[RKGOOD]

As background, I travel approximately 5,000 per month on business and travel, and have done so for several decades. Here is the worst experience ever.

I recently purchased with frequent flier miles a round trip between Boston and London on AA. Simple, done quickly. No problems. Took same trip last year with no problems on AA. Nice flight.

AA called the house the morning of my outbound flight and left an automated message that my flight had been cancelled, presumably due to the volcano, and that they could reschedule me on a set of flights the next day from Boston through Chicago. I called and after a twenty minute delay got an agent who booked me. As I thought about it later in the day (I would have to leave the house at 3:00am to catch the first leg of my long trip) I worried a great deal because I have a disability and can get extremely tired -- and what if AA, which had been cancelling all its London flights, did so again. OK, I called AA back at 3:00pm and got a friendly agent who heard me out and told me that British Airways, their code sharing partner, had a flight from Boston to Healthrow that night with seats available. She assured me that there would be no extra cost and that all I needed to do was go out to the airport with my original booking code. She indicated she would cancel the AA-Chicago portion. Great. I ran around packing, confirming arrangements in London, etc. and then called BA to make sure all ok. I was assured that the booking was made, I should use a BA booking code, there would be no charge and I could easily get a seat at the airport.

Got to the airport well over two hours early. An extremely rude BA agent seemed to have some problems with the codes from AA and BA but did give me a boarding pass and took my bag. I gave her a copy of my AA itinerary which I see contained a ticket number (a different one than the one needed). Wished me a happy journey.

Two hours later, AS THE PLANE WAS BOARDING, I was pulled over at the gate by the same BA agent who rudely informed me that if I couldn't get AA to sort out a documentation issue (as the plane was boarding, when I had been having 20 minute wait times.....) I would have to pay approximately one thousand dollars to board the flight. Given that my bag was on, it was the last flight of the day and I was tired and 40 miles from home I paid up. I was told AA would reimburse me.

Got to London and met with BA customer service guy and extremely helpful ticket agent who got into the system and explained that AA had neglected to send over the ticket number (which BA needed for reimbursement), although they had booked me properly (and I had showed a document which did have a ticket number on it). She called an AA supervisor at Heathrow and they had a long conversation which confirmed the problem. I was also told that AA had NOT cancelled my Chicago portion. We did confirm that I would be returning to the US on AA.

When I checked in at Heathrow I asked for an AA supervisor, who was very forthcoming about the screw up. Something about passenger info systems not working (eg., computer error), but indicated that the standing rule was that BA, when they saw the problem, should have called an AA supervisor at Logan who exists to deal with the relationship and ticketing problems. They gave me a comfy exit row seat to come home.

When I got home I informed American Express that I wanted to challenge the BA credit card charge, wrote to BA complaining about how I was treated to Boston and tried to use AA's on line complaint system to document my situation and demand my money back. Hmmmm, it was broken and after a half hour or so was able to get a customer service person who at first didn't want to believe me but eventually got into the system and, as he put it, "saw some notes". He calmed down and informed me that had I not called that very day the records would have been removed from the system -- they only keep them for 48 hours after the last leg of a trip taken (?????). He claimed he put a six month hold on them and urged me to file a complaint with details via registered express mail, asking for my money back, not a voucher,which I did. So far the only response is a post card acknowledging the arrival of my letter.

Now I don't know precisely how this is going to turn out. Amex tells me that B A is stonewalling them, but Amex has offered to try and work on this a bit more. Nothing back from BA, which is all screwed up due to a set of recent strikes. Their Boston ticket person was utterly rude, incompetent and worse.

So, if AA doesn't satisfy me, what do I do? Small claims court? Govt Agency? Basically, AA never sent me the proper documentation regarding my rebooking and so I am utterly dependent upon someone confirming the paperwork. Will AA claim it is BA's problem?????

What is incredible to me is that BA not only confirmed my booking and assured me there would be no cost, but checked me in, gave me a boarding pass, took my bag and only attempted to contact me as the plane was boarding. Had I said I would not take the flight my bag (according to the BA folks at Heathrow) would have gone to London and then shipped back to Boston. This would not only have screwed up any trip I wanted to take for several days, but would have been in violation of TSA rules because bags cannot be shipped for a non-existent passenger. Could I have held up the flight for an hour or so? Or was my bag set aside waiting for me to pay up? Things moved so quickly I doubt it.

Given all this I hardly know who is at fault. Basically, I paid twice for my trip, was treated like a non-person and have had to spend hours trying to sort things out. So any wisdom or help welcome. Oh, this is the second time I had a problem like this with AA, but that story would take entirely too long to tell.

I travel mainly on Southwest and am utterly spoiled. In five years of intensive travel not a single problem. They fix things quickly and are extremely customer friendly.

Thanks for paying attention. Caveat emptor. Know the difference between booking and ticketing.

[jimworcs]

I think you will get your money back. If you don't, you would win in small claims without a doubt. I think you may be worrying too much... it was a screw up on both sides. Sounds like the BA customer service agent was obnoxious and the AA guy didn't what they said they would do (didn't even cancel the Chicago leg).

It is a myth to say that a bag cannot be carried unaccompanied. However, if you are removed from a flight due to your conduct, or if you voluntarily left the flight, then the bag would have to be removed. Many bags travel unaccompanied..for example, if youR bag is lost and they send it on later.

[RKGOOD]

I appreciate that response. Yes, this was very stressful and I probably do worry too much. Its not the money; I could easily afford to pay. I found it to be a humiliating experience, the second such one I have had with American in the past three years. It feels to me like there is poor training and infrastructure -- note they have one of the few web sites that does not provide flight tracking, and it is virtually impossible to speak to people in areas like customer service who have any authority. Because flying is uncomfortable (In addition to a disability I am very tall) I try to reduce everything to things I feel controllable -- same seats on most flight, same airports, JetBlue or Southwest, etc. We'll see what happens. BA, in my experience has always been a bit of a shambles, and I go way back to when it was a national carrier deep in the pits. The on-board service on my recent flight was very poor, though the individuals who helped me at Heathrow were very kind. I was not aware of the complexity of the rules on baggage. We live and learn, sometimes the hard way.

[RKGOOD]

We are now almost two months since I sent my complaint and aside from a post card three weeks ago have had no response from American Airlines. What should I do if I do not hear from them by the time I return from a European trip in two weeks? Thanks.

[jimworcs]

Send them a letter that you will file a claim in Small Claims Court unless they respond to you within 30 days... it is ridiculous. I am sure you would win.

[RKGOOD]

I will do that as soon as I return. Thanks. This is really a bit of a nightmare, but I like to fight. Stay tuned....

[RKGOOD]

Here is what I received from AA this morning. It is a flat out lie. Why would a person spend over a thousand dollars to take a flight when he had one for free available a few hours later? They never looked at the record, which other AA and BA people had. Perhaps they did not keep my record, as I was told they would. I have real time emails sent to my UK associate as I was being rebooked. Is court my only option? I am off now to Russia. Will check in when I get back. Thanks for any further thoughts.

---

Dear Mr. Goodenow:

I'm sorry that your travel with our oneworld partner, British Airways didn't go more
smoothly. I've shared your comments with the appropriate management personnel here at
American so they may discuss this matter in further detail with our colleagues at
British Airways. There is clearly room for improvement.

We are sorry that your travel plans were disrupted by the flight cancellations
following the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. There is no
question that this unprecedented event was difficult for everybody involved.

I apologize for the confusion regarding your rebooked flights. After the cancellation
of flight 108 on May 8, we show that you were rebooked for flights through Chicago on
May 9. There is no indication that our reservations personnel rebooked you on British
Airways flight 214. When you checked in at the British Airways counter, they should
not have allowed you to check in for the flight knowing there was not a ticket number
issued for the flight. At that time, you should have been directed back to the
American Airlines ticket counter. I apologize for their error.

In evaluating your request for a refund, we carefully reviewed our policies and
procedures as they relate to this matter. While I am sorry for the situation, we must
respectfully decline. We can not refund money we did not collect. I am sorry.
However, given your purchased ticket, we have refunded the 20,000 mile award redeemed
on your original ticket. You should see an adjustment shortly.

Your business means a great deal to us and we want to ensure that your travel is
always pleasant and without difficulty, whether you are traveling on American or one
of our partners. Please don't be discouraged from continuing to travel with us often.
In turn, we will do our best to meet your expectations.

Sincerely,

Vince Marchello
Customer Relations
American Airlines

[jimworcs]

That is outrageous. I would certainly fight. You should also write to British Airways.

There is no indication that our reservations personnel rebooked you on British Airways flight 214. When you checked in at the British Airways counter, they should not have allowed you to check in for the flight knowing there was not a ticket number issued for the flight. At that time, you should have been directed back to the American Airlines ticket counter. I apologize for their error.

The very fact that BA allowed you to check in, and issued a boarding pass, before you had paid any money proves that AA must have recorded something to have put you on the flight. BA would not have allowed you to proceed without something indicating you had a booking. I would definitely take this to court. IT IS SCANDALOUS and that reply is a disgrace.

We can not refund money we did not collect.

That is quote is disingenuous. They need to work with their "partner" and sort it out. Passing the passenger from pillar to post is outrageous. AA and BA/Iberia have just received approval for closer tie up.

By the way, I would write and tell them that you do NOT accept the 20,000 miles as compensation. They could argue in court that you had settled by accepting the miles.

[RKGOOD]

Thanks. Having been in over my head since getting back from my Russian trip I'm now getting back into the swing of things.

I have forwarded material to my rep in Congress, who has helped on other transportation issues, and just written to the CEO of American Airlines, indicating that the frequent flier offer is an insult. I will directly respond to customer service, to which I indicated I would take legal action if I did not get a satisfactory response. Tomorrow I'll call the state attorney general's office, which has an airline division. American Express wrote me and said that AA is at fault and outlined how they should fix it; Amex also indicated that AA did not respond to them. A corporate travel agent I use frequently contacted AA, urging I get a refund, and AA stonewalled them.

Just back from my Russian trip and must say everything on Lufthansa flawless by comparison. Though I must say that when I thought of the old Soviet bureaucracy I couldn't help think of AA....Dunno if I mentioned this, but I was once a visiting research scholar in an operations research center at a major biz school and this kind of thing would be a wonderful case study to discuss in class. AA is broken.

[jimworcs]

The airlines have become adept at stonewalling customers hoping they will go away. You sound like just the kind of guy to teach them this strategy does not always yield the result they want.

It is almost invariably the case that international travel is better with non-US based carriers. The huge US market is grossly uncompetitive, as it has evolved into a series of regional monopolies who dominate fortress hubs. This marginalises the normal competitive effect and as a result US based airlines no longer see customer satisfaction as a critical factor in their success. Lobbying, Chapter 11 protection, mergers and buyouts of competitors yields much greater returns. Until this is addressed, there is little point in flying with US based carriers. 20 years ago, the US carriers featured in the top echelon of carriers for customer services and amenities. Today they have NO representation in the top flight of carriers (see Skytrax for details) and virtually none even in the second tier.

Keep us posted... AA deserve to lose, and I hope you will keep us posted so we can all celebrate when they do.

[RKGOOD]

Good news last night. The aviation writer for a major US newspaper, with whom I have had a good relationship over the years, is possibly interested in a story. We'll see, but his comments to me suggest we've got these guys in one of those 'white lie' situations (which play customers as fools and defraud us). I am happy to fight this battle. Why does a once great company have to stoop to this?

Fortunately, I am prosperous so it isn't the money, but the principle of the thing. Today I will make a call to my state's attorney general's office and I'm having dinner with my lawyer tonight. It'll be interesting if the AA CEO responds to my letter, in which I pointed out failures in his interline/logistics system. I went through my email files last night and found a bunch of messages I sent to friends and family while on my trip confirming my conversations with BA and AA people. One of them was in real time, sent while I was on the phone as AA made the BA booking.

You and our readers will be among the first to know what happens. I am almost wishing I could do more than just get my money back. Where's Ralph Nader when we need him?

[RKGOOD]

Yesterday I received a message from the AA CEO's office that they were fixing my situation immediately and getting me a refund. Stay tuned...but feels like progress. Customers should not have to go through this.

[MJ25]

Not to beat a dead horse, as it sounds as though you are making headway in this debaucle, which is great! but from a technical stand-point this is most certainly an error on AA's side. True that BA is the one that actually charged your credit card, thus in AA's eyes being the one that needs to refund the actual funds, AA dropped the ball. This is why:

In an instance where there is a flight irregularity and an airline can "protect" or rebook you to a partner airline and make the change in their booking system, it's a timely process, and can be complicated to an untrained, or most often times, lazy representative. What it sounds like is the AA agent that you originally spoke to that assured you that all was confirmed on BA did probably in fact book/confirm the flight in their AA booking system. The technical side of it is, the ticket was originally issued on AA ticket stock with different routing (including the ORD portions of the itinerary). What needs to be done once a change like this takes place is that the ticket would then need to be reissued. It's a lot simpler if the change remains on the same carrier, it's usually just a matter of revalidating the ticket. However, when another airline is involved, the ticket then needs to be reissued so that the e-ticket reflects the correct itinerary so that accounting wise the respective carriers get their due. In this instance BA was able to see your flight because you were confirmed on it, however not ticketed. The untrained/lazy agent will a lot of times end the record and go on their merry way because of the steps it takes to reissue the ticket to reflect the correct itinerary, this can usually be more difficult if it's an award ticket. That response you got back from AA is appalling.

Anyway, again I apologize for beating a dead horse, and I know you mentioned an acquantance that is a corporate travel agent, whom I'm sure could have already filled you in on the technical side of what looks like happened. I'm glad to read though that you did not give up as most consumers surely would have.

[RKGOOD]

Thanks! Right now there is a check from AA covering the incident about to go to the bank. I have no idea of how AA handled the financial piece with BA but at least they paid up. To date I have not received an apology, save from the supervisor I spoke to at Heathrow on my return trip. Customer service was lazy and, probably, both incompetent and uncaring. The AA person I spoke to at Heathrow did offer a very, very brief explanation similar to yours, but yours is the first one that gives me the detail I have wanted to see. American Express also laid out how the fault was with AA, but did not go into detail except insofar as to how AA could fix it.

I flew back from Oakland, CA, yesterday on Southwest and was reminded that one can still get good and friendly service, as well as a constant flow of info (an apology for a five minute gate delay as a tire was changed, and another one due to air traffic controllers, updates on a weather situation slowing us a bit and, of course, highly indulgent cabin and humorous service. A mighty round of applause when we landed in Providence, even though a bit late after midnight. It can be done!