[canaria56]

It is incredible how truly bad things can go in the WONDERLAND that is MIA. I had a very similar experience last year when AA elected to HOLD the plane I was leaving on in Dallas to WAIT for a dozen people who were connecting from Peru. That was pretty stressful because it made us awfully close to my departure time in Miami. All would have been fine (still close) except this nimrod AA employee could not figure out how to operate the thingy that attaches to the plane so you can get off. So, we lost precious minutes and yes, even tho I RAN the whole way to the departure gate, and the plane was sitting right there, I was told that "Federal Regulations do not allow us to open the door once they has been shut". So I got to spend 24 hours in the armpit of the world (MIAMI) waiting on the next plane to Montevideo. Lost a full day of an already short stay. No apologies from AA. NADA. Oh, and did I mention that I did not get to my crappy hotel in Miami until 3 a.m. because none of the cabbies wanted to accept my voucher?? AND a similar scenario has happened twice before!?! At least we have this website to vent on!!

[AADFW]

Originally Posted by canaria56

It is incredible how truly bad things can go in the WONDERLAND that is MIA. I had a very similar experience last year when AA elected to HOLD the plane I was leaving on in Dallas to WAIT for a dozen people who were connecting from Peru. That was pretty stressful because it made us awfully close to my departure time in Miami. All would have been fine (still close) except this nimrod AA employee could not figure out how to operate the thingy that attaches to the plane so you can get off. So, we lost precious minutes and yes, even tho I RAN the whole way to the departure gate, and the plane was sitting right there, I was told that "Federal Regulations do not allow us to open the door once they has been shut". So I got to spend 24 hours in the armpit of the world (MIAMI) waiting on the next plane to Montevideo. Lost a full day of an already short stay. No apologies from AA. NADA. Oh, and did I mention that I did not get to my crappy hotel in Miami until 3 a.m. because none of the cabbies wanted to accept my voucher?? AND a similar scenario has happened twice before!?! At least we have this website to vent on!!

I'd have to agree that in spite of the drastic improvements to the MIA facilities, this is AA's absolute weakest link in terms of customer service. The apathy and even downright hostility among the FAs and APO agents at this base so appalling and pervasive and has gone on for so long that I cannot from imagine from a management point of view how to begin to repair it, even under the current bankruptcy reorganization.

In contrast, you've got it dead wrong about the City of Miami. I used to feel the same way until I started spending a great deal of time there on business. It actually has quite a bit of charm, beauty, and pleasure to offer -- you just need to know where to go and avoid all the tourist nonsense. Besides, everyone knows that Milwaukee is the true and uncontested armpit of the world.