At American Airlines nothing is more important than ‘D0’ it often seems as if American would be happy if they could eliminate customers from the equation and just run their operation they’d be happy.
D0 means flights departing exactly on-time. And they’re willing to sacrifice most everything else for that goal. Gate agents can skip processing upgrades. Flight attendants get called in if they delay a flight for catering to bring servingware for international first class.
Departing on-time matters. If you depart on-time you’re more likely to arrive on-time. However,
- It means having systems down to accomplish everything that’s necessary in time, whether it’s all of the work needed at the gate or having everything on board for the flight — not skipping over things.
- The airline needs to staff appropriately to get this done, not tell staff to skip over necessary items if they feel they don’t have time.
There’s a new story that provides an illustration of what the way American has implemented their focus on D0 means for customers.
On August 7 a pastor brought 40 people on a mission trip they had all raised money to take. They arrived at the airport two hours before their flight. Only one person was ahead of them at the check-in desk in Cincinnati.
- One agent was assigned to handle check-in for all 40 of them
- They decided to check in everyone, and then try to put all 40 bags on the chaperone’s reservation. Then they went back to assign bags separately to each passenger. This ordeal took about an hour and a half.
- With only 30 minutes to departure they went to security and they ran to the gate. They arrived 7 minutes prior to scheduled push back.
- The door was closed. The gate agent wouldn’t let the group of 40 people on board.
The group was forced to pay for hotel rooms and fly out the next day. Check-in again took an hour and a half but they came to the airport even earlier, and ironically the plane had to be held several minutes for late arriving crew. (Obviously the plane cannot take off with crew, but to a passenger it’s hard to understand holding the plane for people in that case but not the day before when airline staff delayed their group.)
The pastor says he had to argue to even get everyone rebooked, that airline staff told them it was all their fault for showing up late. The group lost part their trip, and were out $1350 in additional costs.
According to American Airlines,
We are aware of the issue, and our customer relations team has reached out to Mr. Davis to obtain additional details of what transpired at the airport. Our [Cincinnati airport] team is also reviewing these allegations. We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans, and we are sorry for the trouble this caused. The group was rebooked on a flight the next day.
At Cincinnati airport I believe check-in counter staff also work flights, but apparently no one called down to the gate about these forty passengers. No one wants to get called in for delaying a flight. And if what you measure is D0, all you get is D0 even without passengers on the plane.
(HT: Four different readers who sent me this story all with a subject line mentioning ‘D0’)
D0
Depart with Zero pax
FAA should force airlines to show the number of pax on a flight. If it left with only 10 seats empty maybe they didn’t really want them to make the flight due to oversold situations? D0 seems like an easy scapegoat for just about anything else. Maybe that’s by design.
It’s all part of God’s plan. Mission trips are a ridiculous waste of time that doesn’t make lasting benefit for the communities they target. If anything those Christians just make everything worse by trying to spread the fake news of Christianity to people that never asked for it.
If you have a group of 40 people maybe you should be there 3 hours before a flight to ensure. Yes American had issues, but what if Security lines were long.
Truly amazes me that lack of communication here by all the ground staff and the crew. How does one not question what happened to 40 passengers, who mind you have checked bags, who originated at the current airport, who don’t show for a flight? At that point I would almost consider it a security risk. The “not my problem” mentality for AA that D0 creates continues to be compounded by all the idiotic and unnecessary press it constantly generates.
Also side note, but can you do a post about AAs refreshed gate screens? They no longer show the scheduled times on them only the latest info. Really annoying to quickly glean information from. If a flight is posted as “delayed” but they think they can make up the time you won’t know unless you happen to memorize the original arrival time. Amazes me how far behind they still are from the competition on basic IT stuff like that.
Not to blame the victim, but you have to be aware of of the design of the system and checkin just isn’t designed for large groups. If they had instead passed out credentials to the entire group, they would’ve been checked in one-at-a-time and probably made the flight just fine.
Just like going to Subway behind someone ordering for a group instead of having each person in line order their own sandwich. The process isn’t designed for it and throughput suffers.
It should be noted that this was an international flight. American’s website suggests arrival to the airport 3 hours prior to scheduled departure. This group arrived just under 2 hours before. It is a shame they didn’t open the door for them, but had they followed the suggested times listed on the website, I believe they would have made it with time to spare.
Sorry folks, it’s an AA problem and not a group problem, whether its 40 individual passengers or 1 group of 40 there is no difference in time it should take. I was fortunate that we used Southwest for a travel group of 36, and if you are interested, everyone was checked in as a normal passenger when we reached the counter, all the agents handled us just as they would 40 random passengers.
AA really sucks.
@Marty oh come on. American Airlines does not have any international flights from Cincinnati. They were on international itineraries, sure. But there was one passenger ahead of them in line at the Cincinnati airport. There was no need to show up 3 hours ahead of time, even to account for American Airlines failing to properly manage the check-in process.
The worst part, from an AA operational perspective, is that they didn’t even get the flight off any faster as a result of denying boarding to the 40 people, because the plane still had to be held while all of the luggage was unloaded out of the hold. The plane would’ve been in the air faster if they had just opened the door back up.
I’ve flown in large groups (40+ people) on United several times. Each time the agents checked everyone in as if they were 40+ solo travelers. People could also use the kiosks. Very efficient.
Stupid crap like this is why I am not flying AA or UA any more unless I have to. Less than stellar employees who have no sense and no ability to be creative. No initiative. No idea that the whole point of the entire enterprise is to take care of paying customers.
Southwest NEVER EVER pulls such nonsense.
Despite American’s issues at check-in, which I think were mostly to blame, I do believe that a group this large should have allotted a bit more time (2.5-3 hrs). You never know what issues may arrive between ticketing, checking bags, security lines, person going missing, etc. For such an important trip, I would certainly error on the side of too much time at the airport rather than trying to rush through the process with a group of likely infrequent travelers. The most disappointing aspect of this was how little AA seemed to care. Would it really have killed someone at the gate to call the check-in counter and ask if they had seen a group of 40 people?
EVERY DAY, there seems to be a new reason *not* to fly on American…ever!
My problem is that there are times when flying one of the USL3 seems unavoidable. As a VX elite, and now an elite with AS, it would seem at first glance that I am — thanks to DL’s pressure not only on AS but also on other SkyTeam members to no longer be partners with Alaska — being “pushed” to AA and Oneworld carriers, at least if I want to use my AS miles. (Yes, I know that there are some Star Alliance and independent carriers still partnering with AS.) But for those times when L3 travel is unavoidable, I’m seriously looking at transferable points and DL…
@Gary No articles about the massive, continued failure of the Marriott IT system conversion as well as the Travel Package fiasco?
I’m amused by the ‘show up earlier’ comments. Just because they’re a large group shouldn’t bother things at all. If those 40 actually had seats on the plane then there’s not much difference between being 40 on one reservation or 40 single person reservations, the counter staff needs to check them all in anyway. And each of those 40 single reservations would never think to show up more than 2 hours early for the flight, why should the large group think to? And I guess I’m also confused how the plane would leave with 40 confirmed and checked-in pax not yet at the gate.
AA dropped the ball on this one, refund all their money and pay them back for the hotel rooms.
AA is one of the worst airlines. I will never fly with them again
The big winners here are the folks on the flight with 40 empty seats!
The crew gate and desk agents should be fired. It’s that simple.
No other industry in the world or business owner would allow such sloppy terrible service. You know the desk and gate agents are in the service industry. They forget that. The customers pay a lot and deserve better, much better.
They owe all those kids first class seats on another mission and the gate and desk agents pink slips.
I’m not blaming the church group of 40 but when I travel domestic, I arrive 2 hours before departure for just myself and use any spare time to work in the airport.
@BB actually I wrote about the travel package issue on Saturday evening along with where things stood in IT conversion.
This morning the biggest issue seems to be customers with the wrong status, either too high (lucky them for near-term checkins) or too low. I await an update on that issue
To have just one agent handling check-in (it was probably regional jet) is ludicrous. I have had groups of that size on United where they dedicate an agent to check in the group (they usually have the boarding passes ready before they arrive at the counter) to speed things along. I’ll say that I feel sorry for the pressure many of these airport agents are under, then that’s management’s fault for low wages and a lack of pay. The “US Air-ization” of AA is proving to be a disaster.
the Church Group did Nothing Wrong from CheckIn to proceeding to the Gate. once AAgain AA Management Dropped the Ball, as a CK status flyer with the Airline, it is apparent American is turning into a Clown Show and some changes need to be made or I for One will refrain from using this Circus-like abomination. get rid of the America West mentality….. it Was bad then and even Worse Today!
I am giving all members of the church group a free lav pass on the 737-Max as compensation for this unfortunate situation. They will, however, have to use it a group.
One agent to check in everybody two hours before the flight? Takes ninety minutes to handle the bags? Unable to communicate between check in counter and the gate? Really incompetent stuff. I work with travel groups myself. I always tell people to get to the airport at least two hours early because stuff happens. But I also tell them to just check in at the kiosk and head to baggage drop one by one as they arrive at the airport; the airline doesn’t need the group to be handled as one unit.
I don’t know about DO, but I’d say I’ve departed on time with AA about half the time over the last year. It’s a badly run airline.
Here at Unitedless we couldn’t screw up this bad even if we tried real hard. Now if it was a group of 5, maybe.
@Dug: Now that’s funny!
Who really thinks its is a good idea to show up to the airport with 40 teenagers with less than 2 hours before departure for an international flight. This was 100% caused by the pastor’s lack of planning and tardiness. Since the teenagers are probably minors traveling without their parents internationally there is extra time required for passport verification. Also not to mention how long it takes to get 40 teenagers thru security that may have never been thru airport security before. I would not even attempt to check into an international flight with family of 5 with less than 2 hours until departure.
1.How many groups had the group leader handled. How many in this young group were first time flyers?
What time did ticket counter open(3 hrs useless unless counter is open)..
2. We received a “heads up” at least 24hrs in advance for groups so the ticket counter should have known they were coming…Why did agent try to check 40 bags in one PNR, the system went let you do this unless you pay for excess baggage..why weren’t 2 agents assigned to this group?..one just to tag bags…was over time offered to handle the group?..Where were the MOD and supervisor?
Did anyone escort the group through TSA…I can just imagine the kids had all kinds of things that couldn’t go through security…meanwhile the clock is ticking…Did any of the agents call operations and ask for a hold????…and the other person is correct..how long did it take to offload their bags..Many questions
Doors close 10 minutes early. It’s right on the boarding pass.
We have schedules to adhere to, it takes time to do the final paperwork, and get the flight safely prepped for take off.
Regardless of if it’s 1 passenger, or 101 passengers rules and procedures are in place and need to be folllowed. Especially in the airline environment, wouldn’t want your not adhereing to SOPs would you? Probably not.
Additionally 1 agent is plenty for 40-70 people.
I thought everyone knew that check in for church groups is 40 days and 40 nights. Blame the chaperone. And blame the church members for being crazy enough to check luggage.
For the comments about arriving earlier, yes, it’s on AA’s website. BUT, the group leader had been doing this for ten years without a hitch, and was continuing on that experience. If something’s worked for you that many times, for that long, you understandably think it still will.
My son was in a scout group of 25 on Southwest and they had checked bags. Ok so not international. They arrived at the airport 90 minutes to spare and Southwest checked all of them as if they were 25 separate passengers. To add to the drama my son did not have his passport card (they were flying to Minnesota and then canoeing into Canada). I raced home to pick up his passport and made it back to the airport 30 mins to spare. The rest of the group was already through security and one adult had stayed behind to take my son through. (Funny story is that when he returned we found the passport card in the front pocket of his jacket where he had carefully put it before leaving for the airport).
They should never book 40 passengers on one itinerary and then try and check all the luggage together. Maybe someone was on the do not fly list. I have seen these large groups check in and there is always drama. All it takes is a few of them to not have the proper identification and the whole check in breaks down. Cincinnati is also a small market for AA and they barely have any employees that work there. They should have driven to Chicago for a more reliable check in process.
And they get in their Ken own way! Last Friday everyone boarded and ready to go at d-10. Except they hadn’t catered the plane. That took an hour. Then the rampers has gone so we waited another 25 minutes for them to find someone to push the plane! Treatment of the grounp of 40 appalling.
And they get in their own way! Last Friday everyone boarded and ready to go at d-10. Except they hadn’t catered the plane. That took an hour. Then the rampers has gone so we waited another 25 minutes for them to find someone to push the plane! Treatment of the grounp of 40 appalling.
@Gary @Marty even though cinn was not international their final destination was. The rule says 3 hrs not just for some airports. What do you think they are going to check in at Phl lax Ord. For their inter national flight. The gate agent must verify that the passports are correct there that the have passports or visas or shots BEFORE they get on that cinn flight because that is what is supposed to be done.
@Mark, leaving from Chicago makes a lot of sense if they were from Indy, for example, and the tickets were comparably priced. But this group was from Lexington, so expecting them to anticipate AA’s incompetence and drive 6 hours beyond CVG, risking delays on the road (lots of construction in Indiana this summer) and possibly equal incompetence in ORD, isn’t reasonable. Better to suggest they fly Delta from CVG (and I’m betting they will next time).
@Tomri yes I understand that their destination is international and that means checking passports. 3 hours isn’t necessary and it is absolutely NOT “the rule.” AA should have gotten this done in time.
Sounds like AA spared the good people of Mexico from being subjected to 40 fundamentalist teenagers… At least for a couple days.
@Ray – wow. Just wow.
LOL, James- I leave my house for the airport 1 hr 45 minutes before my flight, traveling internationally with a family of 5, and never had the slightest issue. Of course, I live in Singapore- you people in the USA have a special hell…
I’m missing some logic here – what’s the point of traveling as a group? Are these people not capable of having individual reservations? Too much care-taking in my view.
What did it matter that it was a “group?” If I arrive and there is a long line, what are they going to just leave half of the line S.O.L. because of staffing issues? This sounds like something a low cost airline would do. Not AA. (Well, I wouldn’t expect it of AA). They should have held the plane. As it was, the lack of pax on board surely delayed the aircraft’s departure while they found and removed the bags!! Stupidity at it’s finest. The person in charge of closing the doors should be FIRED as it not only cost AA money in delay removing bags, but created 40 unhappy customers. Customers… that are the LIFE BLOOD.
I am an American flyer with 6.5 million miles/Exec Plat so I have some loyalty. I never heard of this thing – when did it start? I can’t figure out whether it is D “oh” or D “zero?”
The legacy American staff are generally a bit more responsive. The legacy USAir haven’t always got up to the AA standard yet. There seems to be a much higher percentage of delays/cancelations due to equipment this year, though. I have had 4 red-eyes (2 unscheduled) in the last 2 weeks. It does help to have CLEAR, though.
Little sympathy here… kudos American for on time arrivals and departures. Those of us who fly regularly appreciate the attention to pulling away from the gate on time. Have had the same thing happen departing QATAR. Try that for cab fare and overnight hotel uncompensated. Bottom line is if “mission” means “international”, then it’s three hours. for a group that size. Period. 40 people all at the same time for an international departure from just about any airport, ..unless everyone is TSA prechecked, is inadequate preparation. And if travellers had more than one checked bag or oversized carryons? Good grief.
Get over it Pastor. Check your ego and get in line with the rest of us.
A forty-person group should arrive with sufficient extra time to process the group. The three hour recommendation applies. I don’t see that identifying the group of forty people as a church group makes an iota of difference. There are, at least not yet, no FAA regulations making church groups a more holy, sacred, or higher-ranked passenger group than anyone else, and we lay passengers (non-church) know enough to arrive three hours early for flights.
I have seen this on the news. Let’s suppose all 40 got on the plane and went about their business. No one in the news would have recorded anything. Now we know that this was a church group on a missionary trip. Don’t think for a second that God is not in control.
I’ve been a frequent flyer for years….years ago American was not like this. This type of service did not begin until American was taken over by U.S. Airwarys (always at the bottom of the heap in terms of customer service). The current AA still has many ‘original AA employees’ but their hard work is obviously overshadowed by the U.S. Airways employees who now wear AA uniforms. I went into morning the day it was announced that U.S. Airways was taking over AA. (As a note, I’m now a frequent flyer on a different airline).