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Rule 240 and American Airlines. Oh, how they disappoint! (1 Viewer)

PhillJones

Second Unit
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Jan 20, 2004
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Last week-end. The wife and I went to Texas for a family reunion. Our flight was delayed for maintainence reasons and we would have missed our connection. The story eventually turned out okay as we re-routed to my Wife's parents and drove down to the reunion with them from another city in Texas.

When we were negotiating with the person at the checkout desk. We asked them to put us up in a hotel in our connecting city as we'd be there overnight. They refused. I thought they had to do this by law but as it turns out, they don't. Since de-regulation, each airlines rule 240 is their own business and slowly, they're taking protections away. It seems they used to: rebook you on the next airplane that's going to the same place, irrespective of whether the seats are economy or first and which airline they belong to; and put you up in a hotel if you were stranded for more than four of the hours between 10PM and 6AM. It seems that AA have decided that they don't have to do that anymore. They'll book you on the next AA flight but only if it's the same ticket price. They'll put you up if they have any of their pre-reserved room left. They won't even use the same hotel if they've run out of AA alloted rooms. So it's the luck of the draw whether you sleep in a bed or on the chairs in the departure lounge.

They've also stopped serving meals at all as far as I can tell. It's no frills service at full service prices.

So much for customer service. I was appaulled at how rubish AA is.

Just thought I'd share,
Phill
 

Pamela

Supporting Actor
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Mar 14, 2001
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AA was serving "Bistro Bag" meals. Just some nasty-ass food in a blue bag. This past December, I flew United and they sold meals to passengers. Just made reservations on AA and I think they're selling meals now, also. Don't much care. I usually grab a salad in the airport and take it on with me.

Fly first class and you will get a decent meal. In December, my United flight was canceled due to fog and they couldn't get me out until the next day. The agent actually booked me in first class. I think he was relieved I didn't give him attitude. Apparently the people in front of me were rude. There were some empty seats in coach, so it wasn't because there weren't any seats left. I had a lovely plate of melon and prosciutto. Very tasty! And wine, and warm mixed nuts, and more wine, and warm chocolate chip cookies. I'll be flying again in a few weeks with American. First class—I used my frequent flyer miles!

It seems all airlines are cutting down on perks and service. I really noticed it after 9/11.
 

Philip_G

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I don't understand what the problem is honestly, load factors are quite high, if you can't make money at 65% or better... uh, I don't know.
 

Kevin Hewell

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I flew to San Francisco from Atlanta on Air Tran and all they served were snacks (nuts and chips). I made sure to pack a couple of sandwiches in my carry-on on the flight back.
 

alan halvorson

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And, according to what I read, it's all our fault. When booking a flight, the overriding factor is price - service, food, all else is a very distant second. So the airlines are responding. I can do without a meal on a 2-3 hour flight, if it's cheaper that way.
 

BrianB

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They have huge fixed costs that they can't easily control combined with gas costs they can't afford combined with debts they can't manage amongst other things.
 

Philip_G

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they do..

you're neglecting fuel hedging, NWA makes more money hedging fuel than they do flying passengers, or did last time I heard someone from NWA speak, maybe 3 years ago. Same usually goes for cargo.
Just because oil prices are up doesn't mean the airlines are paying it, yet anyway. Of course united just mothballed all their expensive leases in the desert, I guess you can do that when you're under bankruptcy protection and don't want to pay for them. They're recalling flight attendants and pilots though, but still not turning a profit.

Anyway, at a 65+ percent load factor they should be able to turn a profit in spite of the fixed costs, unless they're stuck in a prisoners' dilemma trying to undercut each other, when in reality cooperation between firms would be beneficial to all.

I really think what you'll see is the pendulum swing from the multiple carriers you see now back towards a few big fish running the show like the the regulation days, then slowly back to the big fish and a bunch of smaller carriers. back and forth, back and forth, buying each other out.
 

Dave_Brown

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 6, 2001
Messages
666
I never understood why people get worked up over not getting a meal on a plane. It's transportation, not a restaurant. I always decline the "meal" when on a plane, I either bring my own or recognizing that 4-6 hours in the air isn't going to kill me if I don't have food service.
 

PhillJones

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
472
My big beef with them though wasn't the lack of a meal. That was just surprising given the fact that they call themselves a full service airline.

The major upset was their refusal to accomadate us in any way shape or form despite the fact that the delay was entirely their fault. They just wouldn't provide a way for us to get from where we were to where we wanted to be without spending a night sleeping in a airport or paying for our own hotel room.

Surely this is just plain wrong, no excuses.

Our flight out of Dallas was also delayed; they couldn't find a crew to staff it so it was five hours delayed. That's just bad management.
 

JeremyErwin

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Feb 11, 2001
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Domestic airline passengers evidently have few standards, so the race to the bottom is swift and sure.

From Patrick Smith's "Ask the Pilot" column:


source

I suppose one could argue that airline foods have been traditionally poor, therefore, little is missed. Yet another standard to drop.
 

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