Gate agent refused 3 year old with Paid 1st / Business ticket.
Jul 2, 2018, 8:49 am
#77
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: USAir
Posts: 429
There is a separate issue some of us deal with when flying on paid F and standby for an earlier flight. Some GA's upgrade people on the flight first, and then seat the paid F standby folks in coach and some do it the other way around. I suspect that's the real issue. When I've been seated in coach on a standby with a paid F ticket, a refund appears on my credit card very quickly -- last time it was before I landed.
Keep your issue focused and simple.
You need to get off - I must have it because I paid - they paid for it too (whether by fidelity or otherwise).
But you are correct - the seats were stolen from you and you were severally inconvenienced and pushed around.
And all advice you get is: be nice, keep your hat in hand and beg the airline for mercy. And another set of advice tries to rationalize against you as if it was normal to screw people like that. I guess you are lucky that you still have your teeth and bones unbroken. The terrorists are all local.
There is something very wrong with this picture.
Jul 2, 2018, 9:08 am
#78
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
the upgrade is always paid (regardless of the way it was paid for) just as your paid f. The reason their upgrades are processed before your standbys is that it is their flight not yours. Really simple.
You need to get off - i must have it because i paid - they paid for it too (whether by fidelity or otherwise).
But you are correct - the seats were stolen from you and you were severally inconvenienced and pushed around.
And all advice you get is: Be nice, keep your hat in hand and beg the airline for mercy. And another set of advice tries to rationalize against you as if it was normal to screw people like that. I guess you are lucky that you still have your teeth and bones unbroken. The terrorists are all local.
There is something very wrong with this picture.
You need to get off - i must have it because i paid - they paid for it too (whether by fidelity or otherwise).
But you are correct - the seats were stolen from you and you were severally inconvenienced and pushed around.
And all advice you get is: Be nice, keep your hat in hand and beg the airline for mercy. And another set of advice tries to rationalize against you as if it was normal to screw people like that. I guess you are lucky that you still have your teeth and bones unbroken. The terrorists are all local.
There is something very wrong with this picture.
Jul 2, 2018, 10:00 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New York
Programs: AA Concierge Key, Marriott Titanium Elite, National Executive Elite
Posts: 326
Well given this situation, I worry about my first flight with my infant. Are children flying as a lap child allowed in first class? My child will be 4 months old at the time. I wont be buying FC tickets for this trip, but will likely be upgraded, so I don't want to run into a problem at the gate. I especially do not want to resort to a DYKWIA moment! So if the policy restricts this, I will ensure we do not get put on the upgrade list.
Note: 1st leg: E175, 2nd leg: S80, 3rd leg: Either 738 or A32B - If any of these planes specifically will cause a problem with a lap child in FC, would appreciate the heads up from anyone who knows.
Thanks!
Note: 1st leg: E175, 2nd leg: S80, 3rd leg: Either 738 or A32B - If any of these planes specifically will cause a problem with a lap child in FC, would appreciate the heads up from anyone who knows.
Thanks!
Jul 2, 2018, 10:18 am
#80
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
Well given this situation, I worry about my first flight with my infant. Are children flying as a lap child allowed in first class? My child will be 4 months old at the time. I wont be buying FC tickets for this trip, but will likely be upgraded, so I don't want to run into a problem at the gate. I especially do not want to resort to a DYKWIA moment! So if the policy restricts this, I will ensure we do not get put on the upgrade list.
Note: 1st leg: E175, 2nd leg: S80, 3rd leg: Either 738 or A32B - If any of these planes specifically will cause a problem with a lap child in FC, would appreciate the heads up from anyone who knows.
Thanks!
Note: 1st leg: E175, 2nd leg: S80, 3rd leg: Either 738 or A32B - If any of these planes specifically will cause a problem with a lap child in FC, would appreciate the heads up from anyone who knows.
Thanks!
A very long time ago I understood that LUS Republic ERJ 170/175 planes stored the third mask in even-numbered rows so not every row had them.
Jul 2, 2018, 10:38 am
#81
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Well given this situation, I worry about my first flight with my infant. Are children flying as a lap child allowed in first class? My child will be 4 months old at the time. I wont be buying FC tickets for this trip, but will likely be upgraded, so I don't want to run into a problem at the gate. I especially do not want to resort to a DYKWIA moment! So if the policy restricts this, I will ensure we do not get put on the upgrade list.
Note: 1st leg: E175, 2nd leg: S80, 3rd leg: Either 738 or A32B - If any of these planes specifically will cause a problem with a lap child in FC, would appreciate the heads up from anyone who knows.
Thanks!
Note: 1st leg: E175, 2nd leg: S80, 3rd leg: Either 738 or A32B - If any of these planes specifically will cause a problem with a lap child in FC, would appreciate the heads up from anyone who knows.
Thanks!
The gate agent in this particular case was inventing policies that do not exist to cut corners and make their job of getting the plane out at "D0" easier.
Jul 2, 2018, 11:53 pm
#82
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Austin TX
Programs: AA PLT, ICH Plat
Posts: 1,965
What is the collective wisdom of the group if this scenario happened to them.
Refuse to get on plane, and start recording?
Demand a high level supervisor be called?
I find it horrendous when employees make up their own rules
Refuse to get on plane, and start recording?
Demand a high level supervisor be called?
I find it horrendous when employees make up their own rules
Jul 3, 2018, 12:13 am
#83
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 153
Asking for the AA employee number is always a good start.
Every gate agent, who is either AA-employed or an authorized representative (contractors), has his own #.
I would definitely try to get their Lead Agent involved and try to take as many notes, as possible.
It is possible, for the agents, to make remarks in the PNR (5H-), which might be used for legal purposes.
Be careful, when you record people without their consent.
In Europe e.g., that's against the law and they might take you off the flight real quick, if you don't comply with the request to delete the footage.
Every gate agent, who is either AA-employed or an authorized representative (contractors), has his own #.
I would definitely try to get their Lead Agent involved and try to take as many notes, as possible.
It is possible, for the agents, to make remarks in the PNR (5H-), which might be used for legal purposes.
Be careful, when you record people without their consent.
In Europe e.g., that's against the law and they might take you off the flight real quick, if you don't comply with the request to delete the footage.
Jul 3, 2018, 5:28 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,755
Jul 3, 2018, 6:29 am
#85
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,124
I'm with you on the outrage, but jumping to the demand for termination is irresponsible and not going to get the OP made whole. There is a whole side of this story we havent heard.
Jul 3, 2018, 7:12 am
#86
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Definitely record if the agent is making things up or saying things that may be unbelievable in the future, or if their answers constantly change (who knows what they note in your PNR)
In the US there is no expectation of privacy in a place accessible by the public. Even in two party notification states, simply stating that you are recording can be enough.
Generally you cannot record security procedures but interactions with a gate agent are totally fine. And a gate agent cannot tell force you to delete the footage or instruct you to do so; if they did and removed me from a flight, IDB would be due.
If law enforcement is involved, you should follow their lawful orders. You should hear of all the cases where law enforcement is retrained or disciplined because they ask people to stop recording (generally; not in airports specifically) and this has been problematic for them because such a request generally isn't supported by any law.
Last edited by btonkid12345; Jul 3, 2018 at 11:14 am
Jul 3, 2018, 10:40 am
#87
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Dallas Area
Programs: AA EX PLT, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 149
Hello all, 1st time i had experienced this issue and need some guidance.
Me, my wife and son were traveling for a weekend vacation to Mexico. We had 3 paid Round trip Business/First tickets (I and D fares). My son, who is just about 3yrs, is required to purchase his own seat and cannot sit on our lap, so he had his own ticket. Our Non stop flight to Mexico and our return flight which connected to DFW all of us were in First/Business class, and had no issues with my son sitting in his 1st class seat which we paid for.
The issue began with our Flight from DFW to ORD, with the gate agent who was processing our tickets (they were standby due to earlier flight being canceled). There were ample F class seats available to seat all of us in the cabin we paid for. When I gave the agent our passports, he said our son needed to be 4yrs of age or older to be admitted into 1st class. I tried to question this, but I didn't' want to get into an argument but both agents thought due to the plane (A321) that this is the requirement. I looked and could not find this rule anywhere. Only thing I found is 2yrs of age is required to have their own tix.
What happened was the agents ripped up my wife and sons F ticket and bumped them down into coach, and gave free upgrades to our seats to other passengers to get 2 Coach seats open for us. I watched this whole process happen before me. It was very frustrating.
It was midnight, there were over 30 people on standby so I wasn't going to hold things up, we just wanted to get on the flight to get home.
My questions are:
1. Has anyone heard of this 4yr of age or older to sit in F class on a A321?
2. Since we were denied boarding for our paid cabin, how do we get the 2 tickets for my wife and son credited for the difference between First and Coach?
I have yet to reach out to AA but will soon.
Me, my wife and son were traveling for a weekend vacation to Mexico. We had 3 paid Round trip Business/First tickets (I and D fares). My son, who is just about 3yrs, is required to purchase his own seat and cannot sit on our lap, so he had his own ticket. Our Non stop flight to Mexico and our return flight which connected to DFW all of us were in First/Business class, and had no issues with my son sitting in his 1st class seat which we paid for.
The issue began with our Flight from DFW to ORD, with the gate agent who was processing our tickets (they were standby due to earlier flight being canceled). There were ample F class seats available to seat all of us in the cabin we paid for. When I gave the agent our passports, he said our son needed to be 4yrs of age or older to be admitted into 1st class. I tried to question this, but I didn't' want to get into an argument but both agents thought due to the plane (A321) that this is the requirement. I looked and could not find this rule anywhere. Only thing I found is 2yrs of age is required to have their own tix.
What happened was the agents ripped up my wife and sons F ticket and bumped them down into coach, and gave free upgrades to our seats to other passengers to get 2 Coach seats open for us. I watched this whole process happen before me. It was very frustrating.
It was midnight, there were over 30 people on standby so I wasn't going to hold things up, we just wanted to get on the flight to get home.
My questions are:
1. Has anyone heard of this 4yr of age or older to sit in F class on a A321?
2. Since we were denied boarding for our paid cabin, how do we get the 2 tickets for my wife and son credited for the difference between First and Coach?
I have yet to reach out to AA but will soon.
Jul 3, 2018, 1:56 pm
#88
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 592
Jul 3, 2018, 3:17 pm
#90
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,009