cb1111

So you think it is acceptable that an airline sends you all around DFW for two days, denies three boardings and offers you compensation for two?

Maybe the reason that air travel has become so unpleasant is because we let ourselves be pushed around by corporations who believe that they have a captive audience and can trat customers like cattle.

This clearly more of the case in the US where we seem to be satisfied with every small morsel the airlines throw us.

platbrownguy

You hit the jackpot. You got an offer of $1,670 cash. That is probably unheard of around these parts, or at least very very uncommon. I would count yourself very lucky to have gotten that offer without having to spend significantly more time and energy angling for it.

You should be happy with that. You actual damages are certainly less than $1,670. You have more than been made whole.

JonNYC

No one's pushing me around, not AA nor anyone else, and I'm not captive audience, I've flown 5 airlines already this year (SQ, TP, LH, UA and DL) and haven't flown AA since last summer.

And we 'aint changing the world here either, don't fool yourself.

Congrats on what you were offered-- it's more than fair, I'm actually a bit surprised.

DoctorORD

You were offered the correct compensation - what more do you want?

You asked for advice on how to deal with the awful flight situation:

1) take the cash -- almost $1700! very generous and almost unheard of.
2) vent / process (as I suppose you are doing here)
3) move on

vasantn

Me too. That was a key detail that was omitted.

$1700 cash or $2100 in vouchers is frankly more than I would have expected. Not making a judgment about whether it's fair or adequate; just comparing it to customary and prevailing compensation ranges.

Super80Fan

^ More than I expected as well. How does the song go, "Take the money and run".

bse118

What JonNYC said.

$1670 cash is frankly way more than I would have expected. Count your winnings and go home.

(and BTW, for future reference: as frustrating as is that 'weather' is an excuse that airlines [not just AA] seem to overuse, your hearsay stories of it's clear in SAF or ABQ aren't going to sway anyone in the airline. Not worth your time pushing that rock up the hill. Operational weather considerations are way more complex than looking out the window...)

pauleeepaul

Oooh, ooh ooh....

ty97

FAR more than I would have expected. I would jump at that.

OP, your travel experience was awful and I feel for you, I've been there, in varying circumstances. The first few cancelations, despite your protestations, were weather-related, which would get you nothing. (Aside: you seem to think AA is lying to you about weather/ATC. I don't believe that. We see that accusation on FT often because weather/ATC is complicated. When it happens, some flights do make it in, as your local friends told you some planes made it in. But some don't. That's the way ATC programs impact air travel. It's messy and it's unpredictable and airlines only get so many so slots and crews time out waiting for those ATC-imposted slots, etc. I live in one of the ATC capitals of the world, I've lived it over and over). That said, AA's customer service went strongly downhill after the weather delays and failed you, despite one supervisor's apparent earnest efforts to assist you that went sideways for some reason. But what you've been offered is excellent compensation for....really almost anything and IMO definitely for what occurred to you. I say that based on the compensation I have seen offered in this forum over the years. You're not going to do better. Take it and smile.

ty97

*tangent on my part*

*GASP*

KenInEscazu

$1670 will more than cover the hotel rooms. Nothing can give you the time back. I'm floored that you were offered such a generous amount.

I was recently IDB'd on a flight from ORD to DTW. I'm an EXP who always flies in paid premium seats, and they gave me $79. I only lost two hours, but those were business hours that cost me significantly more.

Guess I need to read more about how to be genuinely compensated for an airline's mistake!

As for offering you the 2:00 AM arrivals, some people would take that, and it appears to me that they were simply suggesting all options during a very heavy holiday travel period. You'll sleep better and lower your blood pressure by counting your good fortune in the end result.

ty97

I meant to say this earlier so let me add on to this, but first let me note: OP, I am in no way jumping on you. Sometimes on-line text feel this way, but that's not what I/we are doing. We are just offering our experienced opinion. As I said above, I feel for your awful experience.

I think it is good that AA offered you the 2am connecting arrival. They should offer you every option and let you take the best one for you. It's not the employee's place to decide what is best for you (and your mom). It's their job to offer you every possible option, and then for you to decide what works best. I would personally be angry if an airline assumed what I would want rather than offering me every option. I completely understand why the 2am arrival option was an awful option for you.

Nonetheless, based on what happened, and much of it being weather, and everything I have read here in this forum over the years, and everything I have experienced, I can't imagine the compensation offer ever being more generous. I would take it in a heartbeat.

KenInEscazu

Ditto. Written communication can be read in an entirely different context than that intended. Some people here will judge and criticize, but I certainly try to not count myself among them.

DenverBrian

Actually, air travel has become so unpleasant because all airline companies have found all sorts of creative ways to squeeze every last dollar of profit from the existing regulation structure.

There is no regulation of passenger space, so airlines continually reduce it.

There is no realistic regulation of what constitutes a "weather delay," so airlines use the "weather" excuse every single chance they get.

There is some regulation of what happens when a plane is delayed on the tarmac for certain time periods...so all airlines work the regulations to conform to the exact letter of the law...and not one minute or food item more or less.

Yes, I'm saying that re-regulation regarding basic IRROPS and seating should be considered.

It of course won't be until and unless the American public demands it through Congress; and even then, as we've seen with other populist surges, it might not happen even then.

What certainly WON'T "fix" AA or any other airline is a rant on an internet bulletin board, even with thousands of (mostly elite) flyers reading it and reacting to it. @:-)

Super80Fan