dspringer28

I had a situation that was really bad with delta and went the same route to corporate. I sent a letter via mail, nothing happend. Then I used FEDEX and had a phone call from the VPs admin in 72 hours. So, my point is, use FEDEX. You can track it and is shows them that you are not messing around.

justageek

I agree that the OP was royally mistreated and should be well compensated by AA for what they did.

However, keep in mind that the pricing structure AA and the other legacy airlines use encourages a traveler wishing to travel from city B to city C, to purchase a flight from city A to city C that connects in city B, skip the first flight, and get on at B. (For example, imagine B is DFW and A and C are just about anything else! ) That's why the computers do what they do, and I imagine that at least some GAs have seen lots of people try to pull this before. (With online checkin, it's even easier to pull this off.)

oklAAhoma

His stated that his wife is GLD - she could use them.

sipples

That's really the secret, I think. If you can take your air travel dollars elsewhere at that moment in time, it's perhaps the only real message you can send when and where it counts most. Sometimes inconvenient, but it really is the only way right now for airlines to treat their passengers better, particularly their highest paying passengers. Let that gate agent try to explain to superiors why he/she has two IDBs.

I've done that once in my life (that I recall). Several months after 9/11 I had boarded an ORD-DTW flight. I wasn't satisfied with a certain aspect of customer service (or lack thereof) a minute or two after I boarded. (Specifically, a business colleague had arrived a minute or two after I did -- but still plenty early -- and because of his name/skin color the airline check-in counter decided he wasn't going to get on the same flight. Or maybe any flight. I got the play-by-play via cell phone.) So I took myself (and my full fare Y) off the plane. I didn't raise my voice, get upset, or anything like that. I just calmly explained to the FA (and then gate agent) why I was getting off ("My coworker is apparently having difficulty boarding"), and I did it.

We took another flight. We were late. It was so worth it.

oklAAhoma

I'm curious. In the scenario you describe, how does one acquire BPs for B to C if A to B has been skipped? Can that be done online? (I have only used online check-in for nonstops. Your post made me wonder how this would work... not that I would ever try such a thing. )

sipples

Well, OK, but that's quickly resolved in a variety of ways. For example, check to see if a checked bag or two is accompanying them. Or look at their boarding passes to see where they were issued. (If they came from a kiosk at LaGuardia, chances are they flew from LaGuardia. ) Or ask! (There's a novel concept. ) "We weren't expecting you. How'd you two make it to O'Hare?" Then keep the passengers truthfully informed: "Unfortunately we're missing the information that you made the earlier flight, so our computers automatically cancelled your reservations for this flight. And that means we assigned your seats to someone else already. But give me a moment and we'll figure out how to resolve this problem. I'll take care of you."

Although it shouldn't matter -- a one-time leisure traveler on a deep discount ticket should expect that minimum level of service -- bear in mind that the agent is dealing with an Executive Platinum/Gold holding first class boarding passes. Is it likely they're trying to board without flying the first segment? I suppose it's possible, but likely? Besides, you don't get ExPlat without spending at least some coin.

oklAAhoma

^^ Good for you. Did you or your coworker ever receive any correspondance from AA in explanation/apology?

askworldtraveler

I use the ones I have in my account to upgrade who I'm traveling with - it's a nice gift to them....

also - had the same thing happen a few years ago.... I would get a print out of the record before it's no longer available.... (your travel agent may be able to do this for you.... ) so they can see what happened. (moderator hat was off for this... )

AAllTheWay

You and I, along with many businesspeople in this forum, would likely handle a situation like this similarly. Unfortunately, in today's environment of unionized labor, those gate agents cannot be fired no matter how terrible their behavior. Merit-based firing, hiring, promotions and bonuses have long ago given way to a system based on "seniority" (i.e. how long have you been with the company, not how senior your are in terms of ability).

Sadly, even if the gate agent were drunk, smoking crack, and mooning prospective customers, she would, at worst, be put on some sort of paid administrative leave because the union rules would prevent the airline from firing her on the spot.

Rediculous. I have no problem with unions in terms of their role in representing people collectively to negotiate salaries, but when it comes to these measures designed to protect and preserve incompetence, I cannot stand them.

MJonTravel

I strongly suspect that this has something to do with your standby situation for an earlier flight in LGA. In NO WAY your fault. Something was done wrong with the initial check in for standby I suspect. They CAN research and find out exactly what happened, though it does take more than a few seconds.

I think we all know that the occasional aww sh** happens every now and then. What's wrong here is the recovery from an obvious service failure on the part of the airline.

I am absolutely shocked that someone who professes to be an airline manager would say to a customer "why should I remove the non-revs if you intend to stop flying the airline" or something thereabouts. Was this person a Customer Service Manager (street clothes) or an Operational Coordinator (wearing a grey coat)? Conversely I used to get threatened with "I'll never fly your airline again" on a frequent basis, but I never responded with such a flipant attitude!

I would write this story up in a detailed letter. I think it may even be good enough to address to the CEO....especially with that non-rev comment. I would cc the following individuals:

Mr. Ralph Richardi, Sr. VP Customer Service
Mr. Dan Garton, Executive VP Marketing
DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division via email at [email protected]

Just a quick note about some of the posts I read.... 1) FAA would not be the group to write on this, it's DOT. FAA regulates safety, not service. 2) American Airlines agents are non-union. And while this one incident would not be enough to get anyone fired, it will certainly be worthy of some form of disciplinary action. Enough of these, and I can assure you, it will eventually catch up with the employee.

sipples

It wasn't AA.

The airline in question got the message pretty quickly and corrected the situation as best they were able, i.e. they put both of us on their next flight (which also happened to be the next flight on any airline from ORD, so we took it).

We flew AA home.

It was really the perfect "experiment": two travelers, same corporate-booked (and coded) full fare Y, reasonably similar ages, same flight, same gender, arriving a couple minutes apart. One had the "wrong" skin color and name (and dresses better than I do). I hope I made my point that day and helped other passengers. I think I did.

pdx1M

I'm actually not sure what the supervisor was. She was in normal AA blouse - not a grey coat. My wife couldn't believe her comment and the tone in which it was said. Granted I was upset but all along there was ample chance for the AA folks to de-escalate matters by just appearing to be sympathetic and acknowleging the error rather than just ignoring the issue as best they could.

Meanwhile I have sent a letter by US mail to Richardi copying the CEO office and also faxing a copy to AA Customer Service. Mistakes happen - it's how you recover from them that is the difference between good customer service and bad.

Winningflyer-you go girl

Good evening, may I add my 2 cents?

Please note I am open to correction but I would like to contribute what
I believe happened.

When you were listed for the earlier origination flight, the agent did not
append something that would have told the automation in the record to cancel you off the connecting 2nd LGA origination (when you cleared the first flight) WITHOUT cancelling the conx flight from ORD to PDX.

When you were given boarding passes on the first flight, the
agent either assumes that when listed and then cleared, the computer
knew (which if the agent didn't append the listing correctly would not happen)
to take you off the 2nd flight and keep the rest of the itinerary in tact.
If that did not occur and there was no follow up to your record (pnr),
then the computer believed you and your wife were no shows on the
original LGA-ORD flight. As a "no show", the computer would then just
cancel you, boarding passes or not OR an agent looking for spare seats
on her overbooked flight ORD-PDX misread (past tense) what you were doing, and possibly took your seats. This happens because gate
agents, unlike ticket agents, are taught they don't have time to look at
reservation records, even though taking a few seconds would straighten
out alot of potential mistakes that passengers eventually have to stress over.
They work in another area of the computer, if you will, that has to do with
gate ops, almost exclusively. By the way, your status plays only a tiny part
of consideration at the gate when there is an oversell except of course, if
they are clearing you already confirmed from coach to first. In your case,
you were not considered AT THAT POINT as "confirmed" (sorry....).
I certainly don't agree that the agents handled it at all correctly.



Anyone out there who wants to correct me, please feel free.
I am not an expert so feel free. If I misunderstood anything, sorry.
This is just a guess.....

Winningflyer-you go girl

RE the misguided quote from supervisor....


TOTALLY unjustified....he/she deserves to go to bad customer service
pergatory....

justageek

Whenever I have done online check-in for connecting flights, aa.com has given me the BPs for all segments at the same time.

But just so I'm perfectly clear here, the OP was treated horribly and the GA is a disgrace to AA. I'm just presenting a scenario the GA may have been keying in to (though it seems the GA was more concerned about getting his/her non-rev friends/colleagues onto the flight...)