ryan754

Well to end this thread... AA got back to me and basically said too bad. I was quite surprised (I'm a plat just because I have to fly them sometimes (DFW-BOG) but avoid at most costs) I managed to squeeze a small amount of comp but not much. At the end of the day there are reasonable dining options in KEF yes. Nonetheless for six or so hours AA should have comped me food. Especially with the fact that they booked me on a budget carrier. My flight on FI wasn't awful 14 euro or so for a pizza and beer. Not the end of the world. In hindsight I should have had them rebook me on AA the next day and pay for a hotel and transport and meals. Another day in KEF wouldn't have bothered me. The lowball comp of $250 sucked, but they needed one seat, and I'm sure someone else would have taken it. It will cover something in the future. To compare apples to oranges.. The other-day I had a ticket SMF-SFO-HKG on UA.. I wasn't going to make my connection, and I could have flown to SFO, and got a hotel and all that, but decided to stay in SMF with family. UA was more than happy to throw me $40 to grab a meal for the inconvenience. Had a nice steak sand-which at iron horse tavern. Over the years I find AA customer service to be fairly bad even as a OW Emerald or AA Plat.

deeruck

Ouch, that's the first time you mentioned the comp. I wouldn't have accepted $250 on a domestic trip If someone else would have accepted, more fool them. Hold out for the EC 261 compensation if you're departing the EEC.

ryan754

Can I get EU 261 when I was given the $250 and I arrived about the same time as scheduled? If I can claim EU 261 I'll stick it to them very good lol. I doubt it because I got to my destination in time.

MSPeconomist

BThumme

$250??? You have to got to be kidding me. That's disgusting AA would even start at that amount. Compensation should have started at at least $1,000. Food should have been a no-brainer as well. I'm all for VDBs - even the lower amounts. But offering $250 is just outright offensive.

ryan754

Yes this is what I thought, supposedly I'm the first VDB out of KEF.. They had no idea how to process it and had to get someone on the phone, took about an hour. I'm not complaining, the contracted staff at KEF were very friendly. Nonetheless $250 lol. I was surprised myself. There was another volunteer, so I really had no leverage, as they needed one seat. I did have some expectations which never came as the staff had no idea about anything.. I don't regret it at the end of the day, yes it's a lowball vdb, but I never get them and it will help out on a leisure trip in the future, and I got to avoid laying over in DFW.. Just trying to get my original miles for the trip as FI isn't a partner (Yet they are with AS)

Often1

Why?

It's clearly the going market for VDB at that location on that route. We know that because OP took it. Can't think of a reason a for-profit business ought to overpay.

The fact that AA would have been on the hook for EUR 600 in cash (equivalent) in meals for an IDB is irrelevant.

BThumme

Clearly, no, one data point does not show that. I could point out plenty of situations on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Overpaying is a stretch when the compensation is the companies own currency. This is a deal that should have been enacted in good faith, which it wasn't. You don't have to agree with me that $250 is too low, that's fine. But not even offering food vouchers? That should be automatic. Don't forget that OP was doing AA a big favor. $500-$1000 AA travel dollars is nowhere close to overpaying. I would expect any airline to do a better job working with volunteers. The onus shouldn't have to be on the volunteer for a lousy food voucher.

MSPeconomist

deeruck

Did you get cash or an AA voucher?

ryan754

AA Voucher Takes off $250 from a $600 trip to Bog this month. By all means its a garbage amount, but it's better than nothing. I fly a lot, but never get VDB's

IAHtraveler

I cannot understand if "its a garbage amount" why you would have ever accepted it?

enpremiere

Gig103

I get the impression OP wasn't considering $250 as garbage until reading the thread, or having to put up $50 of it for meals, or maybe until 3 hours into the 9 hour trip in a middle seat. The earlier post used the expression "I'm sure someone else would have taken it", so maybe it was that in-the-moment victory that made it seem worthwhile.

I also disagree that someone else would have taken it when EU261 was in play.

bse118

Over dramatic much?

If OP thought the offer was too low he shouldn't have accepted it. End of story.

Buyer's remorse is the OP's problem not the airline's.