American Airlines

[teamheatwave]

Hi All,

We had a dive trip planned to Grand Cayman the end of October. As did many areas, Grand Cayman got hit very hard from the storm. Our hotel suffered sever damage and is closed at least until November. I think the roof is on its way to Cuba somewhere and the Jamaican Bobsled team is riding their sleds like they're jetskis. The damage was not limited to our hotel, but many other businesses experienced major damage. We were told we cannot go to the island and would have to find an alternate destination.

This late in the game we looked around at some other areas and either the alternate choices were already full as other travelers are in the same predicament or the choice of location, flight or hotel does not appeal to us.

We were given two choices - take a credit and come back in a few months or get hit with a $100 per person penalty.

Since we have no idea when the island will re-open or if we can all get off the same time again, we had no choice BUT to take the $100 per person penalty.

When our travel agent (who we have used for years and know very well) tried to work things out, American Airlines stance was "Tough $h!T".

I have a letter into their customer service department - still awaiting a reply. I will keep you posted on how I make out but I wanted to let you know how American Airlines values its customers.

While my heart goes out to those who lost homes, businesses and even loved ones, it really gets me mad when a company like American Airlines uses an opportunity like this to capitalize on people's misfortunes. That's just wrong. So those of you looking at flights please keep this in mind when selecting your airline.

 

[Allison Finch]

Hi All,


While my heart goes out to those who lost homes, businesses and even loved ones, it really gets me mad when a company like American Airlines uses an opportunity like this to capitalize on people's misfortunes. That's just wrong. So those of you looking at flights please keep this in mind when selecting your airline.

I suppose you may not have considered that the least of their worries is someone trying to go on vacation. The airlines are doing their best dealing with damaged airports, runways, equip etc.....It is all they can do to get natives back to the islands, not sightseers. The island doesn't need outsiders demanding attention right now, either. I really feel for your predicament. however, I agonize over the fact that over 95% of the homes and businesses have been very damaged in the Caymans.

 

[DandyDon]

This sort of thing is why I always buy the trip insurance when I go out of the country, especially during hurricane season, for which we have been aware since Columbus lost his first ship in one.

Did Ameican refuse to fly you there, or did you decide not to go - for whatever reason?

I think you got off light. Very light.

 

[DEEPLOU]

AA gave me bad taste last year. we were booked on a cruise out of Canaveral w/ flight into Orlando the night before the cruise. The flight was booked through credit cart "air miles".
we had a flight at 8pm out of LGA to MCO. We got to the airport two hours early. It seemed little funny not much if any line. We get to the counter and they say there is no 8pm flight. they check computer and say, OH1 you were supposed to be on a 4pm flight to Chicago w/ connection to Orlando.
No one ever informed us. They said they informed the "travel agent".
So they don't have the courtesy to contact the customer directly.
Then they say they can't do anything for us. Two hours later and three supervisors later, (and two near cardiac arrests) they said they say they can get us on flight next morning.
Also, AA limits you to 50lb in your luggage. And I believe it was only two bags per person.
I'll stick w/Southwest... 70lb /bag- 3 bag /pp

 

[fins]

AA really screwed us over last fall on a flight back from Curacao.

The flight from Curacao to Miami was about 40 minutes late arriving in Miami.

Upon arriving in Miami we discovered that we had to go through customs, retrieve our luggage and then get in line to board the connecting flight, check our bags and then go through security again.

Anyway, the customs lines to be very busy (big surprise for Miami right) Well we missed our connecting flight by about 10 minutes.

AA blamed the missed flight on the line at customs (even though the flight from Curacao was 40 minutes late arriving in Miami)

AA booked us on a flight for the following morning and gave us the great privilidge of using their negotiated rate (over $100) at a local hotel for the night.

They refused to comp us anything, insisting that the missed flight was a customs problem and had nothing to do with the Curacao to Miami flight being 40 minutes late.

 

[DandyDon]

I am not an AmAir fan - prefer Delta - but I'll still support them in DEEPLOU's situation. The airline notifies the contact person given on the record. DEEPLOU should have ensured that the contact person & number on the record was his, as the T.Agent must have loaded that bad info. Also, confirm flights and reseveration the day before, always.

fins' problem sounds more like customer abuse. But having arrived at Miami from out of counry once, I now request to clear customs in San Juan PR or anywhere else. And Trip Ins for any International trip is a good idea, for several reasons. It would have paid on this problem.

 

[dazedone]

AA gave me a full refund on my ticket to Cayman last week. I fly 60+ flights a year with them and rarely have a problem.

As far as fins's problem with customs in Miami, you need at least 90-120 minutes to clear customs, check bags and re-clear security in Miami, still they should have given you a hotel voucher. My next international flight via MIA has an 85 minute connection. It is very tight for Miami, but there are not a heck of alot of flights out of Trinidad, so I did not have much choice.

 

[DandyDon]

AA gave me a full refund on my ticket to Cayman last week. I fly 60+ flights a year with them and rarely have a problem.

Yeah, that'll help. Delta is pulling out of West Texas completely, and I'm nervous about that, but - with 4+ Million FF-mile histroy, they give me a lot of benefits.

THW still got off light with $100 loss. AmAir would still fly him there, and it's not their responsibility that he doesn't want to go anymore. :wtf:

 

[jhelmuth]

I'm going to be one of the few that will give AA kudos in their handling of our flight change to San Salvador. We were scheduled to depart for Miami on the 10th of Sept.(and on to Nassau/SanSalvador the next morning). As we all now know, Frances had something to say about that, and I had a very bad feeling about our options. TMALSS... AA told us we could re-book our flight for October the 15th (all same times) for an additional $100 ea. I was happy about it and had them change the reservation. WHen I took the old tix to the ticket counter (@ Tampa Intl) to exchange them, they didn't charge us the xtra $200 -COOL!
Per the original booking, they didn't even have to allow us to change the dates beyond Sept 30th (which was the original conditions of the fare - travel had to be completed by Sept 30th) - much less allow us to keep the original low-fare and then didn't actually charge us for the re-booking. Needles to say, I'll be using them on future flights until they do not provide reasonable customer service. IMHO, they went beyond the expected level of service for us and showed that they want my business.

Sorry that things didn't go well for the rest of ya'll.

 

[joyshadow]

We just had our black beard cruise supposed to depart today, cancelled and they rescheduled for October. I had a flight on AA and they rescheduled it for October with no charge. It was one of the non changeable tickets but they said they were making exceptions because of the 3 hurricanes. Ivan, Frances and now the new one. I was very surprised because I figured I'd just be out the airfare.