DC Mike

I’ve had two LHR-PHL-ALB-PHL-LHR trips over the past six weeks. In both cases, the ALB-PHL leg has been cancelled/delayed requiring an extra 24 hours in ALB. AA is being difficult regarding compensation so I’d be curious for this group’s thoughts.

On the second trip (18-19 Feb), the aircraft was running a severe mechanical delay all day, ahead of my 6:50pm flight. I proactively tried to get rebooked early in the day, but AA refused as my flight hadn’t yet posted a delay.

At the airport, we determined I would indeed miss the connection in PHL and I was rebooked on ALB-ORD-LHR. After boarding, this flight cancelled due to weather.

At the airport, I was told no flights from ALB were available for at least 48 hours and was advised to go to JFK to travel on 19-20 Feb, 24 hours later. I was told to submit receipts in order to be compensated (approx. $130, cheapest ALB-NYP Amtrak ticket plus taxi to JFK) – the check-in desk agent said they couldn’t give vouchers then but would be taken care of.

That night, I called AA regarding seats and check-in on JFK-LHR, and in the process AA offered me 40,000 AAdvantage miles in compensation. It was midnight, I was exhausted, and the agent agreed to document that the 40,000 miles was not a one-time offer and would not disappear.

I’ve now just received an email from AA saying that I chose to make alternative arrangements, I indicated I offered to get to JFK, and therefore AA refuses to compensate the $130. In reality, the agent told me it was my only option. In addition, they’ve said they understand I was offered more miles, but that I declined the offer and now they will only provide 10,000 as a ‘tangible gesture of their concern’. They also ignored the request regarding the first 24 hour delay on December ALB-PHL-LHR flights, during which they also lost my baggage.

I’m disappointed and pretty furious. It feels like I’m being treated dishonestly and unfairly. The Twitter team says they can’t help, the phone agents only suggest that I email AA back, etc.

Does anyone have thoughts on how to break through the barriers on this?

Often1

While it may be semantics, this is not about "compensation" bur about "reimbursement". Plain and simple, there is no compensation, but you are due a refund according to what the first agent told you.

I would submit your receipts with a clear, concise, and much shorter note which focuses only on the relevant commitment. Either provide the name or at least the specific description and location of the ALB agent who offered to reimburse.

If AA refuses, you have two choices. Either forget it or bring a small claims action based on the agent's commitment.

If you plan on regularly flying out of smallish airports on US domestic flights in the winter, a strong suggestion that you maintain decent travel insurance which leaves you not having to worry about these things.

Exec_Plat

small claims. add in your time and aggravation. make sure you clearly attribute the causal factor to NOT be weather

platbrownguy

The phone agents are correct and it just may work -- often the first email or two from AA is from a nobody but if you ask to escalate a real person may do you right. I would reply "Your offer is unacceptable, please escalate this to a supervisor" and explain very briefly that all you are seeking is the $130 reimbursement that you were promised by [Sally] at the [ALB ticket counter] on [date] when you were offered a routing out of JFK, along with the 40,000 miles that you were promised by [similarly fill in the blanks].

Also, I almost posted this in the recent "rolling delays" thread, but AA's refusal to rebook until they actually post a sufficient delay or cancellation, even when it's obvious to everyone that there will be such a delay or cancellation, is perhaps my #1 flying pet peeve (especially when coupled with rolling delays). Being told I can't change to an alternate flight without paying $xxx(x)--and then watching the last inventory disappear right before the delay posts that would have allowed me to switch for free--is impossibly frustrating.

DC Mike

Thanks everyone - really appreciate the counsel on all fronts.

To platbrownguy, exactly. Having had that situation happen multiple times, it's infuriating that you try to solve a problem proactively, AA refuses, then AA is unable to solve the problem and you're out of pocket and severely delayed. In both of these trips, had AA let me re-book to an earlier ALB-PHL flight, it would've solved the problem. But they refused.

mvoight

Small claims court compensates for time and aggravation?

Exec_Plat

If AA doesnt respond to the complaint, and your judge decides "well, the defendant never responded- judgement for the plantiff"

Remember, small claims court judges also hate airlines....

I never said you would collect, but if you do get an award it gets AAs attention.

DC Mike

Went back to American using the above approach - measured tone, clear explanation, request for reimbursement as promised by X and compensation as promised by X. Asked that it be escalated to a supervisor and also requested a call-back.

Despite expressing "sincere concern for the difficulties" and hoping "we have the opportunity to serve me again soon", American rejected the request for reimbursement and told me the miles offer is no longer valid.

Have gone back with a second email again reiterating that this offer is unacceptable, requesting an escalation, explaining that I am asking American to meet the commitments and promises made by desk agent and phone agent, and asking for a call-back.

Really steaming mad right now. I would like the money, given that I took the JFK flight based on a promise of reimbursement, but also really feel American needs to own up to this and provide some proper customer service.

Annoyingly, small claims court isn't really an option as I live overseas (American abroad in London, New York is where I'm domiciled).