[betty.garner2011]

I know I am supposed to stay to the facts and not be emotional but once you read this, you will know why I am emotional and writing this complaint.
Imagine you received a Red Cross message that you father is in the hospital and doctors do not know long he will live. Imagine your flight was canceled after 7 hour delay due to mechanical issues. Now imagine that you live overseas so there are no other transportation options except to wait another day. Unfortunately, I had this experience with American Airlines on Dec 7th, #71 out of Frankfurt. Even as a military nurse with prior background in trauma/intensive care unit, the day felt overwhelming. Safety is a must but what happened to common sense and compassion? Did it take 7+ hours to realize the flight needed to be canceled and did AA personnel really think bottled water and chips would appease the passengers in the waiting area? And most importantly, why couldn’t the AA personnel change the ticket to go see a dying father when knowing there were no other flights in the afternoon except to tell me that the ticket could not be changed because bags were already on the plane? Yet, the first class/business passengers’ plane tickets WERE changed and special provision WAS made for that person’s baggage who could not leave the terminal due to visa restriction when his flight was changed. Lack of common sense or compassion? – perhaps both. I am not sure if it is related to lack of training at this point.
The day was full of frustration, anguish, and tears. It will also be the day I will never forget for the lack of common sense and compassion displayed by the AA personnel. I did fly out the next day; unfortunately, my father was not cognizant of who I was when I arrived. I was informed he was laughing and eating ice cream the night I was scheduled to arrive; I wonder how it could have been if I did arrive on the scheduled date. In short, I believe this event could have been prevented and no one should ever have to live through this experience if the AA personnel had some common sense and compassion.