Originally Posted by skunker

I think you missed the part where OP said they they were delivering gate checked baggage to the bag claim, not the gate. That means OP would have to leave airside, collect bag, and then go back through security. You think OP signed up for that when he gate checked his bag?

I heard of gate checked baggage being checked through to final destination, but never requiring the passenger to collect at the transfer baggage claim.

Originally Posted by skunker

I think you missed the part where OP said they they were delivering gate checked baggage to the bag claim, not the gate. That means OP would have to leave airside, collect bag, and then go back through security. You think OP signed up for that when he gate checked his bag?

I heard of gate checked baggage being checked through to final destination, but never requiring the passenger to collect at the transfer baggage claim.

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

Regardless of situation, the OP knew the bag was being delivered to GSO and intended to deliberately leave the bag at GSO to try and get on an earlier flight - it wasn't even the case that flight was delayed and would have misconnected. No grounds that I see for AA to then be liable for the bag

Originally Posted by DWFI

The understanding with gate checked bags is that they are to be delivered AT THE GATE. It is not OP's obligation to leave the screening area to collect the bag just because AA decides to send it to the claim - intentionally or unintentionally.

Originally Posted by Stripe

Too much noise in the original story. The main issue is that a OWE showed up at the gate of an earlier flight and the GA wouldn't put him on the standby list. I do this frequently, usually at DFW if my flight into DFW gets in a bit early and I can make it to the gate for an earlier DFW-AUS flight. The last time I did this was in mid February. Has something changed so I can't do that any more?

Originally Posted by USFlyerUS

Sort of. You can still do this but must request the standby in the mobile app first. The gate agent won't be able to do this otherwise.

Originally Posted by Stripe

Too much noise in the original story. The main issue is that a OWE showed up at the gate of an earlier flight and the GA wouldn't put him on the standby list. I do this frequently, usually at DFW if my flight into DFW gets in a bit early and I can make it to the gate for an earlier DFW-AUS flight. The last time I did this was in mid February. Has something changed so I can't do that any more?

Originally Posted by JAXPax

Hello all,
I spent near 20 years in the airline or adjacent industries and have a fairly high tolerance for airline silliness as a result. But an experience I had last week with American just made me shake my head. Unfortunately for a variety of reasons I'm forced whenever possible onto American by my employer. Sometimes I fly Spirit or Allegiant instead and they can't argue with me saving 50% of the ticket price.

I'm Alaska MVP75k and use Oneworld status therefore on American.

I was booked DCA CLT originally. There was a schedule change awhile back and I was moved for some reason by a couple hours earlier to a time that really did not work. I was on a lengthy plane ride then walking around a warehouse so I made the mistake of using the AA chat to get it changed. Well the person told me there was a flight at the same time as my original and booked me DCA GSO CLT. Okay whatever. I kind of forgot about that until I was getting ready for this trip. I should have learned my lesson with the chat since the time two months ago where instead of putting my Alaska number on three AA reservations, they instead put it in the KTN field.

I was coming on another airline into IAD and finished my business in DC earlier than planned so proceeded to DCA where I sought to get home earlier. Now of course because you cannot change the routing I couldn�t self help myself onto a nonstop to CLT that I made it in time for (which I think funny enough is what they'd rebooked me on in the first place a couple months ago). I kind of understand why they don�t do that given it could have been a higher fare originally for someone. But they can�t or won�t in the Admirals Club do anything even when I point out AA is the one who rerouted me in the first place. Says I would have to pay.

Make it to GSO. About 25 minutes early in fact (with NC's interesting Republican gubernatorial candidate and his detail in First). Agent came on and told the F/A to make announcement that all gate claim bags (all rollers as this was a PSA CRJ-700) would be on the baggage claim belt in about a half hour due to staffing. The earlier GSO CLT looks to be a little late and was only halfway through boarding. According to the flight status waitlist it has open seats even in First. But I cannot same day change to it in the app as it would have only been a 20 minute connection based on scheduled times.

Off the plane (which my gate claim roller bag was basically empty so I figured that's AA's problem and can eat a claim/compensate me for failing to connect bag). Go to the next gate and stand in line for the agent. Explain the situation and show my boarding pass with oneworld status on it. She says sorry she can�t do anything for me. I would have had to do it on the app and says they get in trouble if they assist with it. I said it�s impossible for me to do. She apologizes and the plane leaves with empty seats (this I know as I heard her answer the phone as it left and someone perhaps management on the other side was asking how the flight went and I heard her outline my issue). Her and I agreed that we both miss US Airways.

So I sit for nearly two hours at GSO. I think maybe I�ll rent a car and just be home in an hour. But that�s $45 I won�t get back.

I wrote a DOT complaint while I sat. I got upgraded at boarding time (which was funny, I was only one on the list with 7 open seats). Landed early in CLT and waited 20 minutes for a gate as per usual at 8-9pm on Concourse E.

I find this just almost farcical that American is being so anti-customer to the point that as a Oneworld Emerald I can get schedule change/rebooked, not be able to even get back onto the original routing without being asked to pay, then cannot even get standby on a flight nearly two hours earlier on my actual flown routing because the app won't do it. I hear varying versions of if they should have helped me at the desk due to my status. But I've also found the American folks in the Carolinas don't really grasp Oneworld. I had a heck of a time on my outbound getting into the main CLT club as I scanned my AA BP with AS number/status and presented the Citi Executive card w/ AC access. The agent seemed puzzled and kept asking if I had Alaska Club membership, I said no, I don't need it, I have Admirals Club and I am flying on American. "But you have AAdvantage?" I do but I have my Alaska number on this. "But no AAdvantage?" Then tried to tell me I couldn't come in. I asked the next agent if they could assist me and they looked at their coworker strange and just waved me past.

It feels like every time there's a new lowest bar it drops one more peg. On my outbound, Air Canada canceled my flight and booked me on AA through LaGuardia... no beverage service due to possible turbulence. No beverage service on DCA-GSO-CLT even in First as too short. (no PDB either on second leg)

Am I being unreasonable in thinking this whole situation was just stupid?

Originally Posted by steveholt

You're being unreasonable, yes. You were booked DCA-CLT and there was a schedule change. You had every right to pick a different DCA-CLT flight and chose a DCA-GSO-CLT option. As someone familiar with the airlines, you should be very familiar with how schedule changes impact flights and how you get one crack at a free change afterwards, which is true for every airline I can think of.

Originally Posted by Stripe

The point is that, due perhaps to an early arrival from your first flight or a delay, you're trying to get on a connecting flight that is technically under MCT. The app will never offer you the chance to put yourself on the list. Only an airport agent can. That was the OP's situation and it had to have been maddening to be forced to sit for another two hours when seats were available on a flight right in front of him. I wonder if this was simply a training issue with the GSO agent who probably sees a connecting pax about once a year if that.

Originally Posted by lrdpenn

As OWE I believe agents should have added OP to the standby list. So that is a failure on the agent's part and a legitimate complaint.

Originally Posted by USFlyerUS

What makes you think that? I don't recall seeing that elites don't need to use the app to add oneself to a standby list.