[Solcita]

25 March, flight AA from Santiago, Dominican Republic to Miami cancelled.

I was in Cabarete and I was scheduled on a flight from Santiago to Miami (100$us for the taxi). Once at the airport, I learn that all flights are cancelled because of the fire at Miami Airport.
They did not call to let me know even though they had my number.

AA rebooked a flight the next morning from Santo Domingo as I was having a connecting flight to Buenos Aires. They told me that they would not provide any vouchers or compensation for this, as the fire was not their fault. Fair enough so far, but very suspicious policy.

I had to go to Santo Domingo by taxi (another 150$) and rent a room (almost 200$). When checking out of the hotel, I realized that I was one of the few rerouted people WITHOUT vouchers for taxi and hotel/meal.

I filed a complaint to AA asking for reimbursement of the expenses or compensation. They responded that they `must firmly, but respectfully, decline. It is just not our policy to provide compensation or reimbursement due to the situation involving the fuel farm fires in Miami recently, and the impact that those fires had on our flight schedules at that time.`
To add to the frustration they added that `Our research shows that there were no vouchers issued in association with flight 1244 on March 25, 2011.`

OK people, something is very wrong here. Or the vouchers were falsified ones or AA is not being honest.

Has anyone of you had vouchers for cancelled flights from Santiago or Puerto Plata on March 25 when they were rerouted to Santo Domingo to catch next day`s flight?

[A320FAN]

Originally Posted by Solcita

25 March, flight AA from Santiago, Dominican Republic to Miami cancelled.

I was in Cabarete and I was scheduled on a flight from Santiago to Miami (100$us for the taxi). Once at the airport, I learn that all flights are cancelled because of the fire at Miami Airport.
They did not call to let me know even though they had my number.

AA rebooked a flight the next morning from Santo Domingo as I was having a connecting flight to Buenos Aires. They told me that they would not provide any vouchers or compensation for this, as the fire was not their fault. Fair enough so far, but very suspicious policy.

I had to go to Santo Domingo by taxi (another 150$) and rent a room (almost 200$). When checking out of the hotel, I realized that I was one of the few rerouted people WITHOUT vouchers for taxi and hotel/meal.

I filed a complaint to AA asking for reimbursement of the expenses or compensation. They responded that they `must firmly, but respectfully, decline. It is just not our policy to provide compensation or reimbursement due to the situation involving the fuel farm fires in Miami recently, and the impact that those fires had on our flight schedules at that time.`
To add to the frustration they added that `Our research shows that there were no vouchers issued in association with flight 1244 on March 25, 2011.`

OK people, something is very wrong here. Or the vouchers were falsified ones or AA is not being honest.

Has anyone of you had vouchers for cancelled flights from Santiago or Puerto Plata on March 25 when they were rerouted to Santo Domingo to catch next day`s flight?

The fuel farm at Miami airport was something out of AA's control. Many many flights for the following couple of weeks diverted to FLL, RSW, TPA and other flight cities when headed out of Miami to points Noth and west, and other flights stopped in Cancun, San Juan and a couple of other places when headed to South America and the Caribbean.

[Solcita]

Hi! Thank you for your reply. I know and aknowledge it was quite a mess and out of the control of AA.
However, my problem is that I was not provided any voucher for taxi and hotel but most of the other pasengers did have them. I think it is quite unfair and arbitrary. Why some yes, why some no?

[A320FAN]

Originally Posted by Solcita

Hi! Thank you for your reply. I know and aknowledge it was quite a mess and out of the control of AA.
However, my problem is that I was not provided any voucher for taxi and hotel but most of the other pasengers did have them. I think it is quite unfair and arbitrary. Why some yes, why some no?

If any were givern, it may have only been to the passengers how paid for 1st / business class tickets. These are some o the hidden perks of buying the higher fare tickets. They expect the airline to take care of them even even though circumstances are out of the airline's control.

I will give you an example: My airline has a reciporical agreement with American Airlines out of certain cities, hoever in FLL one day both AA and my airline were experiencing extreme delays into the Northeast. I had several AA JFK bound Pax routed onto my airline just because they were 1st/business class pax flying on AA.

[Solcita]

Originally Posted by A320FAN

If any were givern, it may have only been to the passengers how paid for 1st / business class tickets. These are some o the hidden perks of buying the higher fare tickets. They expect the airline to take care of them even even though circumstances are out of the airline's control.

I will give you an example: My airline has a reciporical agreement with American Airlines out of certain cities, hoever in FLL one day both AA and my airline were experiencing extreme delays into the Northeast. I had several AA JFK bound Pax routed onto my airline just because they were 1st/business class pax flying on AA.

Thanks a lot for this information, I did not think about.
If so, this means then that AA are lyers because in their response they said (I quote) `Our research shows that there were no vouchers issued in association with flight 1244 on March 25, 2011.`
Moreover, with the exceprion for fery few of us at the hotel, all the guests had vouchers. Also the first class is definitely not big enough for all these people and some of them were sitting near me.
This is a lost cause I suppose, and a very unpleasant experience and money loss.

[jimworcs]

One f the great problems with airline personnel is their willingness to lie to your face on behalf of their employer. It is also wrong for airlines to get off the hook for delays from events that they are fully able to manage. Fir example, the fire at Miami could initially be blamed, but airlines shouldvthen out in place contingencies to manag the ituation, including rerouting passengers and adjusting schedules. In Euope, the "get out of jail free" card, of blaming the weather, events outside their control, etc was removed. The airlines argued they would all go bankrupt. Last year,airspace in Europe was severely disrupted due to the volcano and some severe weather. The airlines had to PA compensation. No one went bankrupt because of it. The DOT needs to re-regulate the abusive US carriers and stop this practice.

[robin1373]

I booked a round trip flight for me and my wife from Oklahoma City, OK to Montego Bay Jamaica in September 2010. We were to leave for our honeymoon on Monday May 2nd 2011 and return Saturday May 7th 2011. I was about to go to bed on Sunday May 1st, when I received a phone call about 11:00pm from an automated system advising me my flight AA2071 from OKC to DFW had been canceled. I would have not got this had I not signed up for the updates. I called to confirm and was told that the plane was broken and all flights leaving from Oklahoma City to Dallas for the rest of the day were full but I could fly the next day. We had booked a vacation at Couples Swept Away in Negril Jamaica and would have still been charged even if we did not show up that night. I was never offered to be put on standby. I was then asked if there was another Airport in Oklahoma I could fly out of. I advised of Tulsa, OK. The agent advised me he could put me on a flight in Tulsa at 7:05am AA1971. I advised the agent that I would have to drive the 2 hours to Tulsa and leave my car there so my return flight would now have to be in Tulsa and it was also changed. So I had made arrangements to be picked up in okc and taken to the airport and also picked up on my return flight. So now with no sleep I had to wake up my wife, who had just went to bed about an hour ago and tell her we now have to drive to Tulsa. I had to pack my car call and cancel the shuttle to the airport, book a hotel in Tulsa for the night we return since we were getting back at 9:50pm and would be too tired to drive the 2 hours back to OKC. So it is 2:30 in the morning and we leave for Tulsa so as of now I am out a $100 + tax hotel room, gas to Tulsa and now have to pay $60 to park the car I should not have had to drive to Tulsa in the first place….. It gets better….. On the way to Tulsa our new flight AA1971 is delayed by almost a half hour until 7:31am. We get to Tulsa and board the flight which takes forever the plane pull out of the gate late already and makes it to the runway, where guess what it breaks. So we are advised we must remain in the plane and it takes almost an hour to fix it. So after being stuck there for an hour the plane takes off and then we arrive in Dallas. Well then of course as soon as I get to the gate for flight aa1232 to Montego Bay, it was delayed and delayed and delayed. It seems every 10min it would get delayed again. So we had to sit in the airport again due to what we were told to be another broke plane and we had to wait for another one to show up. We ended up getting to the resort several hours late due to all this. This has been the single worst experience I have ever had with any airline. It cost me time and money. I feel we were not taken care of in any way and even agents at the gates seem not to care as if they knew we had no choice but to take the flight and did not want to do a thing. This is the worst way anyone could start a honeymoon and I am sure going to let everyone know how crappy it was.

[jimworcs]

That is a bad experience... But I am not sure what you wanted the gate agents to do to take care of you? I can understand writing to AA after the event and letting them know that you felt inconvenienced... But once you were underway, your ultimate delay was several hours. I can't think of what the gate agents were supposed to do, other than provide information. When you say they didnt seem to want do a thing... What do you feel they should have done?

I think AA will argue they did their best to accommodate you by rearranging the flights from Tulsa, and ultimately got you to your destination several hours late. This clearly cost you money, and whilst they are not strictly liable in these circumstances, I think you could reasonably expect perhaps a voucher off future travel. However, gat agents wouldn't be in a position to offer this.

[1jumbo]

We had the same problem with AA 4 weeks ago was booked on a flight from F Lauderdale to Dallas then on to London Heathrow arrived at airport at 2pm for 4.35 flight to Dallas flight delayed till 5.15 then 5.30pm at 5.30 it was announced flight to Dallas cancelled pilot wouldn't fly because of weather go & collect luggage then go to agent to rebook ( was 78 of us from a Princess cruise ) when we arrived the queue was neverending 1 of the passengers asked to see a supervisor never came after over 3hrs of waiting managed to get a flight next day from Miami to Chicago then to Heathrow asked for hotel & transport voucher said no.By now it was 9pm got a shuttle from F Lauderdale to Miami to find hotel eventually got one at 10pm.Next day arrived at Miami for 4.40 flight to Chicago delayed yet again then announced due to mainenance flight would not leave till 7pm all those on connecting flight to Heathrow would miss it GREAT ,we asked to have our luggage taken off as we decided to stay in Miami for the night told no would have to collect it from Heathrow 3 days after we land not viable as we live over 3 hrs away.Decided to catch flight & find a hotel in Chicago worse was to come.My wife is a nervous flyer as we took off there was a horrendous noise & debris flying around I looked up & one of the panels on the ceiling had come unstuck due to pressure the cabin steward went into the toilet got some paper & shoved it in then got someone from the flight deck to check
it, the noise subsided but no explanation or apology. As we had a time change on route managed to catch connecting flight
I wrote to AA on 5th April the automatic response said reply in 5-7 working days I am still waiting
We are greatly out pocket with hotel,transfer,food also we had a hotel booked in UK as I didnt fancy the drive home lost out on that too

This was our first experiance with AA will stick to British in future

We have also contacted Princess but said it was the Airlines fault

[sad.dad]

here's the letter that i wrote to aa:


"Subject: Dissatisfaction with Customer Service's Ineptitude
The word that best describes seeing your youngest daughter's face light up as she walks across the stage with her college diploma in hand is: priceless. It is one of those moments that cannot be fully captured by photograph or video. Missing such an important event is more than a tragedy, especially if it is preventable, as it seems to have been with the case of our flight, flight 614, on Friday, May 20, 2011.
My wife and I arrived at the airport at approximately 4:30 pm, an hour prior to our flight's departure. We started out at gate A19, but within 30 minutes of our arrival we were told that our gate had been changed to A28. We waited at A28 for our flight to be called, but were informed of a delay. This persisted til 9 pm. At that time, we were sent back to A19, where we were told that the delay was due to there being no pilot for a Baltimore flight. Apparently, that Baltimore flight was impeding the departure of all other flights. We were told to wait. We continued to patiently wait with the hopes that we would still be able to make it to the graduation ceremony. About 11:15 pm, an announcement was made of a final gate change—in terminal D. We rushed to take the next SkyLink, and arrived at gate D23, only to be told that the plane needed to be cleaned and prepped for departure. We waited there until past midnight, only to be informed of our flight's cancellation. 8 hours after we had arrived at the airport, my wife and I had to turn around and return home, disappointed and heartbroken, with no hope of another flight to Boston until Sunday, well after our daughter's 1 pm graduation on Saturday.
I cannot pretend that we were the only people to be disappointed by this turn of events. There were scores of other people with whom we commiserated during the 8 hours of waiting. However, I can only tell you what we experienced. We missed that moment of accomplishment and pride. Additionally, this was supposed to be the whole family's vacation. The last time all of our 5 children and their families were gathered was Thanksgiving. Instead of celebrating with them, we were forced to call our children, letting them know that we'd be unable to make the family reunion.
According to the announcements made about our delay, this was directly the result of mismanagement on the part of American Airlines. While we should have been accommodated on the next flight, at the very least we should have received vouchers for meals, and upon the cancellation of our flight, we should have received compensation for our travel back home. I was told that the full amount of our fares would be returned my credit card, but have yet to see evidence of this.
As a small business owner, I like to support local businesses and have loyally used American Airlines over the years. However, as a direct result of this experience, I am reluctant to ever use American Airlines again. I don't know what could change my mind, but the incentive would have to be significant."

[Shinseidoka]

Re: Flight canceled, no vouchers provided for transportation and hotel (re fire in MIA)

Frankly, when there is this type of delay, due to an emergency, do you really expect the airline to call all the passengers? I find that unreasonable. In my own opinion, it's the traveller's responsibility to check things before they head to the airport! Every single time! And especially when you travel via/thru one of the most 'difficult' airports in N.America!

[Max Sharratt]

I had the misfortune to be booked on AA flight AA 1932 from Miami to Montreal on Sunday, 19 June with ETD of 20.25. I should add that I had travelled to Miami on AA flight AA248 from Brasilia on the same day.
I can say with all honesty that in over 40 years of flying in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, South America and Africa that I have never experienced such inexcusable treatment by any airline as was meted out by AA in Miami on the night of 19 June and early morning of 20 June. I shall never travel AA again and will warn friends, colleagues and anyone prepared to listen not to do so. I am preparing a newspaper article to be published here in Brasilia to the same effect.
The original gate for departure from Miami was given as D46. The ETD had been revised to 20.55 by the time I arrived at the gate around 20.00 due to an hour’s delay in the arrival of AA248 due to late departure from Brasilia and bad weather in Miami which had closed the airport for a short time. There was a flight to San Juan at gate D46 and all passengers had embarked on that flight by around 20.30. At around 21.00 AA staff at the gate announced that the San Juan aircraft had been embarked before arrival of all the crew who had still not arrived. So, Montreal AA1932 passengers were informed, we would have to wait at D46 until the gate was freed or maybe there would be a gate change. At around 21.15 a gate change to D39 was announced. On arriving there we were told that the aircraft to Montreal was still not ready and there would be a further delay of 20 minutes. This turned out to be 30 minutes at least but around 22.00 embarcation commenced. By 22.30 embarcation had been completed and dinner orders for business class passengers taken by stewardess Eva Von Bromssen although by the time she got to me on the last row of business there was no longer any alternatives.
Shortly afterwards, business class passengers witnessed the male flight attendant on the flight shouting angrily at someone trying to embark along the lines of “get off”. A few minutes later the pilot emerged from the cockpit and reprimanded the flight attendant and I caught phrases such as “I should have been consulted”. The flight attendant attempted to respond but finally turned on his heels and marched into the coach sector. A few minutes later the pilot announced that a passenger had been removed from the aircraft and his checked luggage would have to be removed. This would cause a further delay while his luggage was located and there was a critical time issue in reaching Montreal before the airport curfew there. A little before 23.00 the pilot informed the passengers that the flight could not make Montreal before the curfew and was therefore cancelled and that we should all disembark and rebook our flights.
Being in business I was one of the first to leave the aircraft and upon reaching the rebooking area I was confronted with a long queue from another cancelled flight. I waited in line until after midnight. Fellow passengers in the line told me that a young man was ejected from the flight by the flight attendant because he was either drunk or drugged and was causing a disturbance. I was also told that the flight attendant involved had also left the flight, whether ordered to by the pilot or on his own volition.
On reaching the desk I was informed that I had been rebooked on flight AA 1984 at 08.25 the next morning on coach class and that I would have to wait until 20.25 if I insisted on a business class seat. I have been delayed by volcanic ash, strikes, bad weather etc and have always been accommodated at the airline’s expense but the AA supervisor at the desk was adamant that AA was not prepared to do this. She even tried to justify the cancelation of the flight as due to bad weather which was an outright lie as the problem was caused by the removal of a passenger who should never have been allowed to embark in the first instance.
I was given a discount voucher to the Nht Courtyard Marriot and told to make my way to the exit opposite gate D25. It was around 00.30 and the Skytrain airport was no longer operating so a steady stream of exhausted passengers had to make their way to gate D25 on foot.
I waited until 01.30 for a shuttle which never came and I was subsequently informed by the driver of the shuttle to another Marriot that the shuttle to the Nth Courtyard Marriot did not run after midnight. All the hotels in the region were full as I was told by the drivers of the few shuttles remaining. The airport was closed so at nearly 02.00 I had to take a taxi to a very dilapidated motel called the Miami Springs Inn with dirty bed linen and a lock on the door which did not function. I could easily have been assalted or worse. I have given this as a personal safety share example to employees of Rio Tinto with advise to avoid at all cost flying with American Airlines who simply abandoned passengers to their own devices at after midnight. The discount voucher to the hotel states that a courtesy AA has negotiated a special distressed rate with the hotel. I would comment that AA has no idea of the meaning of the word courtesy.
The whole episode is now in the hands of the company I represent who I am hoping will take a very strong stance on the issue.