American Airlines ripoff horrible customer service lost bags for 2 days Fort Worth Texas
I had a flight scheduled from Detroit to London with a layover through Chicago. Due to bad weather in Chicago, I had 60 seconds to get to my flight departing for London. Being a seasoned traveller, I knew that my bags would not be in London when I arrived.
Arrived in London at 10:30am, had a connecting flight to Dublin at 1:30pm on another carrier. Of course my bags were not there. I was told that since I was travelling on to Dublin, my bags would be out on the first Aer Lingus (AA's partner) flight and that I would have my bags by 8am. Since my hotel only said "Lower Rathmines, Dublin) I was instructed to call the London desk as soon as I was checked in with the actual address.
I arrived at my hotel around 5pm and immediately went two doors down to the Internet cafe to call American in London. I called for 2 hours straight and all the phone did was ring and ring and ring. I finally called the main Heathrow line and asked to be connected to someone in baggage. The number I was transferred to informed me that the center was CLOSED! So I get the number in Fort Worth and call overseas to the United States. It is now 7:45pm. The lady in customer service enters my address and confirms that the baggage will be on the Aer Lingus flight in the morning. Fine. I go and purchase clothes suitable for dinner and theatre in Dublin (they have very strict rules on dress codes) but I'm not upset at this point. I understand that weather cannot be controlled.
I wake up at 11am the next morning and am excited to go downstairs and get my bags. I get down there and....NO BAGGAGE! So I throw on clothes, go back to the internet cafe, and start calling again. For the first hour of calling, I again cannot get through to anyone. After calling a different number, I get a gentleman who says that he has no idea where my bags are, but he will call around and find out and can I call back in a half hour? So I get something to eat and go back to call-same thing-no answer. I tried calling for another half hour. I finally call the main number to American in London and speak with a very rude agent. The time is now almost 2pm. She informs me that yes, the bags are in Dublin, but she does not know where. She advises me to contact Aer Lingus. When I ask her for the number, she says that she doesn't have it. I get the number from the internet and call Aer Lingus. Another hour goes by and still no answer as to where my bags are. So I call the guy from earlier that is supposed to be finding them. He says that Aer Lingus tried to deliver, but did not have an address. You know, the address that the agent in Texas supposedly entered. So I give him the address, and he tells me to call back in a half hour to find out when the bags will be delivered. Another hour, still no person answering the phones. I finally get through to him at 5pm and he tells me that my bags will be there "sometime that evening". My bags finally showed up at 8pm, the time we were supposed to be leaving for my friend's band's concert.
My flight back to London left Sunday morning at 6am. So out of the 2 1/2 days I was in Dublin, I spent a day and a half trying to locate my bags, without much help from American Airlines. Not to mention the $150 on phone calls alone. When I contacted American about this, their idea of "proper compensation" was a $100 voucher. Gee, thanks. I'll be sure to fly your airline again in the future.
Danielle
champaign, Illinois
U.S.A.
14 Updates & Rebuttals
Brian
Tulsa,Oklahoma,
U.S.A.
AA Service has really declined in recent years.
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sun, February 04, 2007
I recently took a trip from Cincinnati, Ohio to Guadalajara, Mexico. Many flights had been cancelled and as it turned out I was the only passenger on the flight from Cincinnati to Chicago. And , you guessed it. They forgot to put my luggage aboard the aircraft. I spent nearly a full day waiting for my bags to arrive.
The gate agents in GDL were very rude and did not seem to have a clue as to what they were doing. I will think twice before buying another ticket on American.
On the return trip my bags arrived and I rechecked them after going through customs. They did not arrive on the flight from Dallas to Cincinnati. I was forced to wait 2 days before my bags finally arrived.
American Airlines has very poor service both in the air and on the ground.
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Thanx Marc!
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
And just how much patience was I supposed to have? I checked into my hotel at 5pm on Thursday night. I had to check out of my hotel by 10am Saturday morning. They were supposed to be delivered by 8am on Friday. What if they hadn't shown up at all on Friday? I didn't have the TIME to be patient. I could understand if I was staying in Dublin for a week or two, but I wasn't. What if they had decided to deliver Saturday afternoon to a customer that had checked out? I had a 6am flight to London and then on to Germany. Had I not found my bags that Friday, who knows? I might have gone all 2 weeks that I was travelling around Europe without them. My phone calls were not out of anger-they were out of concern. I only got angry when there was not any follow through on the part of American Airlines.
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Thanx Marc!
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
And just how much patience was I supposed to have? I checked into my hotel at 5pm on Thursday night. I had to check out of my hotel by 10am Saturday morning. They were supposed to be delivered by 8am on Friday. What if they hadn't shown up at all on Friday? I didn't have the TIME to be patient. I could understand if I was staying in Dublin for a week or two, but I wasn't. What if they had decided to deliver Saturday afternoon to a customer that had checked out? I had a 6am flight to London and then on to Germany. Had I not found my bags that Friday, who knows? I might have gone all 2 weeks that I was travelling around Europe without them. My phone calls were not out of anger-they were out of concern. I only got angry when there was not any follow through on the part of American Airlines.
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Thanx Marc!
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
And just how much patience was I supposed to have? I checked into my hotel at 5pm on Thursday night. I had to check out of my hotel by 10am Saturday morning. They were supposed to be delivered by 8am on Friday. What if they hadn't shown up at all on Friday? I didn't have the TIME to be patient. I could understand if I was staying in Dublin for a week or two, but I wasn't. What if they had decided to deliver Saturday afternoon to a customer that had checked out? I had a 6am flight to London and then on to Germany. Had I not found my bags that Friday, who knows? I might have gone all 2 weeks that I was travelling around Europe without them. My phone calls were not out of anger-they were out of concern. I only got angry when there was not any follow through on the part of American Airlines.
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Here's the info
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
My flights originated in Detroit. We were supposed to depart Detroit at 4:43pm and arrive in Chicago at 4:58pm. Depart Chicago at 8:15pm and arrive at London Heathrow at 10:00am. The flight was seriously delayed out of Detroit due to a thunderstorm in Chicago and we didn't arrive in Chicago until around 8:30pm.
I literally had to RUN to catch my plane and we didn't arrive in London until around 11:00am. I knew my bags wouldn't be there with me (I've travelled internationally lots of times) so I immediately went to baggage claims in Heathrow. That is where I filed my original lost baggage claim.
I flew American the entire time-never once flew Aer Lingus. They were only supposed to transport my baggage to Dublin. I flew to Dublin on BMI.
After all the hassle in trying to get my bags before I had to depart Dublin for London, I filed a claim with customer service upon returning to the United States June 1st. I emailed a complaint form outlining my troubles. I was mailed a voucher that specifically stated that the voucher was being issued for my lost baggage.
Do you need anything else as far as my itinerary?
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Here's the info
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
My flights originated in Detroit. We were supposed to depart Detroit at 4:43pm and arrive in Chicago at 4:58pm. Depart Chicago at 8:15pm and arrive at London Heathrow at 10:00am. The flight was seriously delayed out of Detroit due to a thunderstorm in Chicago and we didn't arrive in Chicago until around 8:30pm.
I literally had to RUN to catch my plane and we didn't arrive in London until around 11:00am. I knew my bags wouldn't be there with me (I've travelled internationally lots of times) so I immediately went to baggage claims in Heathrow. That is where I filed my original lost baggage claim.
I flew American the entire time-never once flew Aer Lingus. They were only supposed to transport my baggage to Dublin. I flew to Dublin on BMI.
After all the hassle in trying to get my bags before I had to depart Dublin for London, I filed a claim with customer service upon returning to the United States June 1st. I emailed a complaint form outlining my troubles. I was mailed a voucher that specifically stated that the voucher was being issued for my lost baggage.
Do you need anything else as far as my itinerary?
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Here's the info
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
My flights originated in Detroit. We were supposed to depart Detroit at 4:43pm and arrive in Chicago at 4:58pm. Depart Chicago at 8:15pm and arrive at London Heathrow at 10:00am. The flight was seriously delayed out of Detroit due to a thunderstorm in Chicago and we didn't arrive in Chicago until around 8:30pm.
I literally had to RUN to catch my plane and we didn't arrive in London until around 11:00am. I knew my bags wouldn't be there with me (I've travelled internationally lots of times) so I immediately went to baggage claims in Heathrow. That is where I filed my original lost baggage claim.
I flew American the entire time-never once flew Aer Lingus. They were only supposed to transport my baggage to Dublin. I flew to Dublin on BMI.
After all the hassle in trying to get my bags before I had to depart Dublin for London, I filed a claim with customer service upon returning to the United States June 1st. I emailed a complaint form outlining my troubles. I was mailed a voucher that specifically stated that the voucher was being issued for my lost baggage.
Do you need anything else as far as my itinerary?
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Here's the info
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 22, 2006
My flights originated in Detroit. We were supposed to depart Detroit at 4:43pm and arrive in Chicago at 4:58pm. Depart Chicago at 8:15pm and arrive at London Heathrow at 10:00am. The flight was seriously delayed out of Detroit due to a thunderstorm in Chicago and we didn't arrive in Chicago until around 8:30pm.
I literally had to RUN to catch my plane and we didn't arrive in London until around 11:00am. I knew my bags wouldn't be there with me (I've travelled internationally lots of times) so I immediately went to baggage claims in Heathrow. That is where I filed my original lost baggage claim.
I flew American the entire time-never once flew Aer Lingus. They were only supposed to transport my baggage to Dublin. I flew to Dublin on BMI.
After all the hassle in trying to get my bags before I had to depart Dublin for London, I filed a claim with customer service upon returning to the United States June 1st. I emailed a complaint form outlining my troubles. I was mailed a voucher that specifically stated that the voucher was being issued for my lost baggage.
Do you need anything else as far as my itinerary?
Marc
Makaha,Hawaii,
U.S.A.
A little patience would have helped.
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, December 22, 2006
Your baggage would have caught up, but you chose to run up ridiculous phone bills because you were mad, and they weren't stopping the world to help just you. You've got the right idea though, don't fly American again.
Bob
Las Veags,Nevada,
U.S.A.
I Need More Info
#15Consumer Suggestion
Thu, December 21, 2006
Danielle
I need more information. Did you file a claim in DUB ? But without
Getting too much info form you. What time did you board your flight in ORD, DTW, and the dates and I'll try to bring more light to this. You did start you trip in ORD didnt you?
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
One more thing
#15Author of original report
Wed, December 20, 2006
That voucher was mailed to me two months AFTER I returned from Europe. It was not given to me while I was in London. I had to purchase all the necesseties with my own money.
Basic hygiene items, suitable clothing, and phone calls to locate my baggage totalled $247.36 when you convert Euro into American money.
Danielle
Champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Bob-read what I wrote.
#15Author of original report
Wed, December 20, 2006
Due to other baggage I was carrying (valuables that could not be packed-i.e. an instrument) I could not pack a separate carry-on bag. The voucher was NOT issued to replace hygiene items-for those American told me I was alloted $20 per day.
The voucher was issued for my time and effort in attempting to locate the bags, as well as the horrible customer service I received. AS you can see, I spent over $100 on phone calls ALONE. I'm not asking for a shopping spree.
As for the voucher-it is NOT the same as cash. Get your facts straight before saying that. It specifically states on the voucher that it is valid only for TRAVEL on American Airlines/American Eagle. It cannot be used as cash and has an expiration date on it.
Great suggestion though-I'll take a $100 voucher in AMERICAN currency and use it in a country that uses the Euro.
I understand that booking a ticket over the phone incurs a $10 fee. However, American Airlines told me that this is the ONLY way to use my voucher. I originally attempted to book via the internet.
Now, do you have any other productive suggestions for me?
Bob
Las Veags,Nevada,
U.S.A.
Voucher should have been cashed for cash
#15Consumer Suggestion
Tue, December 19, 2006
Working in las vegas and in the baggage claim I see a lot people with missing bags. And yes, people comming from Aer Lingus from Ireland.
But what I dont see is people with carry on bags with a days worth of clothing just to get them by. The Voucher to had is exactly what you should recive. That Voucher (money) you recived is to be used to get thing for hygene items and basic of the basic things till you recive your bags. Just bacause your bags where delayed, you get to go on a spending spree.
And American has been charging for phone reservations for a long time. What you should have done is booked on-line and used the voucher (money) in dublin. Next time think and plan for the worst. And that goes for any airline in any part of the world.
Danielle
champaign,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Voucher scam...
#15Author of original report
Fri, December 15, 2006
Yesterday, I attempted to use the voucher that American had given me for my baggage troubles. I was informed that you cannot use these vouchers online. Instead, you have to pay a $10 fee and reserve tickets via telephone. This is the biggest scam I have ever heard of. On top of that, you have to pay the full price for the ticket, and when you get to the airport, give the voucher to a counter agent and only then will it be credited back. So basically, the $100 voucher I was given is only worth $90. What a ripoff. I have written a letter to the customer service department and will keep you updated as to the outcome. However, if they insist I pay their $10 fee, I will destroy the voucher and will NEVER fly their airline again. No matter how good any of their deals are.