miles-for-suffering is. (I like these cool smilies, BTW)
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:-} Sheryn
(I like these cool smilies, BTW)------------------
:-} Sheryn
Apr 21, 2000, 9:01 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Miami Beach, FL
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, BA Gold
Posts: 876
Sheryn, you can go for broke asking AA to make it up to you, but frankly I'd be surprised if they comped you to Gold. I suppose it's possible, but I'd bet they'll offer you the Gold Challenge. Of course, if your luggage is really lost, you can expect some reimbursement for it, and I imagine AA will cough up a voucher for you in some amount.
A little trick on Eagle you might not be aware of: if you can get your bags through the security template, take them to the gate with you. While you can't take them on board the A/C (as you mentioned, overhead space is nil on those planes), you can gate check the bags. That way you can actually SEE them put it on the plane, and they hand it right to you when you get off the plane.
Another suggestion might be to ship your stuff overnight. A pricier option, but nothing compared to having to replace the equipment or your spine! Also, with overnight shipping you can insure everything for actual cost. Just a thought...
Hope your trails get a little happier!
A little trick on Eagle you might not be aware of: if you can get your bags through the security template, take them to the gate with you. While you can't take them on board the A/C (as you mentioned, overhead space is nil on those planes), you can gate check the bags. That way you can actually SEE them put it on the plane, and they hand it right to you when you get off the plane.
Another suggestion might be to ship your stuff overnight. A pricier option, but nothing compared to having to replace the equipment or your spine! Also, with overnight shipping you can insure everything for actual cost. Just a thought...
Hope your trails get a little happier!
Apr 21, 2000, 9:11 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Norman, OK, USA
Posts: 35
Thanks! I could have kicked myself later for not gate-checking it...but my sister dropped me off right in front of that really tempting curbside bell stand...and, well, not having to drag it all through the airport just seemed worth the couple of dollars at the time. I think I will start shipping though... you are right that it's far less hassle.
As for Gold...I read about 200 posts on this board last night...then called and signed up for Gold challenge and talked them into backdating to 3/16 to go for miles instead of points. Then I looked at my miles for Jan/Feb alone and realized I had the miles AND the points in just the first two months. So I called them back this morning and talked them into backdating my challenge to Jan 1 & updating me to Gold now. THEN they converted my Gold challenge to Platinum, but balked at back dating to 3/16, saying they could only do that once. But then they agreed to backdate to 4/16 since I have miles on 4/19 that haven't posted yet. And all that is BEFORE I call real customer service to complain about last week and my luggage.
So now I'm a Gold member with a Platinum challenge going & 1/3 of the way there by next Friday. Think I could convince them to take me Platinum for my travails???
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:-} Sheryn
As for Gold...I read about 200 posts on this board last night...then called and signed up for Gold challenge and talked them into backdating to 3/16 to go for miles instead of points. Then I looked at my miles for Jan/Feb alone and realized I had the miles AND the points in just the first two months. So I called them back this morning and talked them into backdating my challenge to Jan 1 & updating me to Gold now. THEN they converted my Gold challenge to Platinum, but balked at back dating to 3/16, saying they could only do that once. But then they agreed to backdate to 4/16 since I have miles on 4/19 that haven't posted yet. And all that is BEFORE I call real customer service to complain about last week and my luggage.
So now I'm a Gold member with a Platinum challenge going & 1/3 of the way there by next Friday. Think I could convince them to take me Platinum for my travails???
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:-} Sheryn
Apr 21, 2000, 9:46 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: northern NJ
Posts: 1,352
Your $1250 for the missing bag.
Plus, if you booked with an AMEX that had the baggage protection thing on it, they cover everything the airline doesn't, including electronics.
Plus, if you booked with an AMEX that had the baggage protection thing on it, they cover everything the airline doesn't, including electronics.
Apr 21, 2000, 10:35 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,709
I also travel with a laptop and a bunch of supporting documentation. It is nowhere near as bulky as yours, but I've often found that the TRULY ESSENTIAL paperwork can be fit into a single manilla folder and stored with my laptop.
Plan "B" is to store all your documents on your laptop, back it up to a Zip Disk. If you arrive to your destination without your supporting paperwork, go to a Kinko's (or whatever the local mega-copy shop is) and you can print out all your presentation stuff. Keep your receipt so you can have the airline foot the bill.
I don't have one of those sleek, slim laptop bags - the thing is large and needs a little "help" to fit into the luggage sizer.
As for OKC-DFW... Don't even get me STARTED. My 4:30 flight had apparently legitimate mechanical problems, but rather than let anyone rebook to the 8:00 flight, we had to wait for another aircraft, which departed at 8:30. It was good for the passenger who missed her 8:00 flight - she was able to catch the 4:30 one instead!
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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."
Plan "B" is to store all your documents on your laptop, back it up to a Zip Disk. If you arrive to your destination without your supporting paperwork, go to a Kinko's (or whatever the local mega-copy shop is) and you can print out all your presentation stuff. Keep your receipt so you can have the airline foot the bill.
I don't have one of those sleek, slim laptop bags - the thing is large and needs a little "help" to fit into the luggage sizer.
As for OKC-DFW... Don't even get me STARTED. My 4:30 flight had apparently legitimate mechanical problems, but rather than let anyone rebook to the 8:00 flight, we had to wait for another aircraft, which departed at 8:30. It was good for the passenger who missed her 8:00 flight - she was able to catch the 4:30 one instead!
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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."
Apr 21, 2000, 9:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: Lifetime: UA Gold, AA Gold, & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,352
I've suspected for awhile that AA may be cancelling flights for economic reasons. I can't imagine that this is legal. I would bet that most planes are always in need of some minor mechanical repair that doesn't affect their flight worthiness and when econcomics dictate a cancellation, perhaps they decide to "upgrade" one of these problems to justify cancellation.
Apr 21, 2000, 11:34 pm
#12
In memoriam
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,697
Double check the lost baggage limitation. I believe it was increased from $1250 to $2500 when the Customers First plan was initated on 12/15/99. It may exclude certain valuables, however.
Apr 22, 2000, 5:24 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Dallas, TX. AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Rewards Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold VIP, Starwood Platinum Preferred, Avis Preferred Select
Posts: 863
SherynB:
Congrats on the Gold...but I will be honest with you. With all of the reading I have done on this board and through the interaction I have had with business colleagues and such, I have never seen a comp to Platinum. Offering the challenge to Platinum is common though.
With Platinum comes a few more benefits. Not to say you don't derserve them -- so please don't take this the wrong way. I believe since people do have to fly to get the status that you shouldn't be exempt from that (even with everythign you went through). Gold is a good start and Platinum is an attainable goal under the new rules....
Good luck!
[This message has been edited by DrHowser (edited 04-22-2000).]
Congrats on the Gold...but I will be honest with you. With all of the reading I have done on this board and through the interaction I have had with business colleagues and such, I have never seen a comp to Platinum. Offering the challenge to Platinum is common though.
With Platinum comes a few more benefits. Not to say you don't derserve them -- so please don't take this the wrong way. I believe since people do have to fly to get the status that you shouldn't be exempt from that (even with everythign you went through). Gold is a good start and Platinum is an attainable goal under the new rules....
Good luck!
[This message has been edited by DrHowser (edited 04-22-2000).]
Apr 23, 2000, 9:10 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Norman, OK, USA
Posts: 35
I don't disagree. Platinum should be a reward for customer loyalty, not for a bad week. But I am flying at a level that will earn my Platinum status in short order, anyway...and have been consistently for several months. Unfortunately, I lost "credit" for many thousands of miles earned in the last quarter of last year toward that goal....so I was particularly pleased to find out about the challenge program.
I don't expect them to do it...but it wouldn't be a bad customer service move, given that I'm going to have it in a couple of months anyway, to move the date up a little. Mostly, though, I'd be happy if they did just about anything to acknowledge that it was just plain sloppy service all week long. Anger and demanding behaviour are not really my style and I'm getting mellower about the whole incident every day. I really should write my letter before I calm completely down, though!
If nothing else, we should all be demanding that they come up with some reasonable system for tracking baggage. Being told that "sometimes that stuff gets misplaced under DFW and there's no way to track it down until it gets put on airplane some day" scares me.
Happy Easter all!
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:-} Sheryn
I don't expect them to do it...but it wouldn't be a bad customer service move, given that I'm going to have it in a couple of months anyway, to move the date up a little. Mostly, though, I'd be happy if they did just about anything to acknowledge that it was just plain sloppy service all week long. Anger and demanding behaviour are not really my style and I'm getting mellower about the whole incident every day. I really should write my letter before I calm completely down, though!
If nothing else, we should all be demanding that they come up with some reasonable system for tracking baggage. Being told that "sometimes that stuff gets misplaced under DFW and there's no way to track it down until it gets put on airplane some day" scares me.
Happy Easter all!
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:-} Sheryn
Apr 23, 2000, 11:43 am
#15
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cary, NC, USA - AA Plt 3mm/DL Dia 2mm, Hil/Dia Life, Bonvoy/Titanium Life, Spire
Posts: 3,261
The platinum challenge for me was 16,000 miles or 32 qualifying segments from 2/16/00 to 5/15/00. I've been platinum three years now and skipped trying for platinum and even skipped the challenge. I was comped Gold without asking. I've had problems with AA Eagle out of DFW and AA Miami baggage handlers repeatedly damaging hardsided luggage. AA is stingy with the upgrades and I will not overpay for tickets to get Executive Platinum. I switched to flying DL instead for now.