Complaint Review: American Airlines

Dear Sir or Madam:

     I write because I am angry, annoyed, frustrated, and AGHAST at American Airlines extraordinary loss of customer service and their face to the customer.

     Before I retired 8 years ago, I loved flying with American Airlines.  It was my airline of choice whenever I could pick up flights acceptable to the government.  I have not traveled by air since I retired, and I cannot believe how truly awful American Airlines has become.

I have been through Dallas-Fort Worth way more times than I can count.  I know how it can be with the summer thunderstorms and tornadoes.  Traveling back to Tucson [ASCINC], I arrived early to DFW and tried three times – THREE – to get on earlier flights.  Those flights took off to Tucson with empty seats because your policies have so hamstringed your employees, and because you App is SOOO-o-o restrictive, I could not be waitlisted on them!

Every AA employee I talked to brushed me off with, “you have to use the app.”  That app that half the time could not complete anything!  That app that failed to show the selection to change my flight so I could wait-list onto the earlier flights! 

I even tried to go to the AA “Service” at DFW Gate 24.  I stood in line there three times, showing them that there was a wait-list for AA 2997.  I said, “You can ship me out earlier and those people can get on 2997.”  But NOoooo.  You have removed the ability for anyone to do that. 

Then you canceled flight 2997.  You had the audacity to schedule me for the next day.  What happened to your commitment to service?  And to the customer?

To rub salt into the wound, on the fourth trip to the DFW D24 “Service”, your employee “Kathy or Cathy” was incredibly entitled and rude!  I will not deny having an edge to my voice after all I had been through, and seeing a booking for the NEXT  DAY, but I was polite and spoke reasonably.  She had the nerve to say, “Hey, I don’t have to put up with you.” because I was complaining about American’s Failure to support their customers and inability to get their customers on flights. - She overs-poke me when I told her how many times I was DENIED open seats.  She THREW my now-useless boarding pass at me at demand I “go sit over there” to some seats against the wall.

I went back to the front of the line, and was called to the man sitting to the left.  I told him the same thing I told the C/Kathy woman and that the arrangement for next day was not acceptable.  He put me on a wait list for the AA1207 at 6:18.

He also gave me a “meal ticket”.  I didn’t say anything because it was AA’s Policies again shorting its customers – a $12 meal pass?  In DFW?  You cannot buy anything in DFW for $12 except a bottle of water!

Your policies have ruined this once-fine airline.  What is wrong with you??  You have walled yourself up against customers so you don’t have to deal with them.

This was my first flight in years and you have ruined it.  If there was any way I could get out of my next flight, I would!

American Airlines:

·       Is black-mailing its customers to get an AAdvantage account because without it, you cannot do anything

·       People with “status” can bump you off waitlists

·       Screws you, your family, and your plans but your only recourse is to accept a voucher for this same lousy airline!

·       Gives you a “voucher” that NO WAY covers any expenses incurred because of their lousy management.

·       Allows their employees to berate you if you dare to be angry – I witnessed this twice while in their “Service” line.

This airline is screwing itself and its shareholders into the ground. 

I am now forced into two-days travel for what  WAS 6 hours.