Airlines market a premium experience. They want you to spend more money than the basic fare. Delta, United and American all work hard to generate a revenue premium, and increasingly passengers are looking for more than the basic transportation that Spirit Airlines and Frontier have offered. Frontier is even adding first class seats, and Southwest is expected to as well!
But what happens when they don’t deliver what they promise? American Airlines says that even their coach ticket “is more than just a seat.” It “includes everything you need for an enjoyable flight.” Sometimes, they don’t even give you the actual seat.
This armrest is a scandal. @AmericanAir Will you be paying the repair bill when my clothes are snagged and ripped? pic.twitter.com/ZW1CKAGcDp
— Sweet Pea (@Beat_Navy) February 27, 2026
@AmericanAir first class seats on American. Flight attendant did what he could when my headrest just fell off… pic.twitter.com/wOSo501z07
— Erich Chatham (@Erich_Chatham) February 27, 2026
And how often have I written about the ‘basket of deplorables’ Airbus A320 fleet that’s a legacy of both US Airways and America West?
Customers are promised – at a minimum – safe, clean and comfortable transportation. But then the safe or clean part isn’t delivered, the airline promised they never offered those. Their contract of carriage disavows responsibility for anything beyond moving you from A to B.
And the Airline Deregulation Act has been read by the Supreme Court to preempt common law torts – you can’t make arguments about a ‘covenant of good faith and fair dealing’ because those are considered state law claims, and federal law trumps those.
The customer who shared the arm rest photo above wrote to American Airlines, and American responded that “we don’t offer compensation for this situation.” They consider their product fully delivered. Put another way, for all the marketing spin about premium, this is what they believe their actual product is.
@AmericanAir Hard to understand why compensation isn’t offered: I paid for a fully functioning seat, including armrest.
Going forward, is there a discount code to use in case I want another uncomfortable flight where I remain contorted and unable to fully relax in my chair? pic.twitter.com/oICTYmcEAp
— Sweet Pea (@Beat_Navy) March 2, 2026
And here’s a customer who complained about a broken first class tray table – there was an ‘out of order’ sticker on it and they could not use it to eat, so they didn’t get their first class meal. American’s response was: “you won’t get a partial refund.”
American feels they fully delivered the purchased first class service, even though they advertise a “premium” experience with “premium dining” that this customer could not have. You got what you deserve.
Check out this @AmericanAir customer service pic.twitter.com/nbnfxe9NoO
— Boston Globe Pitchbot (@BostonSatire) March 2, 2026
In perhaps the most extreme example of this I’ve seen, a mother bought her infant a paid seat on American Airlines, but the airline reassigned that seat to another passenger and required the child to fly as a lap infant instead. When she sought a refund for the unused paid seat, American refused on the theory that the “child flew,” so no refund was due.
American is not alone in this. A hill I will die on is that when an airline fails to deliver the product that they market to customers then they have not earned the fare, and the customer is due something back. The Department of Transportation doesn’t enforce this, and airlines were granted a liability shield. That gives them a federal license to steal, and it shouldn’t be this way.
In the past year I’ve had a couple broken tray tables in first leading me to have to balance the meal tray on my lap. That being said I’d certainly take that over getting downgraded or the flight delayed while maintenance comes onboard and tries to fix it. Whether something like this can be avoided by better line maintenance I have no idea. But parts on planes do break.
It’s semantics. What “you” consider delivered, vs what the consider delivered.
Meals and other stuff are extras they don’t compensate you for. I once had a 6 hr rolling delay from BWI that didn’t take off until after midnight and I was in fist class. When I complained about not getting any meals, etc. they said sorry and that was it.
AA and BA are certainly two airlines sinking fast. Southwest is losing a ton of customers first due to changes (I’m not really against the changes) and then completely messing up the implementation of the new seating and boarding. Frequently people paying for a good seat and being moved at the last minute to a middle seat. Their software, as it has for years, sucks.
When Mayor Pete was running the Transportation Department he was making efforts to hold the airlines more accountable, but powerful lobbying put the kibosh on that. God forbid our profits drop by one penny because we had to spend money to make our planes less like inner-city busses. That’s my multi-million dollar bonus you’re talking about. Rejoice, for now the only difference between the airlines and Greyhound is that one has wings. Don’t whine to me, this is what you all voted for. All while Bibi’s son works on his tan on Miami Beach.
A321T, 5F, broken seat, but it could be manually lowered and raised. Still better than a recliner.
“Fix. Your. Planes.” … “Clean. Your. Planes.” … “Pay. Your. People.”
Airlines either deliver the experience promised by their glossy marketing or they get hounded mercilessly. Far too frequently ought to be the latter.
Fake picture. Plane would not be able to be sent out like that. Tray must be locked. Someone ripped the tape and then took a picture.
The worst informed people are the ones on travel blogs. Without credit card income every airline out there would be losing money and maybe at best breaking even. Your under cost domestic coach seat is subsidized by credit card income and long haul business class. Personally, I’d rather get rid of the ULCC airlines and have airlines have fares that would enable airlines to offer a decent service and return on investment and capital. But again the people here think you can have Frontier fares and PanAm Clipper service. I doubt any of you run a business.
American Airlines is just evil
@George Romey — “The lady doth protest too much, methinks…” #ProjectMuch?
Sorry, lemme reword: “I’m George Nathan Romey, and I think you’re all idiots! I’m the only one with the truth!” Are you a goalie? Because that’s some excellent gate-keeping you got up there, sir.
I don’t know why the airlines don’t get out ahead of this kind of issue? With advances in technology, the airlines could learn from stores like Walmart and offer a damaged product discount.
Instead of surprising travelers with broken tray tables, arm rests or seats, offer these seats up with a damaged inventory discount. Sell these seats at say a $50 discount and watch travelers fight over these suddenly in demand “special values”. Passengers will never complain about a wobbly armrest again. In fact, they might actually complain when the damaged seat gets repaired!!
@1990
you truly rival Tim Dunn for the most refreshes on a webpage per second.
Romey posts at 1058am and you’re ready post-reading with your usual dumb quip 2 minutes later followed by another one immediately after.
Truly, do you have a job?
@ Georg
“I’d rather get rid of the ULCC airlines and have airlines have fares that would enable airlines to offer a decent service and return on investment and capital.”
That is a fallacy George. Without low cost competitors AA has no incentive to use profits to improve the service
Why do people insist on flying AA?
Is free lounge food more important to you than a good flight( a plane that is properly equipped, serviced by happy people, flights on time, and no hasselling the customers
It’s sad that my flights on their regional carriers have been far better. The service was good and the cabin was in good shape.
@MaxPower — Sorry that I wasn’t quicker. *sigh*
This is why you need to fly Delta it is always true premium always perfect
Passengers are also screened for flatulence prior to boarding also to insure premium fresh air
They also always turn a profit
Best Regards TIM DUNNS son
Kidding aside I’ve noticed American doing nothing to resolve issues even twisting truths to avoid any compensation.I continue to support them having flown them some 30 years and a Lifetime Emerald but I do have a mix of others I fly too.
I’ve also witness hotel companies doing something similar no working hvac
And issuing meager compensation where in the past you would get a free night or 50% off etc
It has taught me to be more selective to brand and reputation where I know they have my back
Ugh.
@1990 — I suppose it could’ve been worse: Earl of Lemongrab could’ve been on the plane. “this seat is in unacceptable condition….”
@L737 — “A lemon gives by taking…and cares by yelling!”
We’re basically already living in his paranoid kingdom these days anyway.
The only thing that can make it all right is one of Jake the Dog’s ‘everything’ burritos.