Missed flight in DFW due to Skylink skipping D terminal
Jan 10, 2018, 3:49 pm
#76
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: AUS, LAX
Programs: AA EXP - 2.2 MM, Admirals Club, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Avis Presidents, National Exec
Posts: 1,581
As I said twice now, it was just a crazy confluence of bad luck. I think you should move on. I'm sure on that flight, only your group was impacted by that scenario. AA has to judge the risk of delaying flights. Literally by some of your logic, they'd have to keep many flights past push back time because of a Skylink problem in another terminal. It's a slippery slope. I've seen (as many have shared on here) situations where flights have been held because a particular connecting flight had many passengers on the held flight, often International or in a recent example for me, where a soccer team coming from Japan is all connecting to the flight you're on (40 people). Agents and AA can see that more clearly and know exactly where the people are and can decide to hold the flight. Often a representative is ready to meet that inbound and they can rush them to the next flight, through customs, make sure they're expeditious about getting to the new flight. AA has some control and lots of visibility on those types of events.
On the flip side, and in your scenario, AA does not have tracers on people in terminals in between flights. I imagine if an AAgent even looked at your flight situation while debating closing door time, and even if they had intelligence of the Skylink failure (which maybe they did), they would probably safely assume you weren't impacted by that and were an intentional no-show. "Why would he still be in the D terminal with such a long layover? Must be something else, I'm going to close the flight"
Even in a perfect world, they just wouldn't know, so they stick to their guns. The closing flights early is painful, it sucks, but it is published and it is what it is.
I do feel you've been harshly attacked here for a viable concern, but I think in reality, you just had a confluence of bad luck, and to me the largest blame here is that the A-terminal A/C was closed, had that not been the case, this problem wouldn't exist. I feel your pain, and people have been harsh, but you just had really bad luck all the way around. Life goes on.
On the flip side, and in your scenario, AA does not have tracers on people in terminals in between flights. I imagine if an AAgent even looked at your flight situation while debating closing door time, and even if they had intelligence of the Skylink failure (which maybe they did), they would probably safely assume you weren't impacted by that and were an intentional no-show. "Why would he still be in the D terminal with such a long layover? Must be something else, I'm going to close the flight"
Even in a perfect world, they just wouldn't know, so they stick to their guns. The closing flights early is painful, it sucks, but it is published and it is what it is.
I do feel you've been harshly attacked here for a viable concern, but I think in reality, you just had a confluence of bad luck, and to me the largest blame here is that the A-terminal A/C was closed, had that not been the case, this problem wouldn't exist. I feel your pain, and people have been harsh, but you just had really bad luck all the way around. Life goes on.
Last edited by BrianV; Jan 10, 2018 at 3:57 pm
Jan 10, 2018, 4:09 pm
#77
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
Jan 10, 2018, 4:31 pm
#78
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,380
I actually like the "unannounced T-45 boarding" as long as the aircraft doors do not close until T-10. It increase our chances for an on-time departure and early arrival. I experience this quite often on PHX-SAN flights. Nothing better than getting the rental car facility a few minutes earlier than expected late at night!
Jan 10, 2018, 9:22 pm
#79
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Amb Elite & LT Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,230
I do feel you've been harshly attacked here for a viable concern, but I think in reality, you just had a confluence of bad luck, and to me the largest blame here is that the A-terminal A/C was closed, had that not been the case, this problem wouldn't exist. I feel your pain, and people have been harsh, but you just had really bad luck all the way around. Life goes on.
Outside of the GA comments, I'd have a bigger beef with DFW management or operation as there is no reason they couldn't provide real time info to the pax standing there. Somebody's got to be watching that thing. If it completely broke down in the middle would no one notice pax were stranded on the Skylink? Of course not.
Is the OP responsible for this? No, they applied reasonable timing and were not trying to cut it close. A victim of bad luck, yes. A closed AA club and a non-communicative DFW operations department are heavy contributors to this situation.
Jan 11, 2018, 9:01 pm
#80
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 24
I've always been paranoid about missing flights, ever since I showed up 5 minutes before boarding was supposed to start, only to hear the GA issue the final boarding call. From that point on, I make sure that I'm going to be at the gate with enough time to traverse the entire length of the terminal before the original boarding time will be reached, just in case they move it, which has also happened to me. As far as skylink goes, I would give myself enough time to get to the other terminal by some other means.. just in case skylink isn't working for some reason, which is always a possibility, even without security issues. Figure enough time to leave airside, jump on the bus to the right terminal, go through security again, and still be at the gate before boarding. Oh well, hindsight and all that, and I wouldn't be that paranoid if not for a close call of my own. So enjoy your lessons, and make sure you've learned the right ones.
Jan 12, 2018, 11:27 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,309
Nope. American Eagle operates the only service from my local airport, saving me many times from what would be 2AM wake-up calls to get to TUL or OKC in time for absurd 5AM flights, of which I am quite grateful for. So, I am here to stay, and complain, and complain loudly at times, when I have something to complain about. If you don't like that, you can always get off Flyertalk. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!
Jan 13, 2018, 12:04 am
#82
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
