Argument about baggage allowance at AA First check in counter
Dec 27, 2017, 9:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pune, India
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Argument about baggage allowance at AA First check in counter
I had an interesting argument with a check in agent at DFW recently.
I'm OneWorld Emerald BA-Gold and should get a baggage allowance of 3 32kg checked in bags. I showed up at DFW to fly AA J to LHR then BA to Mumbai. I tend to arrive early when I'm doing these runs fully loaded as I never know what to expect.
There was no line at the AA first counter, I handed over my passport and started putting my bags on the belt. When I got to the third one the agent told me that it would be $188 for the additional bag. I disagreed and explained the OneWorld additional allowance (one extra 32kg bag). He said that was not the case and I would have to pay.
After about 30 minutes of this discussion getting nowhere and his making repeated calls to "revenue" he finally went and got his manager. She arrived got up to speed on the argument and scolded him. She had a crib sheet with her that said I was allowed 4 (?!?) bags at 32kg and told him to check all my bags (including carry on) for me. She also told him off for calling "revenue" on an issue they had no say in.
All in all I'm glad I got there early and I'm pretty happy with the way I was treated. Both the check in agent and I managed to keep cool heads through our disagreement.
As far as the AA J seat compared to BA - can't really comment. I fell asleep before take off and woke up with 50 mins to landing.
Quick aside - we were delayed upon arriving at LHR by the jetway operator. It took about 40 minutes for her to get the jetway into position against the plane. She would make an approach, miss the door by some amount and then back all the way up before trying again. Never seen anything like it before...
I'm OneWorld Emerald BA-Gold and should get a baggage allowance of 3 32kg checked in bags. I showed up at DFW to fly AA J to LHR then BA to Mumbai. I tend to arrive early when I'm doing these runs fully loaded as I never know what to expect.
There was no line at the AA first counter, I handed over my passport and started putting my bags on the belt. When I got to the third one the agent told me that it would be $188 for the additional bag. I disagreed and explained the OneWorld additional allowance (one extra 32kg bag). He said that was not the case and I would have to pay.
After about 30 minutes of this discussion getting nowhere and his making repeated calls to "revenue" he finally went and got his manager. She arrived got up to speed on the argument and scolded him. She had a crib sheet with her that said I was allowed 4 (?!?) bags at 32kg and told him to check all my bags (including carry on) for me. She also told him off for calling "revenue" on an issue they had no say in.
All in all I'm glad I got there early and I'm pretty happy with the way I was treated. Both the check in agent and I managed to keep cool heads through our disagreement.
As far as the AA J seat compared to BA - can't really comment. I fell asleep before take off and woke up with 50 mins to landing.
Quick aside - we were delayed upon arriving at LHR by the jetway operator. It took about 40 minutes for her to get the jetway into position against the plane. She would make an approach, miss the door by some amount and then back all the way up before trying again. Never seen anything like it before...
Dec 27, 2017, 9:44 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Ft Worth, TX, AA PLAT 4MM, UA 1K, HH Diamond,
Posts: 266
Quick aside - we were delayed upon arriving at LHR by the jetway operator. It took about 40 minutes for her to get the jetway into position against the plane. She would make an approach, miss the door by some amount and then back all the way up before trying again. Never seen anything like it before...
Dec 27, 2017, 10:25 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 85
I don't see why there was any argument at all.
On the AA website it clearly states that for Executive Platinum / One World Emerald "checked bag fee is waived" for 3 bags.
And of course for BA the Gold benefit is "one extra bag in any class" which in the case of J means 3 bags without fee.
Odd that the DFW check-in guy was so adamant about this.
On the AA website it clearly states that for Executive Platinum / One World Emerald "checked bag fee is waived" for 3 bags.
And of course for BA the Gold benefit is "one extra bag in any class" which in the case of J means 3 bags without fee.
Odd that the DFW check-in guy was so adamant about this.
Last edited by stevehh; Dec 27, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Dec 27, 2017, 10:47 pm
#4
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I don't see why there was any argument at all.
On the AA website it clearly states that for Executive Platinum / One World Emerald "checked bag fee is waived" for 3 bags.
And of course for BA the Gold benefit is "one extra bag in any class" which in the case of J means 3 bags without fee.
Odd that the DFW check-in guy was so adamant about this.
On the AA website it clearly states that for Executive Platinum / One World Emerald "checked bag fee is waived" for 3 bags.
And of course for BA the Gold benefit is "one extra bag in any class" which in the case of J means 3 bags without fee.
Odd that the DFW check-in guy was so adamant about this.
Dec 27, 2017, 11:15 pm
#5
Original Poster
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Dec 27, 2017, 11:18 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pune, India
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I don't see why there was any argument at all.
On the AA website it clearly states that for Executive Platinum / One World Emerald "checked bag fee is waived" for 3 bags.
And of course for BA the Gold benefit is "one extra bag in any class" which in the case of J means 3 bags without fee.
Odd that the DFW check-in guy was so adamant about this.
On the AA website it clearly states that for Executive Platinum / One World Emerald "checked bag fee is waived" for 3 bags.
And of course for BA the Gold benefit is "one extra bag in any class" which in the case of J means 3 bags without fee.
Odd that the DFW check-in guy was so adamant about this.
I showed him the OneWorld website where it states that. I showed him the AA website where it states the same thing - his answer "you could be showing me anything. My system says I must charge you."
I explained that I had completed this and many other flights with exactly this number of bags at this weight many times this year - his response "well all those other people probably weren't doing their job. I am and you have to pay."
If I hadn't allowed extra time for shenanigans such as this I probably would have lost my temper. However when travelling with 20lbs of cheese in a carry on bag it is wise to arrive way early.
Dec 27, 2017, 11:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Ft Worth, TX, AA PLAT 4MM, UA 1K, HH Diamond,
Posts: 266
I was in 2G, so I couldn’t really see what was happening from that side, but it was a new level of incompetence. At least I didn’t have a connection to make.
Dec 27, 2017, 11:35 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Dec 27, 2017, 11:58 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Interesting that you posted this because I had the same experience at the First check-in counter at O’hare just two weeks ago. Surely the check-in staff has frequent experience with OW Emeralds from outside AAdvantage? I couldn’t believe it was even a problem and the fact that it continued on despite pointing to the website and calling a supervisor over. Ultimately I was asked to produce my BAEC Gold Card (which plainly matched my boarding pass) and then AA waived the charge.
Dec 28, 2017, 12:03 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pune, India
Programs: Exec Club - Gold Member - yeah baby, Emerald Aisle Executive Elite - Woo, Marriott Silver Executive
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Interesting that you posted this because I had the same experience at the First check-in counter at O’hare just two weeks ago. Surely the check-in staff has frequent experience with OW Emeralds from outside AAdvantage? I couldn’t believe it was even a problem and the fact that it continued on despite pointing to the website and calling a supervisor over. Ultimately I was asked to produce my BAEC Gold Card (which plainly matched my boarding pass) and then AA waived the charge.
How nice of the to "waive the charge" for you. They must have really been in the holiday spirit.
Dec 28, 2017, 12:12 am
#11
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I had a connection but it was about 8 hours later - so I went for a nice pub lunch and couple of beers in Egham with some family.
Dec 28, 2017, 1:06 am
#14
Original Poster
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Watching the body language of the people on the jetbridge was telling though. There was a whole lot of frustration with the jetbridge operator. I could be wrong though and hope to never witness anything like it again.
Dec 28, 2017, 1:19 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 2
I have honestly considered that Limelight. I try to be generous in my assumptions when dealing with people.
Watching the body language of the people on the jetbridge was telling though. There was a whole lot of frustration with the jetbridge operator. I could be wrong though and hope to never witness anything like it again.
Watching the body language of the people on the jetbridge was telling though. There was a whole lot of frustration with the jetbridge operator. I could be wrong though and hope to never witness anything like it again.
So please judge positively, just like you would like people to think about your job. //Kind regards a jetway operator of 15 years and 4 airports