collector1

Flight 100 JFK to London on American did not take off on time due to the fact that there was no aircraft at JFK for the flight. In fact we have still not taken off. We have now missed all of our connecting flight from London. Finally an aircraft arrived and it is not the aircraft we had purchased our tickets back in April, therefore our seats are not what we reserved. American airlines knew at least in April when we purchased our tickets that they would need an aircraft for flight 100 to Depart JFK to London Heathrow on July 9. Now that we have been on board for over one hour, we were finally told that there is now a mechanical. We have only had one message from the captain. I found my information out by calling executive platinum on my phone. So no explanations no announcements from the captain. We are still on the airplane. What will American Airlines going to do about our plans and reservations, hotels, car service, private guide? Ex. Platinum does not know what to advise us.

JonNYC

Refer you to your travel insurance.

Non-NonRev

+1

This is why most travelers with even a small modicum of risk aversion do not plan any non-cancellable activities on the arrival day. At least one "cushion" day is always advised.

collector1

Well after complaining to the purser about the Captain not making any announcements, the captain just announced that he had no update on the mechanical and now there may be a flight crew issue due to have any hours They
can fly.

brewdog11

Exactly. You won't see much more than a form-letter apology from AA. Don't expect much, if anything, when you write to them asking for compensation.

Did you book with a credit card that offers travel protection? If so, it's worth looking into.

If you really feel like complaining, write into the Department of Transportation.

sombrachinesca

In the midst of everyone telling you that you should have planned better to anticipate AA's incompetence, I'd just point out that -- provided everything is on the same ticket -- AA is responsible for sorting out any onward connections that you might have missed.

The others are unfortunately correct that AA won't do anything for you in terms of missed hotels, trains, tours, etc....

I realize that now you're on board, but while you were waiting for a plane weren't they willing to move you onto any of the other AA flights to London?

JonNYC

Or even a BA flight for that matter.

elitetraveler

Looks like it left a few minutes ago - a 3 + hour delay

Often1

If you are an EXP, you are presumably an experienced traveler and full well understand that it wasn't that there wasn't a plane at JFK, it was that the aircraft needed to make up your flight was delayed or went mechanical. Your aircraft has now gone mechanical and as you found out by complaining that you had not heard anything, there is no update, so you were not given one. If the crew times out, it times out.

Presuming that you are connecting at LHR, AA as the late delivering carrier will reroute you to your final ticketed destination. If you have prepaid hotels, tours and the like, those will be covered by your travel interruption insurance.

As an EXP, if AA can't get you out of JFK tonight, with the delay at least partially due to a mechanical issue, AA will likely put you up at a hotel, although your travel insurance may pay for better accommodations.

If you have not already done so, your efforts would be better devoted to doing some research on good reroutes to your final destination. If/when the flight cancels, there will be a mob scene and you will most likely want to get in line and on the phone and take what comes first. You have a better chance of a better reroute if you have something in mind, including flight numbers, than if you let AA start making suggestions.

Fuming about the repairs won't get the aircraft fixed any faster.

collector1

Tried to get on a BA flight, AA would not move anyone to a BA flight that had luggage that had a connecting flight. Our connecting flight was on BA. Of course we had luggage since were going to be out of the country for a month. The American airlines representative in the first-class lounge at JFK was great she performed beautifully under pressure. However she could not change us to a BA flight because she was given her instructions. We are now 4 hours late departing JFK.

rjw242

While you've apparently imagined your booking triggering a frenzy of activity in AA headquarters -- "Gentlemen! I've just been informed that Flyertalk member collector1 is on flight 100 to LHR on July 9. You'd better make sure, damn sure, that we have an aircraft for that!" -- things in the real world don't always go as planned.

Flight delays are never fun, but they're an overwhelmingly common part of air travel. You'll get to your destination, maybe a bit late, but in one piece.

elitetraveler

According to AA.com the flight has left the gate, and you are due to arrive LHR at 945am, 3:20 late.

AANYC1981

Welcome to the "New American"

rjw242

That's an excellent point. Up until the moment Parker took over, not a single AA flight had ever experienced a delay or cancellation.

brewdog11

Hyperbole aside, there has been an undeniable increase in MX delays and other IRROPS on AA.

Either that, or I'm constantly SOL (along with a bunch of other AA flyers).