4423 from JFK to RDU on 19 Oct.2011
 

This is my complaint, so far I have not had satisfactory resolution to my complaint.

Because I had an eTicket, I did my check-in and got a usual ticket there. Of course, I had no idea that they gave me a ticket without seat. I found the gate for my last flight to RDU and asked the person who was on duty whether this the right place to board the plane and they told me to wait because all flights had been delayed.

I would have thought that there was enough time for "assigning my seat" on the delayed flight during almost 5 hours of waiting. I was very tired after the flight from Helsinki to New-York and it was not easy to wait and wait.

At last they did announce something about the flight to RDU. It was at 9.40 pm. I got up immediately, found the passenger who also was waiting the flight to to RDU (his name is Karasev Serguey and he lives in Raleigh), woke him up and we both came up to the gate. Mr. Karasev did not think that it was time for boarding, and it was true - at the counter, nothing was said about boarding, only the info about delaying from 7.30 to 10.00. I wonder how the other passengers managed to know when the boarding started.

When we came up to the check-in counter, a girl who was working there let Mr.Karasev in, took my ticket and told me to wait - "for a moment". She told me that I do not have a seat in the plane (!) and I guessed she started to arrange the seat for me. It was a real mess there. I saw how many people needed her attention. I was patiently waiting, but in a while, when I felt that the time was getting late, I started ask her "Am I not going to be late?" She assured me that I was OK, and because the girl was working with everyone else's tickets, except mine, I soon became extremely nervous. The girl kept saying to me, that I was OK, not late for my flight. I tried to take the hard situation more easy. After a tense 10-15 minutes suddenly that girl said to me that my plane was already gone.

It was hard to believe! I had woke up one of passengers, Mr. Karasev, put him to the plane, but could not manage to board that plane myself ! Later by phone I learned that on the way to boarding Mr. Karasev had told the officer at the boarding gate about me, but the answer was simple "OK' - without any effort to resolve the situation. And what is more amazing, I learned from Mr. Karasev the next day that there were two vacant seats on the plane from JFK to RDU! How could it happen?!

Maybe it was a mistake (in computer maybe), but why did the girl lie to me that I was OK? Later, after that shock (I am glad I did not faint there, though I was very close!) that girl said to me, that even when my plane from Helsinki landed in JFK, they had no seat for me to arrange. Why did not I know about that? No, they kept me waiting 5 hours, after they lied to me that I was not late for my flight and that "in a moment" they would find a seat for me in the plane to RDU.

At the end they did tell me that it was not my fault and I had got a ticket for tomorrow's flight at 8.00 am. And so-called "compensation" - a lot of vouchers: for the food, for the hotel and even the exchange coupon called "transportation voucher'.

I would like to thank for the effort to give me some relief, but I have to tell you something about this voucher too.

The JFK airport was empty after 10 pm and all places where I might use my vouchers for the normal food were already closed. Still I thank you for the breakfast - 7 dollars voucher did the work for me, for me a cup of coffee is enough early in the morning. But the International hotel voucher caused me the second huge stress. And again because of the misleading information about transportation there and back to the airport.

It seems to me that in JFK airport anybody may find more advertising than a proper service itself. For example - how client can use the voucher for a hotel. They said to me: "You have to find the exit where you call (free of charge) to the hotel and they would come to that exit to get you to the hotel, only 5 minutes of driving." And it was the truth. I was glad how well it worked for me. But I had no idea that the next morning it might not work so nicely.

So, thank you very much for a good rest in the International hotel and a breakfast. But at 6.30 am there were no shuttle to the airport! It came after 7 am. There were two other victims of the system. We were waiting and thinking we would be late to the plane again - what a mess! 5 minutes driving - it is for night time, but in the morning we have to go through heavy traffic - and all yesterday's shock came back to me!

The attentive driver did help me not in words but in reality. He brought me straight to my terminal and I did not miss my plane this time.

The last of my troubles was comparatively small. In RDU airport my suitcase was waiting for me, but I had no document to get it. I suppose in the JFK airport the girl at the check-in counter, who stopped me and asked to wait for a moment, may have taken that document with my ticket.

So, what can I tell in the end? For my opinion, the way you inform passengers in JFK airport - this is what causes a lot of problems.

And please, Sir, do not think that 500 dollar transportation voucher is a good way to resolve the problem.

Do you really believe a passenger (like myself) who went through all these stresses would gladly use that voucher and fly again, especially so soon, in less than a year?
In my opinion this 500 dollar transportation voucher is not a compensation at all. For me it is another way to have me as a
AA Airlines client again.

And in case I won't use this voucher, is it not just another mock at me? Really, Sir, I do not plan to fly again
this year by any American or any foreign airlines., therefore I know for sure that I really will not use this voucher at all.

Dear Sir, what do you think, do I deserve some kind of real money compensation?

It would be the honest thing to do - to offer me 500 dollars check, just because, really, I bought the ticket, I payed for the normal service and became a victim of bad service, not because of bad weather or other circumstances, but because of incompetence of your personnel.

Waiting for your fair decision,


Larisa B******
91** ***** ****** Rd,
Ennice, NC, 28623

(336) *** - **17
larisa********@*****.com

You should edit out all of your personal information at the end of your letter. Never a good idea to post that to an open internet forum.

Dear friend,
thank you for the advice.
Larisa

You should copy this complaint to the DOT. There is a link to the address in the Quick Links on this site. You were in effect denied boarding. I think you are entitled to cash compensation.

Nice to see a complaint written in a responsible way and your complaint is very reasonable.
They have either by mistake or by purpose involuntary offloaded you from a flight you were booked on and you should be compensated.

You should focus on the episode where the check-in counter girl delays you as this is the entry point for the claim.

jimworcs and bilingual, you would be correct had this been an American Airlines main-line flight. However, after some research, I found that AA flight 4423 from JFK to RDU is operated by American Eagle using a 37 seat Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft. The compensation rules for involuntary denied boarding on smaller aircraft differ as they are more prone to weight and balance issues and operational restrictions than larger aircraft. Knowing that the plane left with two empty seats confirms the denied boarding was probably due to the aircraft being too heavy.

As Ms Belford was compensated with a $500 voucher AA will most likely consider the matter closed and unfortunately due to the smaller aircraft exception the DOT will be of no assistance either.

They are however under an obligation to advise the passenger the reason they were denied boarding. I would persist and see what explanation they can offer for this.