[mtezel]

My trip started with a 15 minute delay in the plane arriving in San Antonio for the flight to DFW. After we finally got on the plane, the pilot announced that we were all set to go, but there had been a shift change in the ground crew, and no one was available to push us back from the gate. During our 20 minute wait to find a ground crew, the captain admitted that it was probably due to cut-backs in staffing at American. When we finally arrived at DFW, we had to wait an other 15 minutes because "our gate wasn't ready." I had to run to make it to my connecting flight to ABQ.

On the trip back, my flight from ABQ went well, until we arrived 15 minutes early at DFW. We taxied to a remote area of the airport where the captain announced that a plane was still at our gate, and we would have to wait a few minutes as it was getting ready to leave. About 30 minutes later the captain informed us that the plane was still there, and they found us another gate.

When I got to my connection, the fun really began. The gate agent informd us that the plane had not arrived yet, and we would be about 15 minutes late in leaving. We finally boarded the planed, and the door was closed when the captain informed us that we would be waiting a few more minutes while the baggage crew finished up loading the plane. About 30 minutes later, in a very warm plane, we finally pushed back and left for the runway. At the beginning of the runway we stopped again. We waited as several planes behind us left, and when we finally entered the runway we taxied only a short distance and then pulled off. The pilot then informed us that there was a warning light for the automatic brakes, and that we would need to return to the terminal for a mechanic to look at it and sign off on the problem. We taxied to the other side of DFW while we waited about an hour for the mechanic to look at the problem, again on the hot plain. To add insult to injuries, the pilot then anounced that we had to refuel before we could take off again. We finally left for San Antonio about 2-1/2 hours late.

If American has really cut-back on ground crews, they are only making a bad situation worse. Wish I could stay away from them, but most of the time my employer makes me fly American.