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

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

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Old Jan 17, 2017, 11:25 am
  #61  
 
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Originally Posted by cb1111
As far as some of the other points raised by posters - I'd have happily pushed my mom around in a wheelchair, but you can't do that at airports.
Why not? I do it all the time. The only thing you cannot do is up and down the jetway.
Originally Posted by cb1111
If the problem were a "normal" IDB (normally caused by overselling a flight) then this compensation would be correct. In this case, the IDB resulted from obvious incompetence on the part of AA which, in my opinion, combined with the third IDB, should clearly require more compensation.
That's the only type of IDB there is. There aren't different types of IDB's.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 12:45 pm
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by cb1111

I'm a bit surprised that some posters here think I should be happy that AA did what they were required to do by law and that I should jut forget about the third IDB and the other issues caused by AA's incompetence just because the compensation is a fair chunk of money.
Don't be! These types of posts normally run 80/20 blaming the victim, saying just deal with it/stuff happens, etc. and not willing to hold AA accountable for its errors.

I sometimes travel with an aging parent and I feel for you. One bit of advice, as another already mentioned, is take a non-stop whenever possible. I would add that a non-stop is the way to go even if it means inconvenience or extra ground transportation expenses at the origin or to get you to your ultimate destination.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 2:16 pm
  #63  
 
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Originally Posted by LINDEGR
Don't be! These types of posts normally run 80/20 blaming the victim, saying just deal with it/stuff happens, etc. and not willing to hold AA accountable for its errors.


Originally Posted by LINDEGR

I sometimes travel with an aging parent and I feel for you. One bit of advice, as another already mentioned, is take a non-stop whenever possible. I would add that a non-stop is the way to go even if it means inconvenience or extra ground transportation expenses at the origin or to get you to your ultimate destination.
Or, when flying to OP's destination of Santa Fe, with air service from a grand total of THREE CITIES, if that's not your originating city, then OP should just do what they did and book a connection, perhaps being less picky 3 days before Christmas on alternate flights offered when things go South.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 2:21 pm
  #64  
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Originally Posted by abeyro
Most of us seem to be flabbergasted to death by the sum which appeared at the end of the OP's odyssey.
But... the sum of $875 just arose from multipling "the remaining flight coupons value" by EIGHT (2 IDB, each 400%).
Meaning: the coupons were merely ~$100

Would you believe your eyes and survive consecutive astonishment if AA HAD to multiply, say, $ 500?
The required compensation is limited to $1350 per passenger, even for very expensive tickets. One could easily only receive a fraction of the cost of the ticket.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 2:34 pm
  #65  
 
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Originally Posted by cb1111
ABQ would have been (and was) fine, but not at 2AM. Ever tried to get transportation to SAF at ABQ at 2AM?
It seems to me like flying to ABQ, getting a hotel there, and handling the ground transportation the next morning would have been less stressful than hanging around DFW and boarding at 5am. YMMV, I suppose.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 7:42 pm
  #66  
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Originally Posted by dtremit
It seems to me like flying to ABQ, getting a hotel there, and handling the ground transportation the next morning would have been less stressful than hanging around DFW and boarding at 5am. YMMV, I suppose.
In retrospect, yes, but remember that we were confirmed on the flight to SAF the following morning which would have been preferable over a flight to ABQ.

I'm not sure how many of you have flown with a 92 year old. While she is "all there", she does tend to get a bit cranky when tired (as we all do) and flying to a place that isn't the final destination to arrive at 2am certainly isn't the preferred route if there is an alternative - especially after an already long day.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 8:06 pm
  #67  
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Originally Posted by LovePrunes

Or, when flying to OP's destination of Santa Fe, with air service from a grand total of THREE CITIES, if that's not your originating city, then OP should just do what they did and book a connection, perhaps being less picky 3 days before Christmas on alternate flights offered when things go South.
Great idea. I'll move to Denver
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 9:48 pm
  #68  
rec
 
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Originally Posted by cb1111

Most of the attendants are very helpful and friendly and are making making minimum wage at best.
In PHX, the attendants (Prospect) make food-server tipped minimum wage. They don't even get full minimum wage and pax rarely tip.
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Old Jan 17, 2017, 11:36 pm
  #69  
 
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian
Interesting how you take my comments and instantly swing as far to the other side of the pendulum as is humanly possible to answer. Hyperbole much?
What is one meant to do? You gave no detail other than to suggest reregulation. With zero detail. Are we meant to read your mind as to how far you want that to go?
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 6:57 am
  #70  
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Originally Posted by trooper
What is one meant to do? You gave no detail other than to suggest reregulation. With zero detail. Are we meant to read your mind as to how far you want that to go?
Are you are meant to go straight to the horror floor in the absence of detail?

I'm not a think tank analyst; I'm an IBB commenter. If you are destined to jump to ridiculous conclusions in the absence of detail, I can't help you.

I said reregulation regarding basic IRROPS and seating should be considered. I still say it. In my mind, that means minimum seat pitch regulations (which already exist for exit rows, so could easily be created for non-exit rows); minimum seat width; and stronger IRROPS requirements for lodging and meals involving delays, with fewer exemptions for "weather."
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 8:12 am
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by DenverBrian

I said reregulation regarding basic IRROPS and seating should be considered. I still say it. In my mind, that means minimum seat pitch regulations (which already exist for exit rows, so could easily be created for non-exit rows); minimum seat width; and stronger IRROPS requirements for lodging and meals involving delays, with fewer exemptions for "weather."
NO
Just....No,

We are getting WAYYYYY off topic. Start a thread about regulating the airlines for seat pitch and what they have to do for IRROPS if you are passionate about that.

PS The reason there are minimum seat pitch regulations for exit row seating is due to SAFETY. Let's not turn the industry into a nanny state.
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Old Jan 18, 2017, 10:36 am
  #72  
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Originally Posted by rec
In PHX, the attendants (Prospect) make food-server tipped minimum wage. They don't even get full minimum wage and pax rarely tip.
I believe it is the same everywhere. These guys are on their feet all day long, have to know the airport (some don't but that is off-topic) and the 10 or so we encountered on this trip were extremely friendly and helpful, suggested bathroom stops and seemed genuinely interested in helping. That's when I don't mind tipping.
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Old Jan 23, 2017, 2:35 pm
  #73  
 
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So what did you do, OP?

What's missing from many of the responses you received is an interpretation of just how quickly AA jumped to offer you compensation. My interpretation is that this is not out of "generosity" but out of a realization of how badly they screwed up.

Since it seems that they do have some realization of fault in this instance, and you believe that you are due for 3 IDBs instead of two, why not follow up with something like "Thanks for reviewing my complaint. I have gone over everything and I believe that my mother incurred a second IDB on flight xxxx. Can you please advise whether you agree and if so, what the appropriate additional compensation would be?" They may be willing to bite. If so, you've got approx $2000 in compensation and at that point I would definitely let it drop unless you just like the frustration of haggling / satisfaction of getting a bigger check.
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