What Would Be Fair Compensation?
 

Was just curious what my brother in-law should expect from American Airlines after an incident that occured on the 19th of Sept. on AA#40 from LAX-JFK.

He told me their flight was an hour and a half delayed getting out of LAX. Finally airborne and about 30 mins. out of LAX the plane, a 767, started making turns to the left and then to the right. He said this lasted for about 5 mins. and then the captain made an announcement that they were having hydraulic problems and that a return to LAX would be warranted.

They did manage to fly back to the LA area but were told that in order to land safely they would have to use up most of the fuel before landing. He's not sure why they couldn't just dump the fuel and land but anyhow, they flew around the Palmdale area, in the desert near LA, for five and a half hours.

He said several of the passengers were very fearful for their lives and he found the situation to be very tense. The Airphones did not work, (they were probably switched off), so he could not make any contact with anyone.

They did land safely back at LAX and after 2 hours on the ground reboarded another flight which arrived JFK at 0100 AM. And to the hotel at 2:30am. He had a meeting at 7am so I can imagine he was a bit tired to say the least.

In the meantime, American, to its credit, sent him a letter apologizing for the incident and said they were checking further into it and would send some type of compensation in the near future.

My question is what would be fair and just compensation that he should expect from AA ? He was on a full fare First Class ticket (that's the movie industry for you!).

Just curious as to what you all think http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Beats me, if they had to burn all that fuel why didn't they burn it on the way to JFK? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

They probably didn't want to be more than a few minutes from a viable airport, and certainly not over the Rockies, and also, wanted to land where there are lots of AA spare parts. Compensation? I have no idea. I find it odd that the plane didn't go over the pacific to rid itself of some fuel. He arrived 7 hours late. I think being captive on that plane for all that time has more "value" than the 7 hours late.

A couple of years ago I had a situation on a flight from Seattle to Ketchikan. About a half hour out the flight was aborted and returned to Seattle. We dumped the fuel and the landed to lots of flashing lights on the runway.

After a few hours of wrenching on the plane and a test flight they gave us a different one. The results from this as far as any compensation was ZERO.

Good luck getting anything more than the letter.

He does not need any compensation if he can afford a full fare First Class ticket.

Your brother was already compensated with the prudent actions of an aircrew governed by the standards of an airline concerned with passenger and aviation safety.

Thank goodness we're not all reading about your brother and his peers aboard that plane in the context of another air disaster.

Agree with FQTV.

Of course, you might try posing this situation to the GeneralTravelTalk forum where more people might be able to give you insight. This forum is for folks looking for info the latest FF buzz ... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I am always amazed when people expect compensation for everything that happens. I hope an airline never makes safety decisions based on whether or not they have to pay out $200 vouchers.

I would rather sit in a airplane for 7 hours vs. the alternative of possibly not living to take another flight.

No one was hurt... that is the bottom line... and in my opinion... more than enough "compensation".

Sorry, but I have to disagree with the "no compensation" folks. In my opinion some sort of "customer service / satisfaction" compensation is in order here. Getting there alive should not be the only contract here (though it is the number priority!)
When the airlines takes your money it issues an implicit contract to carry you and your belongings at a stated time. When they fail to deliver the stated goods through fault of their own, then compensation is due.
Given the fare, some amount in the form of a voucher should be in order, say 25% of the ticket price paid.

I strongly agree that no compensation is to be expected in this case. AA was acting on behalf on serious safety considerations and you are implying that for some reason they should provide compensation for doing so? Would saving everyone's rearend possibly serve as sufficient compensation?

The only oddity is not dumping the fuel over the Pacific Ocean. It could be that they were not to go over the water (remember that little Alaska Airlines incident last spring?) or possibly that the very strict LA area smog regs would not permit it.

I am not a lawyer, but I do believe I have read in the 'contract of carriage that the airline specifically does not gaurantee the timeliness of delivery of person or goods. I have to agree with the both the idea that safety is paramount and that not every situation call for 'compensation' I am amazed that someone travelling first class (on someone elses dime and who sounds well paid in the first place) thinks they need to be paid for this. I do also feel that if the airline specifically said, voluntarily, that compensation was coming then I would expect them to follow through on that. I would take whatever came as a treat. I am not sure I think that the compensation should be based on fare paid or class travelled. Everyone was just as inconvenienced by this event and the F class people were at least more comfortable for the wait.

I would not expect a compensation for such an "event". My goal is always: SAFETY FIRST no matter what.

If AA would send me a "nice letter" and may be a voucher for an upgrade or miles, I would be very, very happy and would tell this all my friends.

SAFETY FIRST no matter what.
Here is a horror-story that happened this summer:
A Hapag Lloyd Airbus started in Crete/Greece for a flight to Hannover/Germany. The tower told the captain that the landing-wheel (sorry, can't find the right word) was still out and asked him to land. Athens airport also asked him to land, also another airport in Norther Greece.
Finally the plan was out of gas 8 miles away from Vienna-Schwechat. And the plane "landed" in an emergency at this airport. Airplane totaly broken, no fatal injuries. The computer on board and the captain calculated the fuel consumption wrong (landing-thing still out!) Actually the Pilot wanted to reach a German airport (with Hapag Lloyd tech personal). Hapag Lloyd never had a crash before.

I am certain that while the plane was in the air nobody--including your brother--was thinking about anything but getting safely onto the ground. Compensation was not a thought at that time. He was fortunate to have walked off that plane in one piece and unharmed--to me that would be compensation of the greatest amount possible.

Come on people! We are sounding a bit high and mighty here! Sure, the best thing is to get there safely.

It's easy for us to lecture from our computers. But what if it were YOU on the plane. I'm sure you would expect AA to go out of its way to make sure you choose to fly them again.

If they gave me somthing I'd surely accept it but agree that being safe is paramount and I'd simply be grateful! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif