American Airlines
Poor service!

I work for a mission organization and in March I led a group on a mission trip to Ecuador. There had been many challenges on this project and I was looking forward to my trip home.

My flight originated in Sacramento, then to Dallas, on to Miami and then to Ecuador. I would be taking the same legs back home. After I returned to Dallas, I was waiting at the gate, where they announced several times that the flight had been overbooked and they were looking for three people to take a later flight. I was exhausted and did not want to delay my return. The first announcement offered a $100 voucher for American. The next announcement offered $200. And the third announcement offered a $300 voucher and some other incentives. No one was taking them up on the later flight and they were getting desperate.

I had chosen a seat at the very back of the plane, and was therefore in the first boarding group. I had a very small backpack (smaller than a standard purse), my camera bag and my carryon. When I got to the area where they scan your boarding pass, I was told that I had way too much luggage. I told them that my backpack and camera bag always got stowed under the seat in front of me and my carryon would go in the overhead compartment. After all, I had already completed five legs in my trip that way, without any problems. They told me that there was no way they would let me on the plane with my “excessive” items. When I got upset, they told me if I was to say one more word, they would kick me off the plane. That’s when I realized that this was how they were going to solve the overbooking problem.

I reluctantly gave them my carryon case, which I watched the lady at the gate chuck in a corner. As I moved down the gangway, I heard the two American employees make fun of me to the people behind me in line.

Some friends of mine that had joined me on that trip and were not boarding until later, told me that they were told if they didn’t put their tiny video camera in her purse, they would have to check it or be kicked off the plane. Can you imagine? The camera was around her neck on a strap and was literally 4” wide and 6” long. When I told them what happened to me, they were furious. It is obvious to me now, that American has given their employees complete control to do whatever necessary to resolve overbooking issues.

Upon arriving at home, all my fragile items in my carryon were broken. I had a laptop from my work in there and was afraid to even turn it on. Luckily it worked, but all other items were beyond repair.

I travel extensively for work and will never take American again. I’d rather pay a little extra, to not have to deal with them again.

Company: American Airlines
Country: USA

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