American Airlines
Ripoff H.D.Q.D.F.W. Airport, TX 75261-9612

On May 18, my family, Anne, a sixty-eight year old grandmother, Connor, a two year old toddler, and Laura, Connor's mother, were returning to New York after coming to Saint Louis for a graduation. We knew we had to check in at least 30 minutes before take-off.

We were alerted to this fact by a sign at the American Airlines ticket counter. For this reason we arrived more than an hour ahead of time. We attempted to get on the regular check-in line, which had only a few people in queue, but an AA agent blocked us and told we would have to use the self-check-in if we were flying domestically. When I tried to ask a question she cut me off and repeated that domestic passengers had to go to self-check-in. I tried to ask again and was ignored.

There was no real line for self-check-in, more of a mob. The four of us made it through holding the baby's hand and trying to keep our luggage on a cart while fishing for everyone's credit cards.

After some time, we completed that task, got the boarding passes, and waited for the desk agent to give us tags for the luggage. We were told to then go to the blue ropes to drop off our luggage. The area was blocked by carts on one side, a wall on a third side, the only access way was marked do not enter.

Not wanting to violate airport security rules in this time of higher security we asked how to get to the blue rope area. The agent responded that we were to go to the blue ropes to drop off our luggage. When I tried a second time to get a responsive answer, the agent walked away. We could not follow due to the crowds. Given no other choice we went in through the wrong way to drop off our baggage and passed our bags under the blue rope.

We made our way to the security screening area. At that point, we still had 30 minutes to reach the gate. The security line stretched outside the roped area and halfway across the airport's first floor. Despite that, the line moved reasonably well. Once through security, we proceeded to walk toward gate 31. This was not a short trip as the terminal was jammed with people standing on lines for each individual gate along the way.

In addition, one of us was 68 years old and another was 2 years old. As quickly as possible we reached the gate. We reached the gate, prior to the departure time, the ramp door was open, the cabin door was open, and the plane was still there. When we tried to walk on the plane, an AA gate agent blocked us and said that we could not go on the plane. When we asked why she barked that we couldn't and that we had missed the plane. We responded that we had not missed the plane as it was still there, it had not taken off, and all the doors were still open. The agent repeated that we had missed the plane and turned away. Our further attempts to clarify the situation were not successful as the agent was non-responsive, dismissive, and rude.

Later an agent told we could have seats on a flight in five hours and could wait on standby for an earlier flight to a different airport in New York. Because the agent was so non-responsive to other information we called the AA reservations telephone number and found out that our original seats were given away to passengers who had been bumped from an earlier flight due to overbooking.

We informed that phone agent that we checked in well before the required check-in time of thirty minutes prior to departure that is posted in the ticket area of the airport. The agent responded that we, the passengers, should have expected the airport to be crowded and thus should have been at the gate an hour and a half before departure. We demanded that the agent inform us of where this notice is given, informing him that the only notice posted in the boarding area was that Federal Regulations require passengers to check in thirty minutes before departure.

The agent said he didn't know anything about it and we should call St. Louis airport and not the airline. We told the agent he was mistaken: AA took money in exchange for a service; if there was any breach of that agreement; AA would be liable for compensation to the other contracting party; and AA would need to seek indemnification from the airport facility if it so chose.

We also mentioned the under the 1995 Montreal Protocols to the Warsaw Convention, that AA had involuntarily bumped us, and we wanted an immediate flight, if not on AA then on one of the several other airlines that still had flights going out that morning. Because the only flight offered by AA was more than three hours from our original flight, we were entitled to compensation in the amount of 200% of our original ticket value in addition to free flight coupons. The agent suddenly replied that he didn't know anything about our situation and we'd have to speak with the counter agent at the airport who had previously refused to speak to us.

Although our original flight was meant to go to LaGuardia Airport on the north shore of Long Island. We were flown to John F Kennedy Airport on the south shore. AA sent our luggage on our original flight to LaGuardia despite the fact that we were not on the plane. Upon reaching JFK, we asked when we would get our luggage, the AA Agent told us that we could take a cab to the other airport to collect it ourselves or wait another three hours for it to arrive at JFK. Because we were already held over three hours, we had no diapers left for the baby, and Anne's medications were running out, we had to get home as soon as possible.

We hired a car service to take us home. Unfortunately, the car seat for the baby was part of the luggage and thus stuck at a different airport. Therefore, AA gave us a choice of either driving home without a car seat and risking the health of the baby or going without medication and risking Anne's health.

The AA agents told us that our luggage would arrive later that night (Sunday), May 18. It did not. On Monday night May 19, we called again and AA told us it would arrive later that night (Monday). It did not. Finally, on Tuesday, May 20, at 6:15 AM we received a call that it would arrive in a few minutes. An hour and a half later, it arrived. Please note that this was the third day rather than the first.

As if AA had not shown enough disregard for its passengers, AA promised that it would deliver the luggage to the passengers' separate addresses.instead, AA sent it all to Anne's Mount Sinai address, leaving it to Anne Braat to deliver it to the other passengers who lived 10 miles away.in addition, because Ms Satchwill could not take the baby to the sitter until she received the car seat, she was forced to stay home and forgo the service for which she pays.

We point out that we have not been treated with the same disregard by other airlines. For example, when previously bumped from a US Airways flight, USAir informed us of that situation as soon as we checked in, 45 minutes before the plane took off. At that point they asked for volunteers.

It was American Airlines responsibility to inform passengers, at the check-in area, that the flight would be unusually far from the check-in point and would not be easily reachable by older and infant passengers. Until the passengers get to the check-in area, they have no way of knowing from what gate they will leave. Because they are now forced to deal with a machine, rather than an agent, the passengers do not look at the specific gate number until they pass through security. I might add that US Airways and other Airlines point out the gate location to the passengers. Taking at least one flight between New York and Saint Louis per month, that has been our experience.

The airline has control of the instrumentality and has knowledge of how long it takes to reach the gate. To illustrate the distance and crowds involved in this terminal, we point out that other guests at the same graduation left on an AA 7:55 PM flight. After clearing security it took them more than 15 minutes to reach the same gate under less crowded conditions. Those passengers were 24 years old. American Airlines' agents at check-in should understand that a 68 and a 2 year old would take at least as long reaching the gate. Passengers of these age ranges are clearly foreseeable on a passenger airline.in fact, age information is requested when the tickets are purchased.

If AA chooses to save money by forcing passengers against their will to use self-check-in then the airline must bear the consequences if the lack of a human agent leads to the passengers to miss their flight. AA and other Common Carriers cannot selectively reap the cost savings and ignore the cost imposed on others.

AA's gate agents had a duty to announce the passengers' names over the loud speaker before giving the seats away. We heard no such announcements ever though our names are unique and clearly recognizable. If the agents claim to have announced the names, it is the Common Carrier's burden to show that it was done and done in such a way as to ensure that it can be heard. Without evidence of such steps being taken, the logical conclusion is that there was no announcement because it was in AA's pecuniary interest for the passengers to not reach the gate in time.

AA cannot simply claim to shirk responsibility for its actions and inactions, by blaming others.

First, the common carrier is responsible for the actions and inactions of its check-in agents, its gate personnel, and its phone agents under the doctrine of respondeat superior.

Second, the Common Carrier cannot absolve itself of responsibility by blaming the Airport facility. The passengers have entered into a contract with the Common Carrier, not the Airport. If the Common Carrier believes the Airport is responsible for the damages then it is up to the Common Carrier to compensate the passengers and then seek indemnification from the facility.

Third, the Common Carrier responsibility does not sever when it subcontracts to baggage delivery services. The Common Carrier has control over those with whom it contracts and is vicariously liable for their actions and inactions. The passengers do not have control over who will handle their luggage after handing it to airport personnel.

Fourth, because it is reasonably foreseeable by the Common Carrier that its baggage service would fail to deliver baggage until the third day, the Common Carrier must take responsibility for this eventuality.

Fifth, please note that the terminal in question was not a common terminal. It was used exclusively by AA, having been bargained for and contracted for by AA.

Sixth, while the Common Carrier is legally allowed to sell more tickets than it has seats on any given flight, the law is clear that the Common Carrier cannot do so and then take no responsibility for the results. The Common Carrier cannot ignore the basic requirements of compensating. Further, it cannot excuse that right by pointing to conditions that the overbooking caused. Such overbooking was what caused the overcrowded check-in lines, the overcrowded security facilities, and the overcrowded gate areas. This is what led to the non-responsive, short-tempered gate agents, unhelpful, non-responsive check-in agents, and left the agents at the destination unable to cope with the overflow.

When passengers show up, on time, to claim the seats for which they contracted, AA cannot shut them out and make them pay for AA's overbooking gambit. AA cannot claim that the passengers should have expected such delays on a Sunday when the airline itself claims it was surprised by the delays. The probable consequences of these events were entirely ascertainable by AA and should have been factored into the overbooking equation. They are not excuses that give AA the right to bump their economy class passengers. If the gambit had paid off, AA would have profited and would have kept the money. When that gamble loses, AA cannot place the resulting cost onto the backs of its passengers.

We wrote several letters to American Airlines and after sever months were given, each, a $150 voucher. We informed American Airlines that we thought it was insufficient as this was half the cost of one ticket.in addition, the voucher required that we use it on American Airlines within one year.

We informed them that now we know that to get on an AA flight we'll need to get there earlier than with other airlines due to the longer lines at AA's boarding counter (unless forced to use a machine without guidance), the longer lines at AA's security, and the crowds of other bumped passengers in the AA dedicated terminal.
We thanked them for blaming us entirely for how long it took us to reach the departure gate. That, apparently AA has no control over its check-in area, its security area, its dedicated terminal, its baggage services, and its personnel. That such a demonstrated and self-professed lack of control over the most rudimentary elements of running an airline, can only factor into future decisions when choosing between different airlines.

Breandan
new york, New York
U.S.A.

Company: American Airlines
Country: USA
State: Texas
City: H. D. Q. D. F. W. Airport
Address: P.O. Box 619612, MD 2400

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