Badly Treated at SFO. Normal? How to Mitigate?
Dec 6, 2015, 11:38 pm
#76
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,075
Hi,
So I'm new to AA but had the worst possible experience checking in recently. I don't want to complain and get miles. I want to avoid these situations so wish to know if this is normal and how to mitigate them.
1. Despite being a Ex Plat the check in gate police made me stand in the regular line. No explanation given but very forceful despite me showing them my Ex Plat card.
I would stand in the correct line and smile and say"Happy Holidays how are you doing on this fine evening"? Then I would politely state that I am an Ex Plat member.
2. Check in agent wondered why I have been comped an upgraded to Premium Economy on TPAC flight *operated* by QF and consulted her supervisor on how to bump me back to regular Y.
I would tell the agent its so kind of you to ask but this was a gift from Santa and its really not the time and place for discussion on how I got Premium Economy on QF which is not your airline.
3. Loud discussion how the four of us are taking 7 checked bags between us. Tried to get me to pay for 3 bags. As flying TPAC we are allowed 2 each.
I would have laughed and said yes I know its that time of year again ahem the Holidays and we're going snorkeling in Australia and going to enjoy some sun and warm weather.
4. Lots of other smaller issues like .....ing I left my old priority tags on etc.
Fantastic this shows how much I love American Airlines. I hope you would show the same love of AA "Something Special In the Air". Next question.
1. and 3. are a flagrant disregard to rules.
Wonderful but that is not the time and place for this discussion. If you could please bring the Station Manager I would greatly appreciate it.
2. Is none of their business if another carrier wants to upgrade me.
Correct you are. AA and QF are codeshare partners but are not allowed to downgrade your reservation unless QF does it on their end.
4. Is just bad customer service. Should of just kept it to themselves.
Yes it is and I hope you write in to Customer Service.
Any suggestions on how to mitigate this and if its normal.
So I'm new to AA but had the worst possible experience checking in recently. I don't want to complain and get miles. I want to avoid these situations so wish to know if this is normal and how to mitigate them.
1. Despite being a Ex Plat the check in gate police made me stand in the regular line. No explanation given but very forceful despite me showing them my Ex Plat card.
I would stand in the correct line and smile and say"Happy Holidays how are you doing on this fine evening"? Then I would politely state that I am an Ex Plat member.
2. Check in agent wondered why I have been comped an upgraded to Premium Economy on TPAC flight *operated* by QF and consulted her supervisor on how to bump me back to regular Y.
I would tell the agent its so kind of you to ask but this was a gift from Santa and its really not the time and place for discussion on how I got Premium Economy on QF which is not your airline.
3. Loud discussion how the four of us are taking 7 checked bags between us. Tried to get me to pay for 3 bags. As flying TPAC we are allowed 2 each.
I would have laughed and said yes I know its that time of year again ahem the Holidays and we're going snorkeling in Australia and going to enjoy some sun and warm weather.
4. Lots of other smaller issues like .....ing I left my old priority tags on etc.
Fantastic this shows how much I love American Airlines. I hope you would show the same love of AA "Something Special In the Air". Next question.
1. and 3. are a flagrant disregard to rules.
Wonderful but that is not the time and place for this discussion. If you could please bring the Station Manager I would greatly appreciate it.
2. Is none of their business if another carrier wants to upgrade me.
Correct you are. AA and QF are codeshare partners but are not allowed to downgrade your reservation unless QF does it on their end.
4. Is just bad customer service. Should of just kept it to themselves.
Yes it is and I hope you write in to Customer Service.
Any suggestions on how to mitigate this and if its normal.
Dec 8, 2015, 4:48 am
#77
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PHL and LAS
Programs: AA PLT Pro, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 144
I was SFO based the past three years. I love the GAs there- there's one who Is a bit surly, but most of them are fantastic- I've actually been able to get more help out of some of them than the AAngels in the club (who are pretty good in their own right). I've never had a negative experience with the ticket agents either. Then again, PHL is my benchmark, so there's nowhere to go but up.
Dec 9, 2015, 6:06 pm
#78
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
I was SFO based the past three years. I love the ****GAs**** there- there's one who Is a bit surly, but most of them are fantastic- I've actually been able to get more help out of some of them than the AAngels in the club (who are pretty good in their own right). I've never had a negative experience with the ticket agents either. Then again, PHL is my benchmark, so there's nowhere to go but up.
GA = Gate Agent, the person who you deal with at the departure gate.
Which to me is different than the check in agent who is the person in the departures area, i.e. the one who checks you in.
I'm not interacted much with the GA at SFO at all.
Dec 9, 2015, 6:12 pm
#79
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Everywhere you wanna be
Programs: AA EP | UA 1K
Posts: 1,657
So just we are on the same page.
GA = Gate Agent, the person who you deal with at the departure gate.
Which to me is different than the check in agent who is the person in the departures area, i.e. the one who checks you in.
I'm not interacted much with the GA at SFO at all.
GA = Gate Agent, the person who you deal with at the departure gate.
Which to me is different than the check in agent who is the person in the departures area, i.e. the one who checks you in.
I'm not interacted much with the GA at SFO at all.
Dec 9, 2015, 6:13 pm
#80
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
So just we are on the same page.
GA = Gate Agent, the person who you deal with at the departure gate.
Which to me is different than the check in agent who is the person in the departures area, i.e. the one who checks you in.
I'm not interacted much with the GA at SFO at all.
GA = Gate Agent, the person who you deal with at the departure gate.
Which to me is different than the check in agent who is the person in the departures area, i.e. the one who checks you in.
I'm not interacted much with the GA at SFO at all.
Feb 3, 2016, 6:49 am
#82
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
Posts: 1,414
SFO is still broken
So I'm at SFO this morning and I painfully have to check a bag again. It looks like it's amateur hour here again. Apparently the computers broke down in the priority line but not in the main cabin line... and you can guess which line is moving.
It took a check in agent all of 30m to check my bag this morning. I guess I must have made in hard for him by asking for him to through check on two different tickets .... and the 4 other agents that had to help him... if it counts, they were still all proudly wearing their former us airways polos.... I had to fight with them as they insisted than 1h20m was not enough time to connect at DFW... and this was domestic-domestic...
It took a check in agent all of 30m to check my bag this morning. I guess I must have made in hard for him by asking for him to through check on two different tickets .... and the 4 other agents that had to help him... if it counts, they were still all proudly wearing their former us airways polos.... I had to fight with them as they insisted than 1h20m was not enough time to connect at DFW... and this was domestic-domestic...