LAX bus travesty
Jul 10, 2000, 10:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 1,960
LAX bus travesty
I've held my tongue on this long enough: this weekend takes the cake. Others must also have noticed that AA's Terminal 3 "service" to SFO/SJC/OAK was deplorable, and now that it is expanding the Terminal 3 mess, it's even worse. No Admiral's club, not enough chairs, these we've all learned to live with. BUT THE "BUS" HAS GOT TO GO.
I've only taken this thing about 6 times in total, between Terminal 3 and the Eagle Commuter terminal. It's utterly pointless to take it to terminal 4, since the thing can't be counted on to get you there any time soon---- but you probably knew you could walk, too. Where you *can't* walk is to the commuter terminal, so you're FORCED to use it.
We arrived in time to see the one and only attendant walking out the door down to the field, where the bus is. Wondering whether we should follow her, we opened the door (note: she's 5 feet ahead of us, since she was leaving just as we arrived): She goes into conniptions-- We had the gall to want to follow her: now the bus is waiting, and she says we CAN'T get on it. I explain that we'll miss our connection--- we have only 15 minutes. Tough, she says, should have thought of that before we opened the door.
Wait, says I, we came out right behind you; too bad, she says, we have to wait for security to search our bags. She takes some degree of delight in the matter, telling me she's seen me before, and I should know better. "Don't you read???" she says. The bus leaves.
24 minutes later, another bus finally shows up. Yes, we've missed our connection; the bus takes nearly 15 minutes to get to the terminal because the driver spends 5 minutes gabbling with the officious attendant, then apparently tries to get back on "schedule" by trying to outsmart airliner traffic, and nearly runs us into a backing-out 747 from terminal two. She's driving so slow that a Southwest Airlines catering truck PASSES us on the tarmac road!
Meanwhile, back at the bus "waiting station", I called AA Platinum desk, hoping to get thru to the Eagle gate, to tell them we're on our way: After 10 minutes or so on the cellphone, the CSR admits that no one at the commuter terminal is answering the phone. It's not right, she says, and puts us on the next flight. She admits they're getting complaints about the bus. She asks me to write customer relations, which I promise to do.
Never mind lecturing me about whether or not I should have opened the door: Is it not your experience that---
1) The bus service frequency is atrocious.
2) The bus service contractor's staff has a lackadaisical, unprofessional work ethic, and doesn't seem to care that many of us who are forced to use the bus just haven't got time to sit while they "chat" at either end, when there are no more passengers to wait for.
3) The bus at the terminal 3 end MUST have more staff at the waiting station, so travellers aren't left watching as the bus pulls up and away, much the same as the horror just described above. ONE TRIP on United's arrangement ought to be invested, either at LAX or SFO, and they'll know how to operate this thing (not that United's is so great.... but at least this isn't typical).
4) THE BUS STAFF needs to be told that the travelers are THE CUSTOMERS who pay their salary, and can't be treated like hell. Every effort needs to be made to help them reach their connections. And no amount of "punishment" of the passengers is warranted, even when they make a mistake.
5) AA EAGLE needs to get their act together: where do they THINK their passengers are coming from? How can their business survive if everyone who shows up is late, treated like cattle, etc.? How about not packing 18 people with luggage in a bus with 12 seats?
6) AA needs to exercise some supervision over this keystone-cops operation. You just can't keep selling tickets with 45 minute connection times, if the bus can't do it regularly. And as presently configured, it CAN'T.
I've only taken this thing about 6 times in total, between Terminal 3 and the Eagle Commuter terminal. It's utterly pointless to take it to terminal 4, since the thing can't be counted on to get you there any time soon---- but you probably knew you could walk, too. Where you *can't* walk is to the commuter terminal, so you're FORCED to use it.
We arrived in time to see the one and only attendant walking out the door down to the field, where the bus is. Wondering whether we should follow her, we opened the door (note: she's 5 feet ahead of us, since she was leaving just as we arrived): She goes into conniptions-- We had the gall to want to follow her: now the bus is waiting, and she says we CAN'T get on it. I explain that we'll miss our connection--- we have only 15 minutes. Tough, she says, should have thought of that before we opened the door.
Wait, says I, we came out right behind you; too bad, she says, we have to wait for security to search our bags. She takes some degree of delight in the matter, telling me she's seen me before, and I should know better. "Don't you read???" she says. The bus leaves.
24 minutes later, another bus finally shows up. Yes, we've missed our connection; the bus takes nearly 15 minutes to get to the terminal because the driver spends 5 minutes gabbling with the officious attendant, then apparently tries to get back on "schedule" by trying to outsmart airliner traffic, and nearly runs us into a backing-out 747 from terminal two. She's driving so slow that a Southwest Airlines catering truck PASSES us on the tarmac road!
Meanwhile, back at the bus "waiting station", I called AA Platinum desk, hoping to get thru to the Eagle gate, to tell them we're on our way: After 10 minutes or so on the cellphone, the CSR admits that no one at the commuter terminal is answering the phone. It's not right, she says, and puts us on the next flight. She admits they're getting complaints about the bus. She asks me to write customer relations, which I promise to do.
Never mind lecturing me about whether or not I should have opened the door: Is it not your experience that---
1) The bus service frequency is atrocious.
2) The bus service contractor's staff has a lackadaisical, unprofessional work ethic, and doesn't seem to care that many of us who are forced to use the bus just haven't got time to sit while they "chat" at either end, when there are no more passengers to wait for.
3) The bus at the terminal 3 end MUST have more staff at the waiting station, so travellers aren't left watching as the bus pulls up and away, much the same as the horror just described above. ONE TRIP on United's arrangement ought to be invested, either at LAX or SFO, and they'll know how to operate this thing (not that United's is so great.... but at least this isn't typical).
4) THE BUS STAFF needs to be told that the travelers are THE CUSTOMERS who pay their salary, and can't be treated like hell. Every effort needs to be made to help them reach their connections. And no amount of "punishment" of the passengers is warranted, even when they make a mistake.
5) AA EAGLE needs to get their act together: where do they THINK their passengers are coming from? How can their business survive if everyone who shows up is late, treated like cattle, etc.? How about not packing 18 people with luggage in a bus with 12 seats?
6) AA needs to exercise some supervision over this keystone-cops operation. You just can't keep selling tickets with 45 minute connection times, if the bus can't do it regularly. And as presently configured, it CAN'T.
Jul 14, 2000, 7:07 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage (Exec Plat), United, Delta
Posts: 270
My experiences with the Eagle terminal at LAX have not been good. I haven't missed a flight yet because of the sloppy bus service, but I can see it coming, what with the irregular departures, the 3.2-mph speed most of them drive, and the improptu "breaks" the drivers use to chat with fellow employees.
Knowing that my experiences are bound to get worse before they get better, I will start complaining about the small issues I've had with this shuttle.
Knowing that my experiences are bound to get worse before they get better, I will start complaining about the small issues I've had with this shuttle.
Jul 15, 2000, 9:19 pm
#3
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Programs: One World
Posts: 557
And what about the wait for your luggage after your American Eagle flight. Recently after flying SAN-LAX it took about 25 mins. to get to baggage claim in Terminal 4 (just as long as the flight). But the wait for the luggage was 55 mins and this was only for three bags???????? 
Jul 15, 2000, 11:12 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,932
Not exactly on this topic...
But where does one check in for the American Eagle flights? Terminal 3 or 4? I have been told either.
I agree the Bus is dreadful. Makes other asian nations' connections so much more modern! But yes I agree that there is no urgency in the connections schedule and that the bus driver believes it is my fault because I have a tight connection. Has anyone ever taken an Eagle flight that is on time take-off and landing?
But where does one check in for the American Eagle flights? Terminal 3 or 4? I have been told either.
I agree the Bus is dreadful. Makes other asian nations' connections so much more modern! But yes I agree that there is no urgency in the connections schedule and that the bus driver believes it is my fault because I have a tight connection. Has anyone ever taken an Eagle flight that is on time take-off and landing?
Jul 16, 2000, 7:37 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: DFW, 3.5 MM, AA EXP, LIFETIME PLATINUM, MARRIOTT LIFETIME PLATINUM, STARWOOD AMBASSADOR 223 NIGHTS, AND LIFETIME GOLD, HILTON DIAMOND, NATIONAL EXECUTIVE ELITE
Posts: 5,847
To All -
Although I have not been subjected to the BUS, this sounds somehwta comparable to AA Eagle at DFW. I have experienced the following:
1. No BUS to meet our plane - although we were 1 hour late.
2. Drivers who stand outside the bus while 50 passngers pile on, and then spend 10 minuts trying to crawl over spilled luggage to get to their seats.
3. Last week, our driver almost crashed into 2 - you gueesed it, other Eagle buses.
We at DFW salute you..
Although I have not been subjected to the BUS, this sounds somehwta comparable to AA Eagle at DFW. I have experienced the following:
1. No BUS to meet our plane - although we were 1 hour late.
2. Drivers who stand outside the bus while 50 passngers pile on, and then spend 10 minuts trying to crawl over spilled luggage to get to their seats.
3. Last week, our driver almost crashed into 2 - you gueesed it, other Eagle buses.
We at DFW salute you..
Jul 16, 2000, 10:40 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,719
I agree the Eagle Term/Term 3 service is terrible. One night earlier this year I sat on an idling bus at the Eagle Term, watching the minutes tick away until my connection left from Terminal 3, while the driver wandered around outside chatting with his colleagues... for 20 minutes. No urgency to the deal at all from his point of view.
The bus operator is indeed a terrible contractor. I don't know that the UA bus operation at LAX is a model of efficiency, but the AA deal is bad enough to make you book away from Eagle connections at LAX.
The bus operator is indeed a terrible contractor. I don't know that the UA bus operation at LAX is a model of efficiency, but the AA deal is bad enough to make you book away from Eagle connections at LAX.
Jul 17, 2000, 6:58 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Andover, MA, 01810
Posts: 1,972
Maybe somebody is reading this. I took the bus to T4 yesterday, and it was very efficient. The driver was in his place, and the bus took off as soon as everyone from my flight got on, and and as we approached T4, the bus already there left right away. It hasn't always been like that though.