American Airlines Customer Service, I'm disgusted! long

[lpursell]

I called AA to check the flight for our group of 6 and was told the flight was changed from 12:30pm to 3:30pm on Saturday,1/25. Since we're getting off the Disney Magic Cruise at 9am and have arranged for Yourride to pick us up and take us to MCO, this would make a very long time at the airport with a 4yo. I asked the AA service rep. if there were any other flights earlier and the only option he gave me was 8:40am, not feasible. "OK, you'll send me a written notice of the change? Yes" was how the conversation ended.

Since we are getting close to our trip and hadn't received written notification of the change I called AA. Yes, the change is correct and no I would not receive a written notice because I was given the information verbally. "Alright" I said, "aren't there any flights earlier?" She said "Yes, there is a flight at 1:08 with a stop at DFW." That would be better for us, at least we wouldn't be in one airport for 5 hours. I asked to change to that flight but she said I couldn't change because I had already accepted the first change. I explained that the first service rep. had not given me the option of the 1:08 flight when I asked. She said I should have continued to ask questions e.g. "You mean to tell me you only have 2 flights to LAX per day?" She left the line, said she asked her supervisor and could not change my flight because I had already accepted the first change.

Does this make sense? They changed my flight in the first place, didn't tell me about a flight less than an hour later because they assumed I wouldn't want a layover in DFW and then tell me I accepted the first story and can't change! I'm fuming!

 

[betterlatethannever]

what times do the two flights arrive at LAX?

I would think that the first person did not tell you about the DFW flight is because it gets in later than the direct flight.



Ed

 

[lpursell]

betterlatethannever, The flights both arrive at the same time. I think that if I ask if there is an earlier flight leaving MCO I should be given all the options so I can decide what works for me and my group. I wasn't given any choice and then told that I had accepted the change and couldn't change again when I had better information. I really think that's poor customer service.

 

[seashoreCM]

Just my opinion, and not the rules.

RE: Flight cancelled long in advance.

I think the airline ought to make more changes upon your request, as the weeks go by, to let you get closer and closer back to the time of the original flight.

Even if (or rather especially if) they create a new flight that did not exist before and is more to your liking.

Also they should not deny you a flight that has seats but no cheap seats left (capacity control).

Customer service cannot get an A or even a B grade without this feature.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[sgtdisney]

Most people would select a nonstop over a connecting flight and that is probably what the first agent thought when he gave you the options. He should have offered you more choices but may have assumed that you wouldn't want a connection. That doesn't excuse the poor service he gave you.. That being said, personally I would rather entertain my kids in the airport than to have to shlep bags (and kids) on and off planes during a connection. You always run the risk of missing the connection and spending hours at the connecting airport, not to mention the luggage having to switch planes... The airport at Orlando has a few things to do to entertain kids, they even have a sit down restaurant at the Hyatt Regency..

 

[lpursell]

What I'm thinking about doing is asking/changing Yourride to take 6 of us to DD for three hours and the 7th person on to MCO to catch a different flight at 12:55. This will mean, of course, asking Yourride to come back and pick 6 of us up at DD and take us to MCO 3 hours later so it will be another leg and more expensive but probably more pleasant that being at MCO for 5 hours.

How far is DD from MCO? Thanks, Linda

 

[chris1gill]

Hmm... If it makes you feel any better, two days ago I called to confirm our flights to Hawaii six weeks from yesterday... I was told our 10:44pm flight out of Maui had been CANCELLED... The only thing they could offer me was 2:00pm... Yup, a full 8.75 hours EARLIER... this had a huge impact, we had planned on driving from Hana the day of our departure.... it's about 4 hours worth of driving... 40 miles with 32 one way bridges & the whole thing floods sometimes... it's NOT the kind of drive you want when you need to be at an airport at 1:00!! We had only planned two nights there & since this change we decided we had to bag the whole idea... we had to change our hotel & everything... in fact we decided if we couldn't do that for the two days, we'd just prefer to leave the island two days early...

Do you think the airline would allow us to just come home the two days ealier since they sabotaged our plans by almost 9 hours??? NO!!! Take it or leave it!!! I'm not really happy with them, but what can you do... I got the Hyatt through Priceline, I guess I'll just be greatful we have a flight!

 

[Chuck S]

I understand your frustration - to answer your question DTD is about 20 to 25 minutes from MCO. Please don't be too upset that you aren't changing planes in DFW. DFW isn't the best airport to change planes in, even though it is an AA hub. And this time of year, afternoon thunderstorms can throw off your whole schedule (and DFW can get some whoppers). We've had more than our share of rain these last several months in TX, and we really aren't prepared for snow and de-icing. I avoid DFW if I can, especially in the afternoons.

 

[lpursell]

Chris1gill, no, it doesn't make me feel better, I feel worse for what they did to you! What a bummer! It makes my problem seem very small. These kinds of stories should get more attention. I've heard on the media that airline customer service is very poor and at the same time they're in financial trouble. Is that a no-brainer or is there something I don't understand?

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks LPurcell, no way would I have imagined they'd have cancelled our flight... Oh, did I mention that the 2:00pm flight they had us on brought us into LAX at 11pm & our flight home wasn't until 7am??? I think I forgot that part LOL.... They switched us around though so that we leave right out of LAX that night... the bad part is that it's through Chicago Chicago in the winter, YUCK I can always hope that flight gets cancelled & we can get something else Oh, we're traveling with a five & eight year old, but they're veteran travelers, so they'll be okay...

Now that I'm thinking about your problem (gets my mind off my own)... what about doing something in the airport for that length of time?? Or stopping somewhere on your way.... maybe the towncar could drop you off for a while somewhere... I know when we're at LAX I made late lunch reservations at their premier restaurant (Encounters).... Is there anything in or around MCO to do to kill a few hours?

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by lpursell
Chris1gill, no, it doesn't make me feel better, I feel worse for what they did to you! What a bummer! It makes my problem seem very small. These kinds of stories should get more attention. I've heard on the media that airline customer service is very poor and at the same time they're in financial trouble. Is that a no-brainer or is there something I don't understand?

For years the general public has demanded low airline fares above every thing else, including good customer service. People flocked like lemmings to no-frills, discount carriers, forcing the larger airlines to discount, sometimes deeply and at a loss, their own fares. Over the years the demand for cheaper travel forced the airlines to create the myriad of fare codes -- there can be as many as a dozen or two different fare codes for coach class tickets alone! In the interim, customer service was slashed because it was perceived by the airlines as less important than lower fares.

We are simply getting what the majority of people have demanded. Along the way, people forgot the adage that "you get what you pay for."

 

[RAD]

It pays to make a stink with the airlines. I once had a trip to Sydney on AA from Chicago via LA. Three weeks prior to departure AA cancelled the ORD to LA segment and put it on a flught that left four hours earlier and changed planes in Dallas just to get to LA. I complained about this and was told that's the only way they could get me to LA for the Sydney flight. I said how about going out the day before, which she said she could do but would charge me $75 to change each ticket. WHOA! You changed the flights on me, I didn't change them and I'm not paying because of your changes. After a long talk with their supervisor they made the change, no charge. It still stank since I had to pay for an extra day in a hotel and means.

 

[lpursell]

Eeyore1954, The banks and grocery stores and retail stores seem to have figured out that front line customer service pays off.

When AA originally told me there were no other flights that day, when there really were, all they had to do was change my flight to the newly discovered one and I would have been happy. Perhaps there were not 6 available seats on the new flight or maybe there were not 6 discounted seats available. But it looks to me, the customer, like they were being unreasonable and making up excuses by saying I should not have accepted the first service reps. information, I should have continued to question the information he gave me in case it wasn't true. I don't think there's any good excuse for this nonsense.

 

[chris1gill]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
For years the general public has demanded low airline fares above every thing else, including good customer service. People flocked like lemmings to no-frills, discount carriers, forcing the larger airlines to discount, sometimes deeply and at a loss, their own fares. Over the years the demand for cheaper travel forced the airlines to create the myriad of fare codes -- there can be as many as a dozen or two different fare codes for coach class tickets alone! In the interim, customer service was slashed because it was perceived by the airlines as less important than lower fares.

We are simply getting what the majority of people have demanded. Along the way, people forgot the adage that "you get what you pay for."

Eeyore1954, I don't think you are correct... Case in point, SWA has been making money EVERY YEAR since its inception... Lots of money... They don't charge you to make changes to your schedule, they seem happier, friendlier & they are definitely customer friendly... They are also the biggest discount carrier...

Take a look at the new Jet Blue, they're making money & growing quickly... every passenger gets leather seating & direct tv... The owner flies along with all the other passengers on a regular basis...

These airlines are listening to people & giving them what they're asking for - they're also making money... If these two airlines can do it & keep making money, why can't American or United?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just to let you know, I agree with the OP completely about AA. DH travels frequently on business, I've used 3 different airlines for trips to WDW (usually DH's FF miles) and the customer service on AA is so far below others. They seem to be champions of the "take it or leave it" attitude. Last time, I was flying to WDW on a Friday eve, the last day before vacation. I'd delibrately made my flight ressies late because my employer has an unwritten policy against taking the last day before vacation off. Well, wouldn't you know they cancelled my flight, and only offered me one leaving at noon with a 3 1/2 hour layover in DFW. But what upset me about that so much was not so much the change, but the customer service attitude of "take it or leave it". Sometimes an "I'm sorry for your inconvenience" would be nice-but I don't think AA knows how to say that! Right now AA is on my "last to fly" list.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by chris1gill
Eeyore1954, I don't think you are correct... Case in point, SWA has been making money EVERY YEAR since its inception... Lots of money... They don't charge you to make changes to your schedule, they seem happier, friendlier & they are definitely customer friendly... They are also the biggest discount carrier...

Take a look at the new Jet Blue, they're making money & growing quickly... every passenger gets leather seating & direct tv... The owner flies along with all the other passengers on a regular basis...

These airlines are listening to people & giving them what they're asking for - they're also making money... If these two airlines can do it & keep making money, why can't American or United?

Umm... according to Herb Kellhner, founder of SWA, "Nearly everyone knows that Southwest Airlines remains profitable, but almost no one seems to realize that our profits were down an alarming 79.1% in the 4th quarter of 2001; down 82.3% in the 1st quarter of 2002; down 51.9% in the normally robust 2nd quarter of 2002; and, still down 39.0% in the 3rd quarter of 2002." Another quote from Herb: "Put another way, if Southwest cannot return to growth and prosperity, it is doubtful that any major airline could." (Taken from http://www.southwest.com/swatakeoff/post911.html )

JetBlue does well by managing just 35 planes and limiting flights to/from its major hub, JFK. You can fly JetBlue to large cities, like Seattle, Denver, New Orleans, Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas -- as long as you can fly out of JFK in NY. Want to fly Jet Blue from Denver to Seattle? No can do! Fly JB from Orlando to Chicago? No can do! By limiting cities, targeting high volume travel destinations only they can undercut discounts offered by major carriers.

Both airlines can also maintain lower overhead by capping salaries and benefits. Both airlines crews are some of the lowest paid in the industry.

Both are successful, depending on how you define success. And they are giving passengers what they want -- cheap travel above anything else. And that is all the flying public values today. Customer service is important only when it is needed and then only when you (the generic you) don't get what you want. When that happens, the perception of any business is that its customer service is "poor." Perception and timing -- I wonder what will happen to these two as the industy and economy continue to shake out and struggle to recovery.

 

[chris1gill]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
Both are successful, depending on how you define success. And they are giving passengers what they want -- cheap travel above anything else. And that is all the flying public values today. Customer service is important only when it is needed and then only when you (the generic you) don't get what you want. When that happens, the perception of any business is that its customer service is "poor." Perception and timing -- I wonder what will happen to these two as the industy and economy continue to shake out and struggle to recovery.

You made my case in point... How do you define success? Any way you define it, these two discount carriers are successful... sure, SWA is making less of a profit, but that's the keyword, profit... they're making one... Their employees might make less money, but I don't hear them complaining & I don't see them striking... in fact every time I've ever spoken with their employees about their jobs & job security, they've always been very happy with their situations... a stark contrast with those employees I've spoken with on Delta or American... The employees of Delta & American rarely seem enthusiastic about their jobs...

Jet Blue may be small, but they're still growing... The CEO's of the larger airlines should look at these two smaller airlines and see and try to duplicate how they're run (but of course on a larger scale)... unless the large airlines do that, they aren't going to survive.... afterall I don't see SWA or Jet Blue taking emergency government funds....

Back to the original thread... the larger airlines need to try to attract customers & customer service does not have to suffer... it's free to say "I'm sorry your plans have changed"...

 

[lpursell]

Simba's Mom, Yep, that's the attitude I got also, Take it or leave it. Our family doesn't fly very much, we don't like to. I chose AA because they advertise more leg room, we're all very tall. So yes, I chose AA over SWA for more leg room and assigned seats for our group of 7. I'm going to write to AA and complain but I doubt if they care.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by chris1gill
Back to the original thread... the larger airlines need to try to attract customers & customer service does not have to suffer... it's free to say "I'm sorry your plans have changed"...

Seriously, what the majors will need to do to survive is to either raise their fares to cover their costs, or eliminate the high cost of the airline's labor.. I am by no means anti-union, my father was a union airline captain before he retired.. However the airlines like United and American are paying substantially more for their pilots, mechanics and flight attendants. This is why they are having trouble competing with the likes of Jet Blue and Southwest. United pilots are (were?) the highest paid in the industry. A 747 Captain was making over 250,000 per year. Captains on Southwest make less than 70,000. That is a large difference when you are talking about 1000s of pilot employees. From what I heard, United pays their pilot workforce over 1 million dollars more per day than American who also has highly paid professionals. The majors have 2 choices here, raise fares to cover costs or eliminate the union workforce. That is a tight line for them to walk on as neither one will be popular with the average consumer. As unfortunate as it is, the major players have decided to cut costs as best they can without taking the two choices listed above and one of the cost cuts, among others seems to be customer service (fees, penalties, etc.)

Southwest makes money, sure, but they are not as large a carrier as American, United, Delta or Northwest and they only fly one kind of plane because they don't do any long haul flights.. It should be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of years.. I have a feeling we may see a re-regulation of the airline industry leading to higher average fares for the leisure traveller.

 

[bicker]

One thing that people seem to always forget about Southwest Airlines is that they provide NO Rule 240 accommodations. NONE. Zippo. Nada. When that bit of their poor service affects you, it is worse than any of the issues folks typically raise about service provided by the majors.