One World [oneworld] Ruby terrible treatment at MCO
Aug 18, 2015, 1:04 pm
#1
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One World [oneworld] Ruby terrible treatment at MCO
Today my mom was supposed to be on a return flight from MCO to PHL.
She arrived at the airport, and waited in line at to check her bag. Her turn came about 15 minutes before the flight closing/cut off time for check in.
The agent at MCO was rude (I was put on speaker phone. My mom has poor english - fluent spanish and portuguese).
She is a one world Ruby customer (TAM Blue), which on the US air and AA websites states the first checked bag fee is waved. She had this problem on the outbound from PHL to MCO, but here in PHL they eventually figured out she did not have to pay for a bag.
At MCO, it was a different story. They had her TAM number, but would not budge, and wanted to charge her a fee. First they said the FF number was not on the reservation (it was on the outbound - I checked her in, and on the website it even showed the first bag as $0.00 - the boarding pass also had her Ruby status on it).
Then they said she was Ruby, but they would still have to charge her. She tried to argue, but they did not care. Supervisor also would not help her.
She gave up and said - fine I will pay - but then they told her the check in window passed, and they told her she missed her flight. Now she is stand-by on an oversold 7pm flight. They still charged her for her bag.
I have trouble understanding how check in agents do not know the most basic rules for checked baggage fees. This is one of their main responsibilities. It seemed that once they got annoyed by her, they just did not care if she was going to miss her flight or not.
She should not have to argue to get a simple published benefit every time she flies.
What is the best course of action to get the bag fee refunded, and at the very least an apology. My mom flies quite a bit, often in paid C, and this is some of the worst treatment she has gotten. By the end, she was getting the silence treatment to her questions. That is how bad it went.
She arrived at the airport, and waited in line at to check her bag. Her turn came about 15 minutes before the flight closing/cut off time for check in.
The agent at MCO was rude (I was put on speaker phone. My mom has poor english - fluent spanish and portuguese).
She is a one world Ruby customer (TAM Blue), which on the US air and AA websites states the first checked bag fee is waved. She had this problem on the outbound from PHL to MCO, but here in PHL they eventually figured out she did not have to pay for a bag.
At MCO, it was a different story. They had her TAM number, but would not budge, and wanted to charge her a fee. First they said the FF number was not on the reservation (it was on the outbound - I checked her in, and on the website it even showed the first bag as $0.00 - the boarding pass also had her Ruby status on it).
Then they said she was Ruby, but they would still have to charge her. She tried to argue, but they did not care. Supervisor also would not help her.
She gave up and said - fine I will pay - but then they told her the check in window passed, and they told her she missed her flight. Now she is stand-by on an oversold 7pm flight. They still charged her for her bag.
I have trouble understanding how check in agents do not know the most basic rules for checked baggage fees. This is one of their main responsibilities. It seemed that once they got annoyed by her, they just did not care if she was going to miss her flight or not.
She should not have to argue to get a simple published benefit every time she flies.
What is the best course of action to get the bag fee refunded, and at the very least an apology. My mom flies quite a bit, often in paid C, and this is some of the worst treatment she has gotten. By the end, she was getting the silence treatment to her questions. That is how bad it went.
Aug 18, 2015, 1:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2011
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Keep your webform complaint down to 2-3 lines.
"checkin agent didn't know rules, checkin agent caused missed flight, checkin agent still charged for bag. please refund."
Aug 18, 2015, 1:34 pm
#5
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
If you are sure that Mom's FFN was in the reservation record (did it print on her MCO-PHL boarding pass?), then just use the complaint form on aa.com to request a refund. (Make clear that you want a refund, not a voucher, unless you are confident that Mom can use a voucher within the next year.)
I am Lifetime Gold (oneworld Ruby) with AA, and had a problem last December checking a bag on US out of SYR. But I was able to pull up the rules on my phone and show them to the agent, who ultimately checked the bag without charge; he was courteous throughout our interaction. Had a similar issue at PHL that same month, and it was also satisfactorily resolved, after I pointed out that the same issue had come up at SYR.
It's always better to try to resolve an issue like this upfront -- rather than try to seek a refund later -- but if the baggage cut-off deadline is fast approaching, I would not risk missing a flight over $25.
I would think that US at MCO has at least some Spanish-speaking counter agents. It might have been better for Mom to have asked for one at the outset, rather than have to possibly deal with a communication issue. But it's possible that the outcome would have been the same. Traveling with a printout of the AA/US checked-baggage policies for oneworld elites might also be a good idea.
By the way, was there an elite check-in line/counter at MCO, and if so, did Mom use it?
If you are sure that Mom's FFN was in the reservation record (did it print on her MCO-PHL boarding pass?), then just use the complaint form on aa.com to request a refund. (Make clear that you want a refund, not a voucher, unless you are confident that Mom can use a voucher within the next year.)
I am Lifetime Gold (oneworld Ruby) with AA, and had a problem last December checking a bag on US out of SYR. But I was able to pull up the rules on my phone and show them to the agent, who ultimately checked the bag without charge; he was courteous throughout our interaction. Had a similar issue at PHL that same month, and it was also satisfactorily resolved, after I pointed out that the same issue had come up at SYR.
It's always better to try to resolve an issue like this upfront -- rather than try to seek a refund later -- but if the baggage cut-off deadline is fast approaching, I would not risk missing a flight over $25.
I would think that US at MCO has at least some Spanish-speaking counter agents. It might have been better for Mom to have asked for one at the outset, rather than have to possibly deal with a communication issue. But it's possible that the outcome would have been the same. Traveling with a printout of the AA/US checked-baggage policies for oneworld elites might also be a good idea.
By the way, was there an elite check-in line/counter at MCO, and if so, did Mom use it?
Aug 18, 2015, 2:09 pm
#6
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1. Odd. OW Ruby isn't entitled to a bag waiver. But, AA & US both provide one. In the end, it's going to come down to what the allowance stated on her e-ticket receipt says. That is what the agent saw in front of him and those are the terms of the ticket under the DOT rule.
2. Whether AA or the mother was correct, if you are down to the wire on time, you don't fight over $25 if you can afford to lay it out. If you are correct, AA will refund the $25. If you are wrong for some reason, AA may send you a voucher or some miles anyway.
2. Whether AA or the mother was correct, if you are down to the wire on time, you don't fight over $25 if you can afford to lay it out. If you are correct, AA will refund the $25. If you are wrong for some reason, AA may send you a voucher or some miles anyway.
Aug 18, 2015, 2:58 pm
#7
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"Odd. OW Ruby isn't entitled to a bag waiver. But, AA & US both provide one. In the end, it's going to come down to what the allowance stated on her e-ticket receipt says. That is what the agent saw in front of him and those are the terms of the ticket under the DOT rule."
Let's not cloud the issue. AA and US waive the first checked bag fee for all oneworld Ruby members. Period. (The fact that the oneworld alliance does not require its member airlines to do so is irrelevant.) The fee waiver is a published AA/US policy:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...epolicies.html
(Scroll down to "1st checked bag fee waived.")
The checked-baggage allowance printed on the E-ticket receipt will not necessarily reflect the fee waiver to which an elite-status passenger is entitled, so that's a red herring. But it could account for confusion by the US ticket-counter agent at MCO.
"Odd. OW Ruby isn't entitled to a bag waiver. But, AA & US both provide one. In the end, it's going to come down to what the allowance stated on her e-ticket receipt says. That is what the agent saw in front of him and those are the terms of the ticket under the DOT rule."
Let's not cloud the issue. AA and US waive the first checked bag fee for all oneworld Ruby members. Period. (The fact that the oneworld alliance does not require its member airlines to do so is irrelevant.) The fee waiver is a published AA/US policy:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...epolicies.html
(Scroll down to "1st checked bag fee waived.")
The checked-baggage allowance printed on the E-ticket receipt will not necessarily reflect the fee waiver to which an elite-status passenger is entitled, so that's a red herring. But it could account for confusion by the US ticket-counter agent at MCO.
Aug 18, 2015, 10:02 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: New Jersey
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Posts: 2,694
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
If you are sure that Mom's FFN was in the reservation record (did it print on her MCO-PHL boarding pass?), then just use the complaint form on aa.com to request a refund. (Make clear that you want a refund, not a voucher, unless you are confident that Mom can use a voucher within the next year.)
I am Lifetime Gold (oneworld Ruby) with AA, and had a problem last December checking a bag on US out of SYR. But I was able to pull up the rules on my phone and show them to the agent, who ultimately checked the bag without charge; he was courteous throughout our interaction. Had a similar issue at PHL that same month, and it was also satisfactorily resolved, after I pointed out that the same issue had come up at SYR.
It's always better to try to resolve an issue like this upfront -- rather than try to seek a refund later -- but if the baggage cut-off deadline is fast approaching, I would not risk missing a flight over $25.
I would think that US at MCO has at least some Spanish-speaking counter agents. It might have been better for Mom to have asked for one at the outset, rather than have to possibly deal with a communication issue. But it's possible that the outcome would have been the same. Traveling with a printout of the AA/US checked-baggage policies for oneworld elites might also be a good idea.
By the way, was there an elite check-in line/counter at MCO, and if so, did Mom use it?
If you are sure that Mom's FFN was in the reservation record (did it print on her MCO-PHL boarding pass?), then just use the complaint form on aa.com to request a refund. (Make clear that you want a refund, not a voucher, unless you are confident that Mom can use a voucher within the next year.)
I am Lifetime Gold (oneworld Ruby) with AA, and had a problem last December checking a bag on US out of SYR. But I was able to pull up the rules on my phone and show them to the agent, who ultimately checked the bag without charge; he was courteous throughout our interaction. Had a similar issue at PHL that same month, and it was also satisfactorily resolved, after I pointed out that the same issue had come up at SYR.
It's always better to try to resolve an issue like this upfront -- rather than try to seek a refund later -- but if the baggage cut-off deadline is fast approaching, I would not risk missing a flight over $25.
I would think that US at MCO has at least some Spanish-speaking counter agents. It might have been better for Mom to have asked for one at the outset, rather than have to possibly deal with a communication issue. But it's possible that the outcome would have been the same. Traveling with a printout of the AA/US checked-baggage policies for oneworld elites might also be a good idea.
By the way, was there an elite check-in line/counter at MCO, and if so, did Mom use it?
While my mom flies often, she is an older woman and not necessarily savvy with the nuances of airline rules. She assumed that once she began the check in process, she was safe with the time. This whole thing went on for 15 minutes.
The agent in front of her knew exactly what was going on, and I feel like she was deliberate in her actions.
I spoke to the agent when my mom put me on speaker to try to tell her that Ruby's are entitled to a free bag, and the agent told me directly that she could not wave the bag fee because she did not have my mom's FF number. I am looking at the boarding pass as I type this, and I see it right on here.
She acknowledged that she knew the rule, but charged my mom anyways.
I do not know if she used a elite check in lane, but I don't think she did.
She said there were no spanish speakers at the counter, and if there were, they certainly did not volunteer to help. She was trying her best with an intermediate level of english she has.
1. Odd. OW Ruby isn't entitled to a bag waiver. But, AA & US both provide one. In the end, it's going to come down to what the allowance stated on her e-ticket receipt says. That is what the agent saw in front of him and those are the terms of the ticket under the DOT rule.
2. Whether AA or the mother was correct, if you are down to the wire on time, you don't fight over $25 if you can afford to lay it out. If you are correct, AA will refund the $25. If you are wrong for some reason, AA may send you a voucher or some miles anyway.
2. Whether AA or the mother was correct, if you are down to the wire on time, you don't fight over $25 if you can afford to lay it out. If you are correct, AA will refund the $25. If you are wrong for some reason, AA may send you a voucher or some miles anyway.
It's not about the $25, but it is about what you are entitled to. This is a clear publish benefit, and it directly influences the choice in which airline you fly.
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"Odd. OW Ruby isn't entitled to a bag waiver. But, AA & US both provide one. In the end, it's going to come down to what the allowance stated on her e-ticket receipt says. That is what the agent saw in front of him and those are the terms of the ticket under the DOT rule."
Let's not cloud the issue. AA and US waive the first checked bag fee for all oneworld Ruby members. Period. (The fact that the oneworld alliance does not require its member airlines to do so is irrelevant.) The fee waiver is a published AA/US policy:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...epolicies.html
(Scroll down to "1st checked bag fee waived.")
The checked-baggage allowance printed on the E-ticket receipt will not necessarily reflect the fee waiver to which an elite-status passenger is entitled, so that's a red herring. But it could account for confusion by the US ticket-counter agent at MCO.
"Odd. OW Ruby isn't entitled to a bag waiver. But, AA & US both provide one. In the end, it's going to come down to what the allowance stated on her e-ticket receipt says. That is what the agent saw in front of him and those are the terms of the ticket under the DOT rule."
Let's not cloud the issue. AA and US waive the first checked bag fee for all oneworld Ruby members. Period. (The fact that the oneworld alliance does not require its member airlines to do so is irrelevant.) The fee waiver is a published AA/US policy:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...epolicies.html
(Scroll down to "1st checked bag fee waived.")
The checked-baggage allowance printed on the E-ticket receipt will not necessarily reflect the fee waiver to which an elite-status passenger is entitled, so that's a red herring. But it could account for confusion by the US ticket-counter agent at MCO.
It is pathetic we have to pull up websites or show these employees the rules for their company. Just paying the fee and asking for a refund later is enabling behavior that allows this stuff to continue, and makes for poor customer service the accepted norm.
I have had fights for bags the last 3 times my mom flew on US/AA. These are not obscure rules. They are pretty clear.
Aug 18, 2015, 11:29 pm
#9
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"I have had fights for bags the last 3 times my mom flew on US/AA. These are not obscure rules. They are pretty clear."
I agree with you 100% that oneworld elites should not have to fight for the benefits which AA guarantees to them. But I am not at all certain that every US employee knows all the rules. Part of the problem is that the agents rely on what their computers tell them, and I believe that they have to make an entry in the record whenever they override a fee that the computer says should be charged.
I am hopeful that the computer issues will be resolved after AA and US are fully integrated in the near future. If your Mom has to travel on AA/US again, I strongly urge that she:
1) carry a copy of the elite baggage-fee-waiver rules in hard-copy form; and
2) carry her FF membership card showing her oneworld elite status. None of this should be necessary, but it could go a long way to prevent a recurrence of these problems. If she presents a oneworld elite status card, agents cannot claim that they do not know her FFP number; if she presents a copy of the fee-waiver rule, agents will know that she knows what she is talking about, and might be less inclined to try to play games.
I also encourage her to use any special check-in line or counter available to oneworld Ruby passengers (usually the Business Class check-in line). An agent seeing a passenger on such a line should then be aware that the passenger knows her elite status, and your Mom might have a shorter wait to actually get to speak with an agent.
"I have had fights for bags the last 3 times my mom flew on US/AA. These are not obscure rules. They are pretty clear."
I agree with you 100% that oneworld elites should not have to fight for the benefits which AA guarantees to them. But I am not at all certain that every US employee knows all the rules. Part of the problem is that the agents rely on what their computers tell them, and I believe that they have to make an entry in the record whenever they override a fee that the computer says should be charged.
I am hopeful that the computer issues will be resolved after AA and US are fully integrated in the near future. If your Mom has to travel on AA/US again, I strongly urge that she:
1) carry a copy of the elite baggage-fee-waiver rules in hard-copy form; and
2) carry her FF membership card showing her oneworld elite status. None of this should be necessary, but it could go a long way to prevent a recurrence of these problems. If she presents a oneworld elite status card, agents cannot claim that they do not know her FFP number; if she presents a copy of the fee-waiver rule, agents will know that she knows what she is talking about, and might be less inclined to try to play games.
I also encourage her to use any special check-in line or counter available to oneworld Ruby passengers (usually the Business Class check-in line). An agent seeing a passenger on such a line should then be aware that the passenger knows her elite status, and your Mom might have a shorter wait to actually get to speak with an agent.
Aug 19, 2015, 12:41 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
Not that it would have been possible, but could your mom use the kiosk with the language of her choice?
I wonder if the system when she chose 1 bag would have charged her if indeed the FFN was listed correctly.
To add, I find MCO not a great US station from the check-in perspective. They kept doing an announcement more than a few times to go to the kiosks (because they presume I was not entitled to priority). I did not move and did finally get my bags and such done.
Rasheed
I wonder if the system when she chose 1 bag would have charged her if indeed the FFN was listed correctly.
To add, I find MCO not a great US station from the check-in perspective. They kept doing an announcement more than a few times to go to the kiosks (because they presume I was not entitled to priority). I did not move and did finally get my bags and such done.
Rasheed
Aug 21, 2015, 3:27 am
#11
Join Date: May 2005
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What is Ruby? Is it the low level? high level? I've never been able to figure out or remember the US Air levels. Seems like they could have named them after sandwich meat and it would have been just as clear (turkey, ham, chicken, which is more 'valuable'?)
rbm
rbm
Aug 21, 2015, 4:48 am
#12
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Posts: 7,309
To the OP, if the whole thing took 15 minutes and that meant she missed the flight check in cutoff, that means she was cutting it awfully close.
Aug 22, 2015, 5:37 pm
#13
Moderator: American AAdvantage
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oneworld Sapphire = AAdvantage Platinum, mid level status with decent benefits including lounge access on qualifying flights, 100% status bonus miles, etc.
oneworld Emerald = AAdvantage Executive Platinum, top level status
AA Concierge Key, not a status level but better yet - includes EXP benefits regardless of how much one flies, Admirals Club membership, more goodies
I hope this is truly useful to you...