Technical Difficulty Countdown
Aug 1, 2000, 4:31 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Dallas/Fort Worth, TX USA
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 69
American Airlines Frequent Flyers
We genuinely regret the web site errors and problems you've experienced in recent weeks trying to book your travel reservations on AA.com. It is also disheartening that our service has failed to meet your expectations of American Airlines. We value all feedback as an opportunity to listen, learn and to improve and therefore, I would like to address the system problems you encountered recently. To begin with, I and our entire development team assure you that we are well aware of the stability problems that our site has had in the past, and there is no higher priority within AA.com than the continued focus in this area. In recent weeks we have undertaken a number of short and long-term initiatives to improve AA.com, including:
- Creation of two new host sites in Sunnyvale, CA and Herndon, VA.
- Upgrade of our database machines in Sunnyvale, CA and Herndon, VA.
- Upgrade of our operating system in Sunnyvale.
- Announcement of our plans to make a major structural change of the AA.com software platform to a new, open architecture environment.
As a result of these upgrades, isolated issues with the existing platform and problems associated with the growth of our new host sites, some functionality has been unavailable on several occasions over the last few weeks. It is apparent that some of your problems were the direct result of the timing of these changes and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
The entire AA Web team is constantly focused on making AA.com a more superior product for you, our valued customers. We feel that with our commitment to improve and constructive criticism from our most frequent customers, we will be able to attain that goal. I hope you will continue to use our web site and that the changes we are making will better meet your travel needs. If you have other questions or if you need further clarification, please write to [email protected] or you may speak with one of our Technical Support representatives at 1-800-222-2377.
Sue
We genuinely regret the web site errors and problems you've experienced in recent weeks trying to book your travel reservations on AA.com. It is also disheartening that our service has failed to meet your expectations of American Airlines. We value all feedback as an opportunity to listen, learn and to improve and therefore, I would like to address the system problems you encountered recently. To begin with, I and our entire development team assure you that we are well aware of the stability problems that our site has had in the past, and there is no higher priority within AA.com than the continued focus in this area. In recent weeks we have undertaken a number of short and long-term initiatives to improve AA.com, including:
- Creation of two new host sites in Sunnyvale, CA and Herndon, VA.
- Upgrade of our database machines in Sunnyvale, CA and Herndon, VA.
- Upgrade of our operating system in Sunnyvale.
- Announcement of our plans to make a major structural change of the AA.com software platform to a new, open architecture environment.
As a result of these upgrades, isolated issues with the existing platform and problems associated with the growth of our new host sites, some functionality has been unavailable on several occasions over the last few weeks. It is apparent that some of your problems were the direct result of the timing of these changes and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
The entire AA Web team is constantly focused on making AA.com a more superior product for you, our valued customers. We feel that with our commitment to improve and constructive criticism from our most frequent customers, we will be able to attain that goal. I hope you will continue to use our web site and that the changes we are making will better meet your travel needs. If you have other questions or if you need further clarification, please write to [email protected] or you may speak with one of our Technical Support representatives at 1-800-222-2377.
Sue
Aug 1, 2000, 5:09 pm
#17
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 1,093
Thank you, Sue, for continuing to monitor these forums. It really helps to know that you and your team are listening to our concerns and that you are dedicated to stabilizing "AA.com" to restore our confidence in the site. It is also reassuring to know that you are working to improve the site to make it a more attractive option for those of us who fly regularly on American Airlines.
Aug 1, 2000, 5:59 pm
#18
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
Thanks Sue, I sincerely appreciate your continued monitoring of our comments.
I know you and your team are continuously enhancing the website, and your specific comments re: server expansion is clear evidence of this.
I will continue to "hang in there" with you on it.
Thank you for the time you took to respond to our feedback, it really means a lot to us VERY FREQUENT FLYERS.
I know you and your team are continuously enhancing the website, and your specific comments re: server expansion is clear evidence of this.
I will continue to "hang in there" with you on it.
Thank you for the time you took to respond to our feedback, it really means a lot to us VERY FREQUENT FLYERS.
Aug 1, 2000, 9:47 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,763
You know what I want to see?
Free flight paging features. AA delays or cancels flights on me so often, but I rarely get a phone call from them. If they're not going to call me (Plat status) then at least offer the option on the web site for me to get paged with updates.
It's happened too many times that I'll be on the way to the airport or arrive at it, then find out my flight has been canceled and have to take a cab to another airport.. very annoying.
Free flight paging features. AA delays or cancels flights on me so often, but I rarely get a phone call from them. If they're not going to call me (Plat status) then at least offer the option on the web site for me to get paged with updates.
It's happened too many times that I'll be on the way to the airport or arrive at it, then find out my flight has been canceled and have to take a cab to another airport.. very annoying.
Aug 2, 2000, 5:17 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Dallas, Texas USA
Posts: 1
Am a new user to AA online. Am throughly disgusted with the website. First tried it 6 months or a year ago, and discovered that AA was chosing what flight they wanted me to go on within a specified time period, instead of letting me chose(for the same price). Didn't bother to try online AA again until I signed up for the NetSavers a month or so ago. Have had to call the 800 Tech Support no. the last three weeks to find out what happened to my e-mail-NetSavers, and today when I pushed "purchase" to buy my first online ticket, the site went down, without me knowing whether the purchase went through or not. So back to Tech Support(it didn't), so Tech Support booked it. Can't fathom why AA will not put in the effort and money to make their site accessible.
Aug 2, 2000, 7:36 pm
#21
Original Poster
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
DFW....
You are not saying anything that we all haven't experienced over the last few months.
AAWebmaster....although I appreciate your response, it is to "cookie cutter" for me. It almost looks like one of your form letters we get when we email aa.com. Unfortunately, your "updates" you so proudly mention don't seem to be fixing your problems.
HOWEVER, I will be the first to dance in the lobby of AA's headquarters when we have an aa.com that runs smoothly for more than 1 week
You are not saying anything that we all haven't experienced over the last few months.
AAWebmaster....although I appreciate your response, it is to "cookie cutter" for me. It almost looks like one of your form letters we get when we email aa.com. Unfortunately, your "updates" you so proudly mention don't seem to be fixing your problems.
HOWEVER, I will be the first to dance in the lobby of AA's headquarters when we have an aa.com that runs smoothly for more than 1 week
Aug 3, 2000, 4:46 am
#22
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC USA
Posts: 290
If the flight is cancelled two hrs or less prior to your flight you don't get called because we figure (wrongly I know) that you are on the way to the airport. Also, many times when you are calling a cancelled flights queue of 500-1,000 or more names each reservation pops up on the screen one right after another and if the reservation was booked by an agency 90% of the time the phone numbers that are in there are agency numbers.
If we ask for the passenger number the agency will say "oh just call us, we know where they are 24hrs a day". Lastly, we do make an honest effort to call all passengers, especially top tier members however sometimes there are just not enough people to man the incoming calls and do all the calls for cancelled and delayed flights.I'm sorry but that's just the way it is.
If we ask for the passenger number the agency will say "oh just call us, we know where they are 24hrs a day". Lastly, we do make an honest effort to call all passengers, especially top tier members however sometimes there are just not enough people to man the incoming calls and do all the calls for cancelled and delayed flights.I'm sorry but that's just the way it is.
Originally posted by Doppy:
You know what I want to see?
Free flight paging features. AA delays or cancels flights on me so often, but I rarely get a phone call from them. If they're not going to call me (Plat status) then at least offer the option on the web site for me to get paged with updates.
It's happened too many times that I'll be on the way to the airport or arrive at it, then find out my flight has been canceled and have to take a cab to another airport.. very annoying.
You know what I want to see?
Free flight paging features. AA delays or cancels flights on me so often, but I rarely get a phone call from them. If they're not going to call me (Plat status) then at least offer the option on the web site for me to get paged with updates.
It's happened too many times that I'll be on the way to the airport or arrive at it, then find out my flight has been canceled and have to take a cab to another airport.. very annoying.
Aug 3, 2000, 4:33 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: AA Plt 2-million miler
Posts: 4,258
aa.com is inaccessible at 6:31 p.m. EDT on Aug. 3, 2000.
Aug 4, 2000, 10:43 am
#24
Original Poster
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
The infamous NSPAI error is back...8/4 at 11:45AM
Aug 11, 2000, 5:22 pm
#25
Original Poster
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
Just when I thought American, may have possibly, heaven forbid, gotten their acts together. 
Reservations have been freaky since Thursday at 8pm CST. As of right now, the reservations system is down (6pm CST, Friday).
Advantage Miles area is also down.
Reservations have been freaky since Thursday at 8pm CST. As of right now, the reservations system is down (6pm CST, Friday).
Advantage Miles area is also down.
Aug 12, 2000, 1:53 am
#26
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Indianapolis, IN USA
Posts: 51
I have found the AA website to be "finicky" at best but I sympathize with the AA WebMaster as my own non-profit organization has had "bumps" as we upgraded servers; loaded newer or "better" software on the servers; or introduced a new feature that was not fully tested.
Also, regarding a phone call, I have had a 50/50 experience with calls for delayed or cancelled flights. I think with the advent of Cell Phones, it should eliminate most of these issues. I do not know of a FT'er that does not carry a cell phone.
Also, regarding a phone call, I have had a 50/50 experience with calls for delayed or cancelled flights. I think with the advent of Cell Phones, it should eliminate most of these issues. I do not know of a FT'er that does not carry a cell phone.
Aug 13, 2000, 4:33 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Programs: AA EXP, 3.1 Million AA Miles, Hilton Diamond, *wood Gold
Posts: 245
Tried to use the "NEW" feature to sign up for bonus awards online, but got a message that site was "ungoing maintenance".
This is Sunday at 5:20 PM CT. This is a prime time period.
Doing maintenance at this time is DUM!!!
I thought the AA Webmaster had their act together. It appears NOT!!!
This is Sunday at 5:20 PM CT. This is a prime time period.
Doing maintenance at this time is DUM!!!
I thought the AA Webmaster had their act together. It appears NOT!!!
Aug 13, 2000, 4:46 pm
#28
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,664
Well, at 5:50pm CST -- it was up and working fine for me.
--Jim
--Jim