All Business, Good & Bad

Sometimes, an awful consumer experience. Let's call them out. Okay, mostly. But sometimes awards. Yes? All the accounts are truthful. The names have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty alike. Email me with your stories and I'll include them.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

American Airlines: Weather What?

Just got back from St. Lucia.

From that other blog o' mine:
American Airlines thought it would be funny if they made us wait on the tarmac in Miami while a plane at our gate was having its tire replaced, causing us to miss the last connecting flight out, call it a weather incident, not pay for our hotel room or dinner or breakfast, and send us from Miami to Dallas before getting us home to Cincinnati.
Oh, you know you want the details:

We pulled into Miami to distant thunderstorms, but on time. When we landed, the captain, lovely as he was, broke in that there was a plane on the tarmac that was not moving because of thunderstorms. Twenty minutes later, (he) we found out that it was not stalled but awaiting a tire replacement. Ten minutes later, we were directed to a new gate. Forty minutes after we were supposed to exit, we exited. Trying to get to our connecting flight, we were informed that - although the flight hadn't yet left - we officially missed the connecting flight which ended up leaving right on time.

Having missed the connecting flight, we got to nicely ask the teller how fast she could get us to Cincinnati.

(Note: I've received many a response and email on this blog talking about how much of an asshole I am when I call a company on not providing the service they promise and - God forbid - receive an ancillary $5 gift certificate to ameliorate the situation [one guy thinks this, solely, will raise food prices].

We were at the same counter as some choads from Cleveland who did what I am accused of doing: blame the guy at the counter for the CYA of the company; they screamed and shouted at the teller, screamed and shouted at the manager, then the beefy one tried to pick a fight with him. He promptly called the cops.

Lesson in complaining: know the appropriate person to complain to, know the appropriate time to complain.)

As completely stressed out as we were, as - almost - broken as we were, we accepted the explanation of "weather," and just bucked up and took the half-priced hotel, paid for the pizza, and went to sleep. Without an airline transfer (also "weather"), we got back in Monday at 4pm as opposed to Sunday 11pm.

No, there isn't much yelling going on. Yet.

Truth is, American Airlines fucked up; someone should've known what was going on at the tarmac. Someone should've conveyed this to our captain, who could have done a better job getting us to a gate.

Is American Airlines to blame? In part, yes. And in that world of purchasing a service, we should have received a free hotel with dinner. And breakfast.

Tally, anyone?

Hotel: $35.00
Dinner: $30.00
Breakfast: $15.00
Lunch: $20.00
Extra Day, Dog in the Kennel: $12.00
Parental Vacation Days: $350.00

Total Cost to My Family: $462.00

Realistically, about $112.00. We'll be asking for it.

And I'll update.

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