Fight cancellation notice in the wee hours
Dec 2, 2007, 4:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: UA lifetime 1K
Posts: 2,033
Fight cancellation notice in the wee hours
I was awakened by my cell phone ringing on the side table in my room at the Bonaventure, 3:35 AM Friday morning. Images of sudden illnesses, births or deaths vanished as I listened to the computerized voice telling me my 7:15 flight to AUS had been canceled, and I had been re-booked on a red-eye with 3 hr DFW layover. That would have been great (at least the info on the cancellation) if it were not for the fact the flight was 7:15 **PM** Friday evening.
Hung up on the computer, mentally filing the flight change under stuff to deal with in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep for an hour. Over 24 hrs later, at LAX for the 7:30AM, no longer angry but still bemused, I related the tale to an agent, asking rhetorically what kind of moronic programmer would launch the passenger notification sequence without any regard to the time of day. He smiled wryly, and said, "An American Airlines one."
Hung up on the computer, mentally filing the flight change under stuff to deal with in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep for an hour. Over 24 hrs later, at LAX for the 7:30AM, no longer angry but still bemused, I related the tale to an agent, asking rhetorically what kind of moronic programmer would launch the passenger notification sequence without any regard to the time of day. He smiled wryly, and said, "An American Airlines one."
Dec 2, 2007, 4:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA EXP, 1 MM, AC, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, Hertz 5*
Posts: 4,010
Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather be notified at 3:30 in the morning if a flight is canceled so I can start dealing with it then, especially if any changes need to be made from what they have automatically rebooked.
Last time this happened to me, a helpful AAgent put me on another airline to get me to where I was going 30 minutes earlier. I'd call that good service.
Last time this happened to me, a helpful AAgent put me on another airline to get me to where I was going 30 minutes earlier. I'd call that good service.
Dec 2, 2007, 4:35 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Washington, DC (DCA)
Programs: UA, AA, AS, SPG.
Posts: 3,463
Moronic, yes. However, considering people may be in different time zones world-wide I think it would be hard to schedule accordingly. Set your phone on vibrate and you will have nothing to worry about. ^
Dec 2, 2007, 4:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT(1.8 MM); HH-GLD
Posts: 70
I was awoken by an AA agent at 3AM earlier this year because of a canceled flight- with re booking information. She had to make several phone calls to run me down. With one stop-I made my final destination within 1 hour of the original flight. That is why I fly AA- the extra effort.
Dec 2, 2007, 4:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,455
I also had this happen in the wee hours today and was happy to address the issues at the time.
On a related note, while we never made it out of the airport today and are starting all over tomorrow, add me to the list of those who have found that the new phone system SUCKS. I called the EXP line five times over the course of the day having to reconfigure later connections each time a delay or cancellation occurred. The shortest route of "agent" after AA# confirmation did not take 3 of the 5 times and I found it the most expeditious to simply hang up and call back. Still and all, the usual excellent service once connected.
On a related note, while we never made it out of the airport today and are starting all over tomorrow, add me to the list of those who have found that the new phone system SUCKS. I called the EXP line five times over the course of the day having to reconfigure later connections each time a delay or cancellation occurred. The shortest route of "agent" after AA# confirmation did not take 3 of the 5 times and I found it the most expeditious to simply hang up and call back. Still and all, the usual excellent service once connected.
Dec 2, 2007, 4:59 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,177
I would rather be informed as soon as possible after my flight is canceled, so that I can start making alternate plans. I would be annoyed my flight is canceled, but I would not be annoyed at being called during traditional sleeping hours.
Dec 2, 2007, 5:00 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,150
I also had this happen in the wee hours today and was happy to address the issues at the time.
On a related note, while we never made it out of the airport today and are starting all over tomorrow, add me to the list of those who have found that the new phone system SUCKS. I called the EXP line five times over the course of the day having to reconfigure later connections each time a delay or cancellation occurred. The shortest route of "agent" after AA# confirmation did not take 3 of the 5 times and I found it the most expeditious to simply hang up and call back. Still and all, the usual excellent service once connected.
On a related note, while we never made it out of the airport today and are starting all over tomorrow, add me to the list of those who have found that the new phone system SUCKS. I called the EXP line five times over the course of the day having to reconfigure later connections each time a delay or cancellation occurred. The shortest route of "agent" after AA# confirmation did not take 3 of the 5 times and I found it the most expeditious to simply hang up and call back. Still and all, the usual excellent service once connected.
Dec 3, 2007, 11:05 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, Asiana Club Silver, KE Morning Calm, Hyatt Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 7,161
>Fight cancellation notice in the wee hours
Well if anything can be resolved peacefully, the better
Well if anything can be resolved peacefully, the better
Dec 3, 2007, 1:33 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,306
I want to be called immediately. If you lived on the West Coast would you really want East Coasters to have a 3 hour head start on you to get alternatives?
Dec 4, 2007, 12:00 am
#11
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: United, American, Southwest, USAirways, Delta
Posts: 1,874
Sorry, xFF...
As you can tell by most responses, any FLyertalker worth his/her salt would immediately get out of bed, log into their computer, and rebook their flights and seat assignments. Only then would a true Flyertalker go back to bed.
The reason you could not get to sleep; your body was telling you "Take care of this NOW, not later!"
As you can tell by most responses, any FLyertalker worth his/her salt would immediately get out of bed, log into their computer, and rebook their flights and seat assignments. Only then would a true Flyertalker go back to bed.
The reason you could not get to sleep; your body was telling you "Take care of this NOW, not later!"
Dec 4, 2007, 12:11 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
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Posts: 21,422
I was awakened by my cell phone ringing on the side table in my room at the Bonaventure, 3:35 AM Friday morning. Images of sudden illnesses, births or deaths vanished as I listened to the computerized voice telling me my 7:15 flight to AUS had been canceled, and I had been re-booked on a red-eye with 3 hr DFW layover. That would have been great (at least the info on the cancellation) if it were not for the fact the flight was 7:15 **PM** Friday evening.
Hung up on the computer, mentally filing the flight change under stuff to deal with in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep for an hour. Over 24 hrs later, at LAX for the 7:30AM, no longer angry but still bemused, I related the tale to an agent, asking rhetorically what kind of moronic programmer would launch the passenger notification sequence without any regard to the time of day. He smiled wryly, and said, "An American Airlines one."
Hung up on the computer, mentally filing the flight change under stuff to deal with in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep for an hour. Over 24 hrs later, at LAX for the 7:30AM, no longer angry but still bemused, I related the tale to an agent, asking rhetorically what kind of moronic programmer would launch the passenger notification sequence without any regard to the time of day. He smiled wryly, and said, "An American Airlines one."
That way, you can ignore these calls, and get the message when you wake up at noon. Then, you can complain here about the remaining flights being full.
Dec 4, 2007, 8:11 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,967
My question is: why do you leave your phone on at night? The very last thing I do at night is switch off my phone, and the very first thing I do the next morning is turn it back on. I am completely incommunicado while I'm sleeping--honestly, what possibly could happen that would be important enough to disturb my rest? Anything could wait until I wake up. Even a cancelled flight. Furthermore, as an EXP, in the event of a cancellation I would be auto-reaccommodated.
I live a crazy enough life. I know when it's time to disconnect myself and rest.
Or, like the previous poster said, at least turn off the ringer!
I live a crazy enough life. I know when it's time to disconnect myself and rest.
Or, like the previous poster said, at least turn off the ringer!
Dec 4, 2007, 8:24 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
The cool thing about my Blackberry is that I can set an auto-on and auto-off time. It will also turn itself on automatically when it's time for my alarm to go off; so if I want, I can turn it off when I go to bed and it will turn on when it's time for the alarm.
Dec 4, 2007, 9:40 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Chicago (when I'm actually home)
Programs: AA-EXP, HHonors-Diamond, Starwood-Platinum, Avis
Posts: 106
I've got to say, I really don't understand the complaint here. If you don't want to be woken up at night, implement policies (turn off phone, change contact info in profile, etc.) that work to prevent that from happening.
A few months back, I got a call from AA at 6am PDT telling me about a cancellation that just happened for that evening. I was able to work with the agent to get on a red eye that evening instead of the morning flight they originally booked me on.
AA does make the effort when these things happen, and that's why I continue fliying them. IMHO, your complaint is actually a reason to sing AA's praises.
A few months back, I got a call from AA at 6am PDT telling me about a cancellation that just happened for that evening. I was able to work with the agent to get on a red eye that evening instead of the morning flight they originally booked me on.
AA does make the effort when these things happen, and that's why I continue fliying them. IMHO, your complaint is actually a reason to sing AA's praises.