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I need your advice on how to deal with an awful flight experience

I need your advice on how to deal with an awful flight experience

Old Jan 15, 2017, 9:17 pm
  #31  
 
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For unknown reasons the airline doesn’t have an agreement for discounted rates with any of the hotels or even the closest and thus most convenient hotels.
They do, till they run out of vouchers. Hotels sign up on a bid basis. As noted frequently on FT the DFW Hyatts have off the AA DFW list for years.

Hotels generally reported here are usually nothing to write home about, except maybe to say "don't stay here if you can avoid it".

Last edited by jayer; Jan 16, 2017 at 2:14 pm
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 9:26 pm
  #32  
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A few more:

For a travel companion with those issues, I'd have called AA Special Assistance prior to flying: "We're dedicated to providing a positive travel experience for all customers. If you have questions or want to make special travel arrangements, you can make them online or call 800-433-7300, for hearing or speech impaired assistance, call 800-543-1586."

I'd also call my usual hotel chains (or in the case of DFW, the Hyatts) and request a "distressed traveler rate" for a room (and not count on the airlines, as they're not good with accommodation and are known to have some properties they use for distressed travelers id probably not board my dogs in.

I do believe this was unduly stressful and that AA genuinely screwed up several times. Nonetheless, $1,670 compensation is outstanding.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 9:50 pm
  #33  
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To the OP --

Very rarely does an airline offer compensation of such a large sum. The customer service agent obviously looked at your situation and realized how ridiculous it was. And, no, none of us would have wanted to be in your situation with a 92 year old traveling companion.

Just a recommendation for next time (hoping your mother still wants to travel)...please try to find a nonstop flight from the Washington area to ABQ. And, frankly, I would suggest a different airline in the future. AA's reliability is just terrible right now -- when you are traveling with an elderly person.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:13 pm
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian
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.

@:-)

Really? And presumably Congress would also prohibit the airlines from charging more after removing seats to increase space? If not...I suspect you are NOT speaking for the majority of travellers! They want 1. Cheap. 2. Cheap 3. Cheap. They would not thank you for extra seat pitch or width if it cost them more! (as it quite fairly should)

And ...with the fascinating winter weather you have over there.... what... force airlines to accommodate everybody overnight no matter what the reason for the delay? Yep... that wouldn't increase their costs at all......
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:23 pm
  #35  
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It is difficult to figure out how many IDBs occurred, BUT if the $1670 (cash) is due ONLY to IDB rules as stipulated by DOT, then AA didn't do anything specular in their offer.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:27 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by nrr
It is difficult to figure out how many IDBs occurred, BUT if the $1670 (cash) is due ONLY to IDB rules as stipulated by DOT, then AA didn't do anything specular in their offer.
Whether it's required or not, it's compensation. Requiring it doesn't make it any less compensation.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:27 pm
  #37  
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Originally Posted by trooper
really? And presumably congress would also prohibit the airlines from charging more after removing seats to increase space? If not...i suspect you are not speaking for the majority of travellers! They want 1. Cheap. 2. Cheap 3. Cheap. They would not thank you for extra seat pitch or width if it cost them more! (as it quite fairly should)

and ...with the fascinating winter weather you have over there.... What... Force airlines to accommodate everybody overnight no matter what the reason for the delay? Yep... That wouldn't increase their costs at all......
eu261, eu261, eu261
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:31 pm
  #38  
 
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OP: Sorry you had a lengthy delay. I concur with others you got a surprisingly generous and accurate compensation offer without having to do much effort to get it. TAKE IT.
You leaving out the reply and the offer of compensation in your original post was significantly misleading to your situation you described. Instead you translated a generous cash offer into "woe is me" and complaining about corporate America. I realize it really wouldn't have been as impressive if you'd shared that up front, but you should have,

Meanwhile, think about your situation: you were travelling on Dec 22. 3 days later is christmas. AA offers you creative ways to get you close to home, and eventually all the way home, and you turn up your nose? At the busiest travel time all year? And complain about the 3rd party shuttle company not having someone at their desk that AA should have been on top of that? I'd have pushed my 92 yr old myself, pacemaker and all, to try and get home if I was travelling for the holidays. 2AM or not. You come across as being kinda picky in the way you wrote this, but I doubt you meant to sound that way.

Regarding "the airport was open" What your family members or tv crews report doesn't mean the airline can make it happen operationally. THey may have cancelled that plane and reassigned it to replace someone else's mechanical problem, or whatever, and now that the airport seems available again, it's too late to put the flight back on. It's just a logistics issue. I would take the media or a family member saying "it's dry here" with a grain of salt.

Hope your travel next Christmas is better. You can take 4 more trips for 2 with the money you made.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:31 pm
  #39  
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Originally Posted by nrr
eu261, eu261, eu261
Which doesn't apply in the US except for EU carriers.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:38 pm
  #40  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
Whether it's required or not, it's compensation. Requiring it doesn't make it any less compensation.
But (as several posters did): "AA is giving you more (cash) than usual", when in reality they are offering what they were REQUIRED to do, should also be noted.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 10:43 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
Which doesn't apply in the US except for EU carriers.
EU261 exists in the EU, and one can get super cheap/bargain pricing (and still have "legal" protections).^
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 11:00 pm
  #42  
 
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I'm not sure this meets the definition of IDB but AA's offer is very generous to most of us.

As for the weather, airlines have minimum weather requirements at time of departure, en route, at potential diversion airports, and at projected arrival. Those requirements aren't obvious to the person on the ground. And while I certainly understand trying to get directly into SAF, considering it was a peak travel time, ABQ would look pretty attractive to me as an alternative under your circumstances. As for the DFW Hyatts, AA would certainly be happy to if they gave discounted rates to distressed travelers. The Hyatts don't do so, however, because they are able to charge premium rates because of their locations.
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Old Jan 15, 2017, 11:13 pm
  #43  
 
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File a complaint with the Department of Transportation

https://airconsumer.dot.gov/escompla...nsumerForm.cfm
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Old Jan 16, 2017, 12:53 am
  #44  
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Originally Posted by zabes64
File a complaint with the Department of Transportation

https://airconsumer.dot.gov/escompla...nsumerForm.cfm
For what? They had standard issues, and are being offered compensation. Not sure what expect DOT is going to do.
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Old Jan 16, 2017, 5:32 am
  #45  
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Originally Posted by nrr
EU261 exists in the EU, and one can get super cheap/bargain pricing (and still have "legal" protections).^
Yeah, but most of those cheap EC tickets are either on LCC like Ryan and/or totally nonrefundable, now without checked bag privileges, advanced seat selection, etc.
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