rebernosky

Has anyone ever experienced being notified that you have been upgraded by AA and then had it taken away? We were flying LIH-LAX, told by the Exec.Plat desk that my 3 children were upgraded (using VIP upgrades), then had them taken away? The biggest shocker was that the Exec. Plat. desk, when pressed for an explanation, simply said it was due to human error. They also thought that giving me 10,000 miles added to my account was suppose to make me feel good about it! (You tell your 3 kids that they are in first and then take it way from them). Ugh! This incident alone (on top of other stupid customer service moves) has caused me to fly Delta more often, but oh how I wish American would step up to the plate. I already received an offer from United to be in their highest elite...is it ever tempting. Anyone that has both and compare who to fly?

SocietyFlyGirl

Maybe AA was proactively moving your kids out of first because they thought the kids would be sick (vomiting) on the flight.

brp

I think making an airline change decision based on one incident can be dangerous. At some point in time each airline will do something wrong and you'll run out of choices. I can say that, in a bunch of years, and over a hundred upgrades, I've never had one taken away, so I would imagine it doesn't happen that often.

Cheers.

vail

I agree.
All the airlines will eventually do something to make you unhappy as they have so many employees that are themselves unhappy.
Customer service is not what it used to be--and it is not about to change anytime soon among the majors.

spanishflea

Upgrades are withdrawn for various reasons, and it has certainly happened to me in the past.

At what stage was the upgrade withdrawn? I always check to see if any of my upgrades are still showing correctly on aa.com before I leave for the airport, and often several times before that as well.

SanDiego1K

I'm trying to understand the story.

You were on a flight from Hawaii. You had paid tickets for the children? And were using VIPs to upgrade them?

Did you have print outs of the itinerary for each, showing them with assignments in the F cabin?

Where were you? Were you on the same flight?

You say that UA will comp you to top status. Are you sure? UA only comps to mid tier, except in some very rare cases where you are a CEO or in charge of a multi million dollar travel budget. More likely, you could get a one time comp to mid tier - and that doesn't compare in benefits to your current top tier status.

aamilesslave

AA's Hawaii service is 2-class: Y and F.

bdemaria

I *think* the nonstop LIH-LAX is a 2 class of service (757) flight. Were the 3 records linked and what seats did you have? If it was only two eVIPs revoked, I would definitely say you were FAM'd.

As for switching, there are LOTS of threads comparing UA v. AA elite. I've been w/AA for 10+ years and like many FFers find that the AA program is far more generous w/ugs, etc.. than the others so I stay w/it - despite the occassional snafu.

rebernosky

I was checking in online, and noticed that record for my children had changed. Called AA, told that the children had been cleared for first class. Called back minutes later to see if they were seated with us (we were already ticketed there) and got the "Oops. we made a mistake..." My point about being angry enough to change airlines is that the only vote we elite travelers have is with our dollars. I have to travel every single week. Those dollars can either go to American or their competitors. As a businessman, I want to eat my competitors' lunch...every single day. An EXP traveler is upset with a stupid error by American Airlines? Give 'em something that counts, like eVIPs or tickets, that really shows you care. 10,000 miles? That's a bone, better than nothing, but you try telling a 8-12-14 year old that they are in first class (and the wife you was feeling guilty about being in first with children in the rear) and then take it away...

rebernosky

Records were linked. I will recheck the letter from UA and get clarification. I hear you on the quality of AA versus others. My issue with AA, especially this time, is whenever I take the fam on vacation, something like this happens. Last year, same flight, just a disaster. AA could care less. The value of this post: advise to lower expectations.

CHIC SILBER

I for one don't believe kids (of any age) belong up front

Unless they happen to be high milage flyers on their own

they should wait until they build their own credentials

Too many kids seem to have little value for what is

provided to them for little or no effort on their part

Chic

brp

Now it sounds like you actually didn't have the upgrades, i.e. nothing was confirmed. The first agent seems to have misread he record to think that you did, and the second saw the mistake. If this is the sequence, it's certainly different from having an upgrade taken away once confirmed.

I totally agree with speaking with our dollars. I just wonder if this should be the watershed event (since it seems more like a mistake than a rescinded upgrade) that makes one leave an airline. Obviously, it's your decision...just wondering out loud, and in general.

Cheers.

ContinentalFan

Welcome to FT!

These downgrades are usually due to an equipment change or FAM's. It doesn't sound like an equipment change, since others have pointed out that B757 are on this route. FAM's usually bump two people in aisle seats, not three. I am not sure what could have happened on this flight unless three FAM's were traveling for some reason.

I'd take the 10,000 as the opening offer and see what else you can get. I wonder what the compensation would have been for three, unrelated passengers!

brp

Note that the "downgrade" seems to have occurred in the few minutes between calls, so I would imagine that it was an initial mistake, and not an actual downgrade.

Cheers.

brettyokom

Also, there was a chance to turn it into something positive, it was a great lesson in 'life isn't fair' and ' sometimes things don't work out the way we want'. Kids are resilient, I'm sure the kids forgot all about it long before EXP Dad did!!