Losing Assigned Seats? (Family w/ children, equipment change)
May 2, 2019, 4:57 pm
#76
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: DAY
Programs: Marriott Platinum, HHonors Diamond, AA ExPLT
Posts: 116
However, there might be a restriction based on the airbag seat belts in the bulkhead on some aircrafts. FWIW, I had them on non-OASIS 737 aircraft with the car seat and no one said anything to us.
May 3, 2019, 1:08 pm
#77
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 89
New Response from AA
Hello Mr. ------
Thank you for speaking with me and giving us the opportunity to address your concerns.
There is simply no excuse for rudeness. Our customers should always experience polite service from our employees, regardless of the circumstances.
We have clearly defined policies covering all areas of customer contact, and a comprehensive monitoring and quality measurement program to ensure we are meeting our high standards. These policies require that we treat all our customers in a fair and courteous manner, and discrimination simply will not be tolerated.
Furthermore, we conscientiously follow up on reports such as yours and have completed our internal investigation into your claim of discrimination following your interaction with our gate agents, as you attempted to get seats together for your family. The statements provided from the agents responsible for the boarding process indicate they did everything possible to assign seats together, and explained why the system wouldn't reserve the three available seats.
After thoroughly reviewing this incident, we're unable to substantiate your allegation of discrimination based on the information provided. However, please accept my sincere apology for any insensitivity or discourtesy on behalf of our staff as they interacted with you on this occasion. We take these matters very seriously. In addition to a management review, the immediate supervisor thoroughly reviews the circumstances with the employees involved to ensure there is no misunderstanding about what is expected. Additionally, one of my primary responsibilities is to take customer feedback such as yours and record it in our system. That information is then made available to all of our leaders and helps to drive change. By contacting us, you've given us the chance to improve -- thank you.
Meanwhile, as a gesture of goodwill for your discomfort and or inconvenience, I was able to reinstate the expired miles for your kids and i've provided an additional 5,000 bonus miles to each of your AAdvantage® accounts. This adjustment will be reflected in your account very soon.
Mr. ---- , thank you for giving me this chance to address your concerns. Please travel with us again soon. We'll do our very best to provide the level of service that you expect and deserve.
Thank you for speaking with me and giving us the opportunity to address your concerns.
There is simply no excuse for rudeness. Our customers should always experience polite service from our employees, regardless of the circumstances.
We have clearly defined policies covering all areas of customer contact, and a comprehensive monitoring and quality measurement program to ensure we are meeting our high standards. These policies require that we treat all our customers in a fair and courteous manner, and discrimination simply will not be tolerated.
Furthermore, we conscientiously follow up on reports such as yours and have completed our internal investigation into your claim of discrimination following your interaction with our gate agents, as you attempted to get seats together for your family. The statements provided from the agents responsible for the boarding process indicate they did everything possible to assign seats together, and explained why the system wouldn't reserve the three available seats.
After thoroughly reviewing this incident, we're unable to substantiate your allegation of discrimination based on the information provided. However, please accept my sincere apology for any insensitivity or discourtesy on behalf of our staff as they interacted with you on this occasion. We take these matters very seriously. In addition to a management review, the immediate supervisor thoroughly reviews the circumstances with the employees involved to ensure there is no misunderstanding about what is expected. Additionally, one of my primary responsibilities is to take customer feedback such as yours and record it in our system. That information is then made available to all of our leaders and helps to drive change. By contacting us, you've given us the chance to improve -- thank you.
Meanwhile, as a gesture of goodwill for your discomfort and or inconvenience, I was able to reinstate the expired miles for your kids and i've provided an additional 5,000 bonus miles to each of your AAdvantage® accounts. This adjustment will be reflected in your account very soon.
Mr. ---- , thank you for giving me this chance to address your concerns. Please travel with us again soon. We'll do our very best to provide the level of service that you expect and deserve.
May 3, 2019, 1:13 pm
#78
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 89
Hello Mr. ------
Thank you for speaking with me and giving us the opportunity to address your concerns.
There is simply no excuse for rudeness. Our customers should always experience polite service from our employees, regardless of the circumstances.
We have clearly defined policies covering all areas of customer contact, and a comprehensive monitoring and quality measurement program to ensure we are meeting our high standards. These policies require that we treat all our customers in a fair and courteous manner, and discrimination simply will not be tolerated.
Furthermore, we conscientiously follow up on reports such as yours and have completed our internal investigation into your claim of discrimination following your interaction with our gate agents, as you attempted to get seats together for your family. The statements provided from the agents responsible for the boarding process indicate they did everything possible to assign seats together, and explained why the system wouldn't reserve the three available seats.
After thoroughly reviewing this incident, we're unable to substantiate your allegation of discrimination based on the information provided. However, please accept my sincere apology for any insensitivity or discourtesy on behalf of our staff as they interacted with you on this occasion. We take these matters very seriously. In addition to a management review, the immediate supervisor thoroughly reviews the circumstances with the employees involved to ensure there is no misunderstanding about what is expected. Additionally, one of my primary responsibilities is to take customer feedback such as yours and record it in our system. That information is then made available to all of our leaders and helps to drive change. By contacting us, you've given us the chance to improve -- thank you.
Meanwhile, as a gesture of goodwill for your discomfort and or inconvenience, I was able to reinstate the expired miles for your kids and i've provided an additional 5,000 bonus miles to each of your AAdvantage® accounts. This adjustment will be reflected in your account very soon.
Mr. ---- , thank you for giving me this chance to address your concerns. Please travel with us again soon. We'll do our very best to provide the level of service that you expect and deserve.
Thank you for speaking with me and giving us the opportunity to address your concerns.
There is simply no excuse for rudeness. Our customers should always experience polite service from our employees, regardless of the circumstances.
We have clearly defined policies covering all areas of customer contact, and a comprehensive monitoring and quality measurement program to ensure we are meeting our high standards. These policies require that we treat all our customers in a fair and courteous manner, and discrimination simply will not be tolerated.
Furthermore, we conscientiously follow up on reports such as yours and have completed our internal investigation into your claim of discrimination following your interaction with our gate agents, as you attempted to get seats together for your family. The statements provided from the agents responsible for the boarding process indicate they did everything possible to assign seats together, and explained why the system wouldn't reserve the three available seats.
After thoroughly reviewing this incident, we're unable to substantiate your allegation of discrimination based on the information provided. However, please accept my sincere apology for any insensitivity or discourtesy on behalf of our staff as they interacted with you on this occasion. We take these matters very seriously. In addition to a management review, the immediate supervisor thoroughly reviews the circumstances with the employees involved to ensure there is no misunderstanding about what is expected. Additionally, one of my primary responsibilities is to take customer feedback such as yours and record it in our system. That information is then made available to all of our leaders and helps to drive change. By contacting us, you've given us the chance to improve -- thank you.
Meanwhile, as a gesture of goodwill for your discomfort and or inconvenience, I was able to reinstate the expired miles for your kids and i've provided an additional 5,000 bonus miles to each of your AAdvantage® accounts. This adjustment will be reflected in your account very soon.
Mr. ---- , thank you for giving me this chance to address your concerns. Please travel with us again soon. We'll do our very best to provide the level of service that you expect and deserve.
We had 2 sets of 3 seats.. (and 3 kids in the other 3 seats)
Simple solution: swap one adult with one child.. and problem solved.. The backend of the system rejected all our seats as a result.. and no agent was apparently aware of this issue and solution.
Still doesnt explain why this male gate agent was MEAN and saying something he shouldn't have said under his breath.
May 3, 2019, 1:16 pm
#79
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 89
My response to them:
Hi ------,
I really appreciate you finding the source issue behind losing my seats.. as that can help me prevent it from happening again.
I would like to share that the first female gate agent really did show that she cared and was trying to help, however, this male agent (wish I had his name) who seemed senior to her.. as he interjected and showed the opposite of care.. I'm puzzled how your investigation showed otherwise. I guess it's nice to see coworkers covering each other's backs.
I just wish that
Thank you,
I really appreciate you finding the source issue behind losing my seats.. as that can help me prevent it from happening again.
I would like to share that the first female gate agent really did show that she cared and was trying to help, however, this male agent (wish I had his name) who seemed senior to her.. as he interjected and showed the opposite of care.. I'm puzzled how your investigation showed otherwise. I guess it's nice to see coworkers covering each other's backs.
I just wish that
- The agent on the phone knew about this 2 infants in a row issue and resolved it in advance
- The system could have resolved it by itself
- The agents at the airport when they saw 3 seats.. knew the issue.. and could put 3 with only 1 adult and 1 infant there
- The male gate agent didn't interject over the female one who did show care and concern.. instead of being very mean and saying something under his breath that his colleagues to the side didn't hear.. I was closer to him and he was facing me (or they are protecting him)
- The flight attendants on the plane weren't rude and cold as I was helping my children in their seats before getting into mine
- That I knew about this seat split before boarding.. as all our food/entertainment for the flight was all with my wife in one handbag.. so most of us went hungry and bored (only eat kosher)
- That you gave more than 5,000 points..
Thank you,
May 3, 2019, 1:45 pm
#80
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,204
Meanwhile, as a gesture of goodwill for your discomfort and or inconvenience, I was able to reinstate the expired miles for your kids and i've provided an additional 5,000 bonus miles to each of your AAdvantage® accounts. This adjustment will be reflected in your account very soon.
OP--I know the situation was avoidable and obviously any rude/racist comment from AA staff is unacceptable, but AA isn't going to own up to anything else. As you can tell from this thread, AA moves people even when they shouldn't. I hope your family's future travels are smooth, but I doubt you're going to get any other useful response from AA. If you had something specific in mind, perhaps they'd budge, but I don't see them upping what they gave.
May 6, 2019, 11:55 am
#81
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Avon, CT
Programs: AA ExPlat, Lifetime Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 103
Still seems odd though.
May 7, 2019, 2:49 pm
#82
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 592
First, these two parents are travelling with FOUR children, including two under age 2. The GA and others should have a little heart and sympathy.
Second, it should not have taken so many emails and calls to get the answer. Let's be clear: the contention in the early emails that AA had thoroughly investigated was a lie. The issue turned out to be straightforward, but none of the early agents bothered to actually investigate. Instead, they responded with canned replies.
Second, it should not have taken so many emails and calls to get the answer. Let's be clear: the contention in the early emails that AA had thoroughly investigated was a lie. The issue turned out to be straightforward, but none of the early agents bothered to actually investigate. Instead, they responded with canned replies.
May 7, 2019, 7:23 pm
#83
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,653
That being said, I agree that the airline could and should have handled it better.