AA cancels flight at OKC , DL brings in plane for 41 student group
#91
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
It's great that DL was able to step in and save the day... However, in most circumstances this group would have been out of luck. With load factors on ALL AIRLINES in excess of 85% finding 41 empty seats on a flight, no less during weather, isn't going to happen.
1. It's a man-bites-dog tale: everyone is used to being victimized / ignored / abandoned by the airlines; that's the meta-narrative in today's consumer culture. So when the reverse happens, it's news.
2. DL provided more than an airplane. It provided creative, out-of-the-box problem solving, initiated at ground level by on-the-ball employees with a smidgen of audacity and compassion. Of course it's close to impossible to come up with 41 spare seats out of OKC on irrops, but AA just shrugged and said: it is what it is. Go home. That is precisely what customers expect from AA, e.g. as little as humanly possible, which may be nothing. (Even if it crossed some AAgent's mind to pick up the phone and ring Dallas to explore options, the next-nanosecond thought was probably: "They don't care, they treat everyone badly. Why bother? Come to think of it, I don't care either; I hate management.")
DL employees may not have set out to provide a super-resonant brand differentiator, but that's what they came up with.
#92
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The press is constantly full of "the airline done me wrong" stories. I doubt that management pays much attention. There was weather and the flight was cancelled. The GA could not simply reroute 41 paxs together and an alternative would have been a refund. It's great that DL was able to step in and save the day. The AA agents would not have known whom to call to even ask for an entire a/c and crew. Given the day they were having it might not have been in their mind. Again, lucky for those 41 people someone at DL knew a decision maker that could be called upon. However, in most circumstances this group would have been out of luck. With load factors on ALL AIRLINES in excess of 85% finding 41 empty seats on a flight, no less during weather, isn't going to happen.
#93
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Someone *with* a little bit of knowledge of airline operations might say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found a plane in Atlanta. AA has a hub in Dallas and they maintain airplanes in Tulsa, both of which are closer than Atlanta. Yet still DL found them an airplane, while AA refused to do so."
Someone with intimate knowledge of AA operations could probably speak off the record about how hard AA *tried* to find them an airplane and whether every operational consideration and every internal phone call was made to try. It's quite possible that great efforts were made, meetings were held, scenarios assessed, and there simply wasn't an airworthy spare anywhere within 2,000 miles. But no one is ever going to hear from that guy or listen to him, because to the public it simply appears that AA didn't give a **** whereas DL did.
#94
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#95
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Someone with no knowledge of airline operations will say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found them an airplane. AA could have done the same thing, but refused to do so."
Someone *with* a little bit of knowledge of airline operations might say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found a plane in Atlanta. AA has a hub in Dallas and they maintain airplanes in Tulsa, both of which are closer than Atlanta. Yet still DL found them an airplane, while AA refused to do so."
Someone with intimate knowledge of AA operations could probably speak off the record about how hard AA *tried* to find them an airplane and whether every operational consideration and every internal phone call was made to try. It's quite possible that great efforts were made, meetings were held, scenarios assessed, and there simply wasn't an airworthy spare anywhere within 2,000 miles. But no one is ever going to hear from that guy or listen to him, because to the public it simply appears that AA didn't give a **** whereas DL did.
Someone *with* a little bit of knowledge of airline operations might say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found a plane in Atlanta. AA has a hub in Dallas and they maintain airplanes in Tulsa, both of which are closer than Atlanta. Yet still DL found them an airplane, while AA refused to do so."
Someone with intimate knowledge of AA operations could probably speak off the record about how hard AA *tried* to find them an airplane and whether every operational consideration and every internal phone call was made to try. It's quite possible that great efforts were made, meetings were held, scenarios assessed, and there simply wasn't an airworthy spare anywhere within 2,000 miles. But no one is ever going to hear from that guy or listen to him, because to the public it simply appears that AA didn't give a **** whereas DL did.
And AA simply didn't come through.
When I fly, if I had to get somewhere I would choose Delta. Because I think they can get me there with a higher probability than AA. I don't really care how "hard" AA tries. It is irrelevant.
When you hire someone to do a job you don't really want to hear how hard they failed. If they didn't do the job, they just simply didn't do the job.
#96
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Someone with no knowledge of airline operations will say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found them an airplane. AA could have done the same thing, but refused to do so."
Someone *with* a little bit of knowledge of airline operations might say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found a plane in Atlanta. AA has a hub in Dallas and they maintain airplanes in Tulsa, both of which are closer than Atlanta. Yet still DL found them an airplane, while AA refused to do so."
Someone with intimate knowledge of AA operations could probably speak off the record about how hard AA *tried* to find them an airplane and whether every operational consideration and every internal phone call was made to try. It's quite possible that great efforts were made, meetings were held, scenarios assessed, and there simply wasn't an airworthy spare anywhere within 2,000 miles. But no one is ever going to hear from that guy or listen to him, because to the public it simply appears that AA didn't give a **** whereas DL did.
Someone *with* a little bit of knowledge of airline operations might say "AA and DL are both huge airlines. DL found a plane in Atlanta. AA has a hub in Dallas and they maintain airplanes in Tulsa, both of which are closer than Atlanta. Yet still DL found them an airplane, while AA refused to do so."
Someone with intimate knowledge of AA operations could probably speak off the record about how hard AA *tried* to find them an airplane and whether every operational consideration and every internal phone call was made to try. It's quite possible that great efforts were made, meetings were held, scenarios assessed, and there simply wasn't an airworthy spare anywhere within 2,000 miles. But no one is ever going to hear from that guy or listen to him, because to the public it simply appears that AA didn't give a **** whereas DL did.
Woulda, coulda shoulda.
This story has traction because DL employees went out of their way to assist passengers on a competitor's airline. They went above and beyond. Why? Because DL has empowered their employees to do so. AA's relationship with their employees has deteriorated and their employees are, in turn, taking it out on the customers. That little fact aside, AA has become ridiculous with respect to the cancellation rate on their regional carriers during IRROPS. DL is far less likely to cancel flight. Are they delayed hours at times? Yes, but that's better than being cancelled and scrambling to find a solution.
In this instance, regardless of why the cancellation happened, DL came out smelling like a rose and AA like the fertilizer that rose is planted in. Sad think is, I beg Dougie doesn't even care.
#97
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No I don't think AA will give this much attention. Parker is a numbers guy and for him it's all about a ROI. There's no ROI on this act by DL but of course there's lots of positive brand image. Parker is of the LCC mode. You want cheap, we give you cheap and don't expect much more than cheap.
#98
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Woulda, coulda shoulda.
This story has traction because DL employees went out of their way to assist passengers on a competitor's airline. They went above and beyond. Why? Because DL has empowered their employees to do so. AA's relationship with their employees has deteriorated and their employees are, in turn, taking it out on the customers. That little fact aside, AA has become ridiculous with respect to the cancellation rate on their regional carriers during IRROPS. DL is far less likely to cancel flight. Are they delayed hours at times? Yes, but that's better than being cancelled and scrambling to find a solution.
In this instance, regardless of why the cancellation happened, DL came out smelling like a rose and AA like the fertilizer that rose is planted in. Sad think is, I beg Dougie doesn't even care.
This story has traction because DL employees went out of their way to assist passengers on a competitor's airline. They went above and beyond. Why? Because DL has empowered their employees to do so. AA's relationship with their employees has deteriorated and their employees are, in turn, taking it out on the customers. That little fact aside, AA has become ridiculous with respect to the cancellation rate on their regional carriers during IRROPS. DL is far less likely to cancel flight. Are they delayed hours at times? Yes, but that's better than being cancelled and scrambling to find a solution.
In this instance, regardless of why the cancellation happened, DL came out smelling like a rose and AA like the fertilizer that rose is planted in. Sad think is, I beg Dougie doesn't even care.
Edit: I have an award laying around somewhere from that competitor, as I was number 1 in sales for that 3 month period for them.
Last edited by COSPILOT; Jun 12, 2019 at 4:01 pm
#99
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#100
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Story was on ABC evening news tonight. Interviewed the teacher and some students, candid shot of the Delta agent contacting someone remit the plane from one of the student's phone, snaps of the students on the plane and touring Virginia and DC in the past couple days, a bright and cheery statement by Delta agent modest and so happy they could help, and the crowning touch -- all of the students lined up in a group shouting "THANK YOU DELTA!" and waving into the camera with giant smiles on their faces. The ABC news-person included a brief mention that American had issued a statement apologizing for the cancellation, saying that it was weather related and out of their control. Lots of commentary by the broadcasters as to how heartwarming the story was and thanks to Delta.
Would be nice for American to sit up and take notice.
Would be nice for American to sit up and take notice.
#101
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#102
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Can someone check EF for AA 1566 on June 2 and see what the listed reason for the cancellation was?
#103
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This is just another example of an airline that's losing hearts, dollars, and social media fanboys/girls again and again. I've thrown in the towel for way more coach flights on Delta to be treated well and flown on time. I've sent my spend on Delta tto American along with my frustrations in a constructive manner. Why the hell should a lifetime platinum spend elsewhere? They've lost they're way' aside from a little love for old school loyalty, they can't even be bothered to care about a garden variety $9,000 spend customer.
#104
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A week from now most of the flying public likely won't remember which airline was which.
Viewers might wonder why the weather affected AA but not DL.
#105
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More recently a few days ago (10 Jun), Delta had to cancel DL40 SYD-LAX due to landing gear issues. When they cancelled the flight in the end, they booked everyone into hotels etc. as per standard procedure, but also managed to rustle up a charter boat to take all disrupted pax on a Sydney harbour cruise to see Vivid Sydney.