svasandani

Here is the response from AA Customer Relations:

"Thank you for contacting American Airlines, as an AAdvantage® Platinum member, you are among our most valued customers.

We are sorry that your travel with us did not go smoothly. Providing dependable service is what's expected of us -- and when we are at the mercy of weather and Air Traffic Control, it's easy to understand our customers' disappointment. From your description it certainly sounds as if the delay was aggravating and uncomfortable, and we wish we had done a better job of overcoming the many challenges we faced. When bad weather conditions play havoc with airline schedules, we don't often have too many options to help make such situations less trying. Still, your comments enable us to understand things from our customers' perspective, which is crucial as we strive for better performance next time.

All this aside, I recognize we inconvenienced you and we'd like to make amends. Accordingly, I have issued a eVouchers in the amount of $100 to be sent to each of you (via separate emails) to use towards a ticket with us. You may use the voucher towards the purchase of a ticket for travel on American Airlines or American Eagle within 12 months from the date of issue. While the voucher itself is nontransferable and cannot be sold or bartered, you may use it to buy a ticket for a friend or relative if you prefer.

Additionally, I've submitted for a refund for the unflown segments of your reservation. For your convenience you can check the status of the refund by visiting www.refunds.aa.com using ticket number xxxxxxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxxx, and xxxxxxxxxxxxx. Please allow 7 business days (M-F) for the system to update. Depending on your banking institute it may take up to 2 billing cycles for the refund to reflect on your statement.

We want travel on American to be pleasant and trouble free and appreciate your comments. I hope this one experience does not cause you to lose confidence in us. We value you as a customer and are eager to demonstrate our ability to provide the level of service you expect from American."

I think this comes very close to making me whole as it recovers my car rental and booking fee costs. Now if the reimbursement of the purchase receipts comes through from the baggage service department it would get close to meeting my expectations. However, those 24 hours on first day of travel were nerve wrecking. I still can't believe I found 4 award tickets at MileSaver price on UA 6 hours before departure out of OKC.

svasandani

I just thought of one more thing. I am wondering if AA would be willing to convert a $100 voucher to 10K miles instead. I would slightly prefer miles but not not sure what costs them more and their willingness to switch.

C17PSGR

The 180 one way car rental and 222 close in booking fee was because your flight was cancelled. Your flight was cancelled because all air traffic to or from the Dallas area, regardless of airport and regardless of carrier was stopped by the FAA. The FAA outage was more disruptive to AA and WN because of their DAL and DFW operations. As you know, hundreds of flights were canceled or diverted. AA will never pay for that and asking for that risks losing any credibility with AA. Your only option may be travel insurance since I assume you said the taxes on one of your credit cards.

Your best argument is to ask AA to reimburse you for the $300 because of the delay in getting your baggage to you. I'm skeptical about that under the circumstances but suppose that's an argument you can make with a straight face Again, maybe there is travel insurance.

FAA1996

Not a bad outcome, I'm surprised they gave you anything. Expecting AA to pay $702 for expenses incurred after you stopped being their customer is inane. $100 per person seems reasonable.

svasandani

Another interesting update:

I wrote back to Customer relations and asked them if I could instead of eVouchers get miles. Very soon afterwards I got a call from the same lady and we had a lengthy discussion about what happened and in the end she said nothing can be done about the eVouchers since i have already issued them but i will go ahead and add 10K miles to your account. (only 1 account).

I checked my account just now and the miles are already posted..

rumboj

craz

After having flown Millions of miles over x decades, theres 1 very important lesson I learnt (thankfully it didnt happen to me) that at any time if you will purchase alternative tkts, car rental,or hotel stay get permission 1st and have the PNR so noted. Failure to do so will usually result in not being refunded whatsoever. Thusly only purchase on your own that which you are willing in the end to be on your own dime

I know many people who were left holding the expensives as there own since they didnt have travel ins and didnt get clearance beforehand to do as they planned and the carriers refused to refund any portion of their layout.

I fully understand why you did what you did and had you not you would have missed your IAD-CPT flight, but AA knew 1 thing and 1 thing only you were going to IAD and no further, and as per another post of yours yes even if IAD was your final destination be it for a wedding, concert ball game, meeting with The POTUS any carrier owes you nothing more then either eventual transport to IAD or the area or a full refund. Yea it stinks but thats how it is

Getting vouchers for future travel to me isnt being refunded, even if it amounts to the same. Getting a check for the amount is. Although the vouchers arte better then nothing at all

svasandani

Very thoughtful response as you make some very good points. I should have mentioned something to the res agent on phone / gate agent to notate on the record. but I am not sure if they have the authority to sanction such expenses. I am also not sure if it would have changed the outcome to something better but nonetheless it is good practice and it can only help not hurt. I did ask the baggage service agent to notate the account about saving receipts and submitting for reimbursement when I spoke with him from IAD airport.

I also agree that a voucher is not a refund but if there is high likelihood that i will be able to use them in due course without taking additional trips just to utilize the voucher they are good enough

I however have a different viewpoint on the fact that all that the airline owes is a full refund and nothing more. Any time you enter into a contract there are always penalty clauses. Almost every ticket sold is non-refundable which means i don't have the right to change my mind without consequences and so nor should the airline be allowed to do so. It surely does not mean they have to compensate for all the expenses I incur. I think when the DOT initially established that all mistake fares have to be honored they were thinking about the non-refundable contract the airline was enforcing on the consumer.

I have also lately been thinking about the "act of god" clause based on so many of you commenting on the weather situation that occurred.. In spirit it is fair and good but I can think of so many gray areas that it is critical to have well defined boundaries and unfortunately even then there will be dissatisfaction. However,let's save that discussion for a later day.

guv1976

This whole sad story reminds me of the great Henny Youngman joke about the man checking in three bags at the airport:

Passenger: I want you to send one bag to London, one bag to Tel Aviv, and one bag to Honolulu.

Ticket agent: Sir! We can’t do that!

Passenger: Why not? You did it last month!

thunderlounge

This is where the 6-hour kick in on the Sapphire Reserve brings that peace of mind. Glad this thread reminded me of that. (Not that it really needed to, mind you.)

svasandani

Final Update from AA on reimbursement associated with delayed / undelivered baggage:

"Mr. XYZ, thank you for providing the requested information. Your mailing address has been verified during my call. I reviewed your receipts and authorized a check for $415.12. The difference on the total amount is the currency conversion. We use OANDA on the day of travel. You should receive your check in two to three weeks.

Mr. XYZ, despite what happened on this occasion, I hope I’ve helped restore your faith in American and that we'll see you onboard again soon."

I am satisfied with the outcome.

As a side note: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...m=BoardingArea