Last month American Airlines fully rolled out a new tool called AURA, the “AUtomated ReAccommodation” tool to rebook passengers when their flights are cancelled or delayed.
But this tool does so predictively. As American describes it in internal documents,
AURA utilizes a concept called discovered inventory, in which it identifies passengers that are certain to misconnect and utilizes that available inventory for protecting other passengers who may need that space.
They take passengers off of flights who haven’t missed them yet, but where the airline is ‘certain’ they will misconnect, in order to give those seats to other passengers. “PRNG Update” in a reservation means that AURA tool has run:
As I wrote in May when revealing the plan, people occasionally have flights where it’s ‘obvious’ they cannot make their connection and then something happens at the last minute so that they do.
- The connecting flight gets delayed!
- And they run between flights and make it, just before doors close!
Now they might find themselves without the connection, even though circumstances lined up so that they could have made it if American hadn’t given their seat to someone else instead. American said this wouldn’t happen but it appears to be happening.
A reader shares their experience this past weekend flying from Portland, Maine to Chicago and on to San Diego in first class.
- Their first segment was delayed half an hour, and they share “it looked like I was gonna misconnect, even though the second leg was also delayed.”
- They were removed automatically from their connecting flight prior to touchdown at Chicago O’Hare.
- He “hustled from [gate] L10 to H16 …and made it there while they were still on Group 4. Of course my [boarding pass] no longer worked so I had to speak to the” gate agents.
- He was told,
[Y]our seat has been reaccomodated twice so it’s no longer available. We have an exit row or you can fly first tomorrow.
The passenger noted he’d “paid for first” and asked for his seat back from whomever was upgraded into it. That was declined. He asked for downgrade compensation and was told to contact customer service. At that point he was willing to overnight in Chicago to fly up front to San Diego the next day, and the agent was willing to provide a hotel room.
However another first class passenger, who wasn’t automatically removed from the flight by AURA, misconnected. He was given their seat and, he says, flew on the flight he’d originally intended. But this new tool will mean situations like this happen more and more.
Interesting but not surprising – my son had a similar situation in Charlotte last weekend, though he intentionally and proactively took a flight the next morning when it looked like he was going to misconnect. But then his first flight “made up time” and American delayed the 2nd flight.
He ran through the airport, got there on time, but was told there was nothing he could do but wait for the flight the next morning.
It worked out fine (following your oft-stated advice of not waiting for the airlines to provide compensation we are just relying on CC trip delay insurance)
Not sure this is totally “new”. I have had it happen for a few years. Seats reassigned based on scheduled arrival or departure time of connections rather than actual times. It is really better for everyone in general if planes leave full during IRROPS.
Stop running through planes and through airports. I applaud AA for indirectly trying to put an end to this practice. There’s nothing more frustrating upon arrival than passengers pushing and shoving their way up the aisle. There is always a next flight, and the airlines should use apps and communication with passengers more often to assure them they will be accommodated to their final destination.
Denied boarding compensation? AA will deny it?
To Alison: If you are a family travelling internationally on vacation the next flight might be very inconvenient. I totally disagree with you that people should not run to catch their flight.
There is always a next flight?
Sounds like someone who hasn’t had to stand there and watch her international connection take off.
Then had to try to rebook the 3 connecting flights associated with it on international airlines. Especially when they dont allow free changes.
I miss my flight to JFK because of this, then miss a flight to Singapore, followed by a flight to Jakarta, followed by a flight to Manado.
And in some countries, the flights aren’t daily but maybe 3 times a week.
Think beyond your own bubble.
@Alison – Yes “there is always a next flight” but in today’s environment that next flight may be a couple of days away.
Terrible idea! AA looks for ways to upset their customers. Mind boggling!
Happened to me coming back from Hawaii last week. They assumed I was going to miss my connection in LAX so they canceled my seat and rebooked me on a flight the next day. The interesting thing is I couldn’t miss my connection because the plane I was on was the plane I was connecting to. When I walked off the plane and found this out, I was not very pleased. They had already given away my seat.
@Alison – Or you could show courtesy to your fellow passengers on an unplanned tight connection knowing that next time it could be you.
It also seems to me that American is posting more routes with very short short connecting times. For example, 40 minutes at DFW, CLT and PHX. This will mean more missed connections and more AURA-related situations. And with planes running full most of the time, the “next flight” may be the next day!
@Alison
“There’s nothing more frustrating upon arrival than passengers pushing and shoving their way up the aisle”.
Really? You think *that* is more frustrating than missing a connecting flight through no fault of your own?
I haven’t flown AA for years now, customer service is atrocious.
@Alison – if AA is willing to cover anything prepaid that the pax misses it on then you’re right, there’s always a next flight. @Gary, what does the contract of carriage say about giving away a seat when the pax arrives in time? Payment for goods and services would seem to require that it stay available until the plane has to leave.
“It’s the schedule.”
At least UA has program to track late arriving connecting flights, and often holds them.
Your choice on who you fly.
I experienced this in a very frustrating and confusing way, involving BA codeshare flights. My AA flight from ORD to LHR was two hours late arriving. My original layover was 2 1/2 hours, thus I assumed I would miss my connection to Belfast on BA (booked as an AA codeshare). However, my BA flight ended up being 4 hours delayed. I was able to make my original flight as did a checked bag. However unbeknownst to me since the AA app was not working well and I obtained a paper BA boarding pass at Heathrow, AA had rebooked me on a flight to Dublin (in an entirely different country, yes I know the cities aren’t that far apart but I never intended to go to Dublin). Because apparently AA and BA don’t communicate with each other effectively anymore, AA thought I no-showed the Dublin flight.
Guess what happened when it was time to check in my flight from Belfast to London 4 days later? My return flight reservations were cancelled out when I “missed” the Dublin flight. No one from AA had a clue what to do. I’m EXP by the way and that special EXP number does nothing special these days. They claimed no one from BA was “picking up the phone” and they could not re-book me. I could not even book a new flight to London on BA because it was within 24 hours and I had to call BA and yes, no one was answering the phone! Eventually I was able to reinstate my return flights with help from my father stateside (he’s a retired frequent flyer with prior Concierge Key status and time on his hands–it took him over 4 hours on the phone with AA).
Lessons learned? AA/BA relationship awful. I should have been more wary when I couldn’t even check in the second leg to Belfast in Chicago. My checked bag was ticketed to Belfast, but I had to separately check in on the BA app. I’ve never had that happen before. Oh, and don’t travel to Europe in the summer. It was crowded beyond belief although Belfast was lovely.
Nothing is permanent. Change is inevitable. The future cannot be predicted. Enjoy your life. It is not what you think.
Alison needs our patience. I believe she pointed out in her first post that she went to Harvard and retired from a big-time NY law firm.
Totally irresponsible policy that AA is instituting.
Do they not realize that a great percentage of the time people have an accommodation already paid for (which is past the date/time of cancellation for the 1st night)
AA, too frequently, not only has the 1st leg of one’s flight running late,… but also the 2nd leg, meaning what arrival time the 1st leg has, while it may be late, doesn’t necessarily mean the passenger is automatically going to miss the connection flight.
Furthermore, as what is usually my airline, due to their routes matching my destination, I have made my connection flight, intentionally, with a layover of at least 2½ hours in the airport. AA has arbitrarily notified me by email a few days before my flight that I have been reassigned to an earlier flight (not a choice for me to accept or not, and also not a case of my original connection being canceled… but rather just because- yep, smells like an overbooked flight doesn’t it)
On at least 80% of these occasions AA has switched me to a flight with less than 1 hour connection… and with most of their first legs being late, it’s caused me to miss my connection on at least half of those occasions.
Not good.
American is not alone here, Delta did this same thing recently…. Original flight was delayed 30 minutes with a scheduled 40 minute connection in Atlanta. Pilot made up 20 minutes. The flight arrived into Atlanta and my in-laws were first off the plane.
Boarding was underway when my in-laws arrived at their connecting gate. They’re boarding passes didn’t work. Delta had rescheduled them to the next morning and the gate agent refused to let them onto their original flight (saying he didn’t have time to get them reinstated on the flight). There were seats available. Delta did provide hotel vouchers and food. Of course their luggage made the original connection. First class wasn’t available the next morning. Delta agreed to give back half of the ticket price due to the downgrade and Delta provided food/hotel vouchers. All wasted money. And my in-laws don’t want to fly Delta anytime soon. Hopefully these Airlines computer systems will get better.
Another reason not to fly american airlines.
I am sure this would have played out differently had the passenger not been in first class. They most certainly would have said tough luck and not offered a hotel or anything else.
This is why I try to book nonstops as much as possible. For some parts of the country that’s just not possible though. And those people are going to get hosed by this. American is not only in serious decline…its executives are deliberately leading the way under the mistaken belief that this will improve things.
The scary part is they did this without Scott Kirby being the driving force behind it. That United hasn’t followed suit (so far), or implemented it first with Kirby at the helm says something…
@Alison, your post is insensitive to the fact that there may be a very good reason people need to get where they are going on the flights that they booked. Nobody likes to be pushed or shoved and that is likely unintended as people are rush to catch a close connection. A little empathy and understanding – and attempts to make way – are more helpful overall than the presumption that they should just miss the flight and wait when none of us know the specifics of their situation.
That’s fine if the next flight is only a few hours and it’s your last flight. DL automatically rebooked us when our flight from LGA to ATL was delayed due to mechanical issue and then had to be de-iced. The delay ate up our layover in Atlanta. They booked us on the next flight to Birmingham which was fine, because that was our final destination. There was the same amount of layover as it would have been. However, we had booked comfort plus and Delta told me that I had booked it for the earlier flight, not the flight that they put me on. They didn’t really want offer me compensation, I reached out on social media and got some airline miles back. That’s one reason I try to fly through a hub that has several flights a day back to my home city.
It is a terrible policy compounded by the fact AA pushes these 35-40 minute connections online which is actually 25-30 minute till boarding is closed. I fly through DFW continuously and often connect a second time via another AA hub. My minimum connection time I will book is 1.5 hours and seek out 2 hours if possible. I always carry work or something to do in the airport to use the time. Saves me running to catch a flight nearly every trip. I know it does not work for everyone to have long connections though. Gate agents can check in close to real time when a specific passenger will land and likely get to the departing gate. They should give the late passenger every opportunity before giving away the seat. After all it is probably because AA screwed up that the passenger is late. Adds insult to be told you can go on the next flight especially the next day or longer.
@matt what have you flown where the customer services is great?
International and domestic please.
@Matt – contract of carriage only requires an airline to get you from point A to point B. You technically don’t purchase a seat or specific flight, only the transportation. Yes I know you pay more for certain seats and flights but airlines have broad latitude to downgrade you, change your flights, etc. also it is understood that if you aren’t onboard 10-15 minutes prior to original departure time you can lose your seat. Nothing new there
Also this system, while it will frustrate many, is actually a net positive in that using predictive analytics allows AA to clear waitlists, accommodate more passengers and have more on time departures. Like it or not AI and other tools will likely be implemented at all airlines to automatically handle situations like this.
Try a 25 minute legal connection in PHX ! Then THE door closes 15 minutes before departure. That door will NOT Be opened as the on time departure will be lost ! The plane can sit there for over 30 minutes and the door still won’t be opened per managements orders! On time STATS are way more important than getting the customer to there destination. Quite often the next flight is 24 hours later ! !
Think it’s total bull when you rely on an AI to where a human could do a whole lot better job. Instead of assuming the possiblitiess
This happened to me on Alaska Airlines. They did not admit to their issues. I had a five hr layover which turned into six Went from first class to middle seat in coach. I was told there was nothing I could do. Alaska used to be great on customer service. Now looking pretty bad. Would not even give a pass to their lounge. Terrible customer service experience.
This happened to me on Alaska Airlines. They did not admit to their issues. I had a five hr layover which turned into six Went from first class to middle seat in coach. I was told there was nothing I could do. Alaska used to be great on customer service. Now looking pretty bad. Would not even give a pass to their lounge
I’ll add that to the list of many reasons why I quit flying AA years ago. My life has been so much better since.
Incidentally, I just ran through IAD to catch a 10 min connection on UA. Did I love it? No, but my seat was waiting for me and I got home as planned.
You have a choice how much crap you want to take from an airline!
This happened to me on July 1st in first class out of DCA to PHX via DFW. Right before boarding our delayed flight, I received an automated message that we were not going to make our connection. AA rebooked us for the next morning! Upon arrival in DFW, we managed to get first class seats on the last flight out that night. It turned our 7 hr travel day into a 12 hr day. And would have been worse had we overnighted in DFW waiting for the 1030 next day flight AURA put us on.
@AC that’s completely incorrect. Airlines cannot sell you a first class seat, downgrade you just because, and say well we’re getting you there, so tough sh*t. Although how to execute the requirement is not specifically defined, the DOT requires that at a minimum, the airline refunds the passenger the difference in the fare between the purchased first/business class fare and the fare of the cabin to which they are downgraded.
Also, I don’t see how, when the passenger does everything else correctly, this is not an IDB. If the passenger is ticketed, checked-in, has a boarding pass, and is at the gate before the cutoff, AA can’t just say that the involuntarily removal of a passenger from a flight for which they were on time is rendered NOT an IDB simply because the removal was done by predictive technology rather than a gate agent.
Nothing at all new about this. Been preemptively bumped from connection smany times at ORD & DFW. Always when my flight wasn’t delayed and I made the gate in time. (Un) fortunately my home is CLT. So I have to fly AA a lot. The only silver lining is I never connect there, so I avoid the A-E gates death march.
I am EP for years with AA. Last year this happened to me, my flight was late, I was bumped for “my convenince” to the next flight, which had no seats and was told too bad it’s weather, you have to pay for your hotel. Yet my connecting flight was delayed and it left almost three hours after I had arrived. Aa kept saying weather but I asked why did you bump me and was told our computer does that for my.convenience. I canceled my Admirals Credit Card, did a 1k status match with united and am blowing through what miles I have left. I hate American, and yeah I live in fort lauderdale so AA makes sense but now I fly through iad or ewr.
This happened to us on 6/28/23. We had a 6:30 am flight from Phoenix, connecting in Charlotte to Melbourne FL. The Phoenix flight took off late. The American computer gave away our seats while we were in the air to Charlotte because it determined we would miss our connection. What actually happened was the plane that was taking us from Charlotte to Melbourne was also late arriving in Charlotte. We were at the gate in Charlotte at least 1 hour before the plane arrived only to find out that the flight was full & we weren’t on it!! We had to wait until 9:15pm for the next flight & it was early afternoon at the time. Compensation???? A lousy $12 food voucher for each of us for the inconvenience. American……never again. We will walk first!!!!!
@Bruce I wonder what would have happened if you had stayed on the plane. Would they have really de-plamed someone sitting in their assigned seat with a printed ticket?
This happened to me years ago on United in a connection at Chicago I was on the flight from Wisconsin ran to catch my flight in Chicago for which I had a boarding pass and someone else was in my seat. My boarding pass dinged and the stewardess tried to reassign me to a middle seat in the back when I had an aisle seat. So I close this thing and got a better seat which people then commented on as they were boarding because I held them up but tough luck.
Happened to me too in 2021, Feb, United in Denver. Was totally unsuccessful in getting my money back for the upgraded seat that they gave away.
US airlines really are the absolute worst.
This happened to us yesterday. Flying from Kansas City to El paso We had 90 minites layover in Dallas and everything was on time. We were notified that because we would miss the connection we had been move to a flight that would more than double.our layover. I was able to call immediately and push them to rebook into our original seats. While on the plane se discover through talking with other that American had been trying to rebook a family of 6 into first class bur because of seat avalibility (me and my spouse I would guess) 2 members of the family had to fly coach.
The person in your example: where’s his luggage?
⁹
I’ve been traveling AA for 8 years going to Cancun every October.
This year my usual flight was not there. And the layovers are now 35,40,45 minutes! I never book a flight with less than an hour. It is nuts!
I don’t even understand who this is supposed to benefit. If there’s standby passengers and you don’t make it your seat would be taken by one of them anyway. It really just seems like AA screwing people a second time just because they can.
Yes, happened to me on flight Syracuse to Miami through DC. AA changed gate without notifying me by text, as they usually do. When I noticed no one showing up I had to go to flightaware.com since no one in area could help. Made it to desk but they had given away seat already. Showed my phone and other notices for earlier gates and flight info, clearly showing they hadn’t notified me of that gate change. Shrugged their shoulders, closed area and walked away. Said it wasn’t up to them. A kindly gentleman overheard and directed me to a customer service counter where I was helped, but no compensation since I was told it was “my fault” for missing flight. I was at original airport w 2 hrs to spare even though others came with minutes to spare. Notice on text gave location of gate- but no update of change came. First flight in my life I have ever missed. Dad was an AF pilot, no way we were ever late. So, yes, they are giving your seat away if you’re not sitting at gate waiting for flight.
Hopefully there will be a class action lawsuit and whistleblower case over their deliberate advertisement of >60 min domestic-to-international connections at PHX, DFW, ORD, CLT and PHL as a way to provisionally make space for other cancelled pax
Late last month I was flying BER-LHR-JFK-RDU on an AA ticket. My BER-LHR segment was 20 minutes late, but still gave 90 minutes connection time. When arriving at the security transfer more than 60 minutes before my flight, I was told my boarding pass wasn’t valid and to check with AA, which was right around the corner at LHRT3. The AA rep told me my seat was given away and he couldn’t get me on that flight and I had to go to BA who couldn’t get me there until the following day. I found out I had been offloaded from the flight 83 minutes before the flight.
I later contacted AA customer service via their webpage and was first given a generic non-response (e.g. get lost). When I queried this, I was told I hadn’t checked in 60 minutes before the flight (wrong, I had the boarding pass). I sent them the boarding pass and then told they weren’t going to give any compensation. No away to escalate. No manager could be spoken with. Read their “conditions of carriage”. How can that be right? Their stupid algorithm caused me to miss this flight and delay a day of holiday.
Terrible service for a BA Gold. They don’t seem to value their OneWorld partner customers at all and will be avoiding them whenever possible in future. I’d also be really annoyed if I were BA, since they had to pay to re-accomodate me on another flight.
I’m so old I remember when C.R. Smith was running AA. I realize that times are different, but how I wish that someone with his good sense and commitment to running a fine airline were in charge.
The post and replies I’ve just finished reading remind me of the truth that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
I doubt Mayor Pete could do much worse than whoever’s now in charge at AA.
LHR can be immitated but can it be surpassed? How many passengers a day would this AA tool need to remove from makeable connections to rival LHR’s system?
Same happened to me about 25 years ago on UA on a flight ORD-SFO-HNL
UA didn’t let me board the plane to HNL and paid for my overnight and food although the plane was still at the gate. And my checked luggage made the transfer…
Happened to me THREE times island hopping in the Caribbean.
With Caribbean Airlines. I was actually on time the plane was boarding but my seat was already given away.
Another time I was last and slow to get to the gate and costomer service had to tell the person she was booking my seat to she’d have to waite(that one earned me a dirty look all round!!!
In a 3rd instance arriving while boarding they said I’d be on the next flight but would not let me go to gate cause then I’d realise the flight hadn’t left.
It appears Caribbean Airways flights are either overbooked or flights missed there are always standbys to squeeze on.
I recently did a LHR ORD PHX on United. The LHR ORD leg was on time but CBP had limited staff working. Huge slow line. It was getting close for my connection and when I went to recheck the bag the helpful person said my bag isn’t going to make the flight but she would inform them I was on the way. When I got to the gate I was last one to board and made the flight to PHX. UNITED was proactive in protecting my F seat to PHX. I try not to fly AA out of PHX
I was coming in on a connected flight from Miami to barbados got to the terminal at 529 plane was scheduled to leave at 540 they shut the doors and said I couldn’t board didn’t know anything about Miami, they would not help me get a room and I had to beg and plead to get another flight the next day I missed a day in barbados that o had paid for and had to get a room and food in maimi. They say I could file a complaint. Which they let me and haven’t heard back from noone this happen May 25 2023
American carriers use the ” Blivet” passenger system for flights. AURA is just another way for them to scam passengers who may be delayed, thru no fault of their own and force some other poor sucker into he seat.
Blivet: noun. Shoving 25lbs of crap into a 5lb bag.
Delta did this June 22. Ran from weather delayed flight and arrive at gate 10 mins before departure (last flight of day 1130 pm) and no gate agent and door to ramp closed and no rebooked flight. Just a pair of delta agents at the “help” desk with more than 200 people in line.
Delta missed an opportunity for a first class passenger. I ended up driving from ATL to MCO with no help from Delta. Not quite the top notch airline it was. Just a bit above the value services.
This happened to me recently on Delta. My luggage made it on my missed flight the day before I arrived. I was put on a flight from.Atlanta to NY to my final destination San Juan PR.
@Alison
I’ve had colleagues who needed to make a connection to get back home for a kid’s big event, be it graduation or ballet recital, or whatever else. They were justifiably pissed about being told that they can’t get a ticket on a fully paid fare when there’s no weather or similar issue in play.
Stop being an apologist for the airlines. Honestly, I’m shocked you can post messages given where your head and your thumbs are presumably located right now.
Another reason I am not flying American,
This is why I have decided to never fly with American Airlines ever. They have some really bad policies and their support is shit. I would rather fly spirit than American
Six of us just experienced this when attempting to make our connection from Heathrow to Pittsburgh at Philadelphia. The line for customer service is 100 to 200 yards long.
Five years ago I was on an American flight from Reno to Dallas with a stop in Phoenix but the same plane continuing to Dallas. I chose to get off the flight for 15 minutes to get food but then I was denied reboarding and was told I was bumped even though I was 65, had gold status and had checked a bag. Although they paid for a hotel, I received no other compensation for ground transportation or food, even after several letters to American. I have never flown them again.
R.e.g.u.l.a.t.i.o.n!!!
This happened to me several months ago. I raced to go from one side of DFW to another on American. I arrived, breathless 15 min prior and they wouldn’t let me board. They said I was late and they gave up my seat. I was furious and the gate agent was the worst I’ve ever seen in my 25 years flying with American. Infuriating. This will continue to happen because no one holds the airlines responsible for anything.
In the event there are no seats left on the plane that you were originally a ticketed passenger on, wouldn’t you be entitled to involuntary denied boarding compensation, regardless of when that plane leaves, because you were at the boarding gate during boarding?
Despicable method of operation.
Good ol GAAry, riling people up with what-if’s and fringe scenarios. *eye roll*
Another way to screw paying passengers to benefit the airline and another reason I stay away from American Airlines.
Happen to me June 21st flying AA Phx-OHare-Albany
They rebooked me before I missed my flight. I ran from K25 to G21 and they just closed the door. They gave away my seat but fortunately they had one left. This was 630 pm, the flights they changed me to was the NEXT DAY at 430 pm adding an extra leg through Charlotte. By the way, that flight the next day was delayed 2 hours. I would have missed the flight from Charlotte to Albany.
I don’t think he’s eligible for involuntary denied boarding compensation since they offered him a lower class seat. He would be eligible for fare difference but anyone who’s ever been in that situation knows they screw you over on that.
In this situation, you could have accepted the “downgrade” to the aisle seat, then boarded and redirected yourself to the original seat for which you had paid — you have as much right to redirect as the airline does. At this point, the airline cannot take off until the situation is resolved — you are standing in the aisle. You can announce to the passengers within earshot that the airline has double-sold your seat (not a lie) and is holding up the take-off while it is figuring out what to do. Hold firm. The airline has the choice to offer you and the new seat-holder increasing amounts of money until one of you accepts the seat in coach. Accepting airline credit would be questionable since the airline has shown itself to be unreliable — demand cash . . . now. if the airline can make your life miserable, you can do the same to them . . . and keep reminding the crew and passengers that it was the airline and not you that caused this situation.
Yet another piece of evidence that American doesn’t understand premium travel. It’s not about the seat, it’s about the door to door experience.
You simply never give away the seat of a premium passenger while the plane is not fully boarded and ready to go. NEVER. The fact that management codified and approved a business logic in AURA that seemingly does not distinguish between economy and business/first is just more proof at how clueless this management is. Thank goodness for Delta…not perfect, but has a much higher batting average. Or there’s private, and more and more Texans seems to be turning to it.
I was booked by AA on a close connection. I asked about the tight timing and was assured it would not be a problem. It was. 3 of us were booked and left stuck. There were no personnel to help. We ran to the connector only to find the door closed. Nearby agents said if there were 4 or 5 of us, AA might have held the flight. We were directed to hike back to AA Customer Service and plead our cases. It was a bad experience.
Never fly an airline that takes your money and doesn’t provide the product you paid for. The government should be proactive with their shady business tactics.
This happened to me more or less on a trip from Birmingham (AL) to Rome, Italy connecting in Charlotte. Plane from Bham to Charlotte was very late but I SPRINTED to the gate and the sign said Boarding Closed… They asked for my passport and somehow got me on the plane but my seat was taken… then the next seat was taken. They finally found me a seat! They had not used the new Application yet (btw I work on the AA account in IT).
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I was rebooked with an overnight layover in another part of the country eventhough my first flight was on time. I had to wait in customer service line at the airport to get back in my original flights. While in the air in my first flight, I was again rebooked on a second flight the Inwas not expected to make. When I arrived, the connecting flight was delayed which allowed me to make my connection. One problem, now I had no seat. I was furious and thankful that the pilot delayed the closing of the bridge since it was 1 am and the plane was not in a rush to get to our destination. I will not fly American after this hassle.
I should get what I paid for, especially when I pay extra for a seat.
Because of policies like this I have not gotten on a plane for 4+ years. It means giving up much that I’d like to do, but air travel has become an overwhelming negative experience.
Been happening for years. Will never forget when I “missed” my connection in Atlanta several years ago, I ran across the airport and made it to the gate just fine, passengers were still boarding the plane, but they wouldn’t let me in no matter what. “Sir, you’re obviously pissed you can’t get in, but if I pull the guy I gave your seat to, I will have 2 pissed passengers, so I’ll stick to 1”.
Was surreal.
I absolutely agree that they shouldn’t be too hasty in assuming you can’t make a connection. However in the case of irrops auto rebooking can be a good thing. Tonight I was booked for an absurd Guam-Nagoya-Fukuoka-Tokyo Haneda itinerary, but the first of those flights was canceled. By the time I realized there was a problem, I could see I was already auto rebooked on a direct Guam-Tokyo Narita flight, a far better option and I didn’t need to stand in a long line or wait on a long hold to get the rebooking done.
I flew Delta last year, was the worst experience ever. From the time I got to Ohare going to Idaho Falls it took me 32 hours!! Driving time is 30 hours. Flight cancelled, they put me on another flight 8 hours later. I sat in airport waiting never left the gate, start to board NO SEAT! Next day have to wait till 5:00…1/2 way through boarding, computer goes down! They would NOT compensate me for my trip. NEVER WILL FLY DELTA AGAIN!
Yessssssss, They did it to me last month June 19th, 2023 going from jfk to Miami and connecting to colombia flight was leaving at 7:am we got to the airport at 4:30am and we didn’t know about feeling out immigration paper , no help available from they’re customer services. We finished immigration paper at 6:15am and they’re send out to a big long line knowing their machine was not able to check us in so you guys know what happened??? Staying in NYC for 1 more day, booked a hotel for the night and go back to the airport that next day .
This sounds like a good idea in theory but dealing with American and their 20-40 min layovers leaves more chance your going to miss that connecting flight
As a very loyal American customer, I live in Delta-hub Detroit, but have always flown American, even though it means connecting when flying anywhere other than an American hub.
With this change, I’d rather take the Delta non-stop flight. Due to weather, mechanicals, or crew delays, I’ve run between gates roughly 20% of my flights over the past several years, but never missed a flight. Now I am imagining the mess getting AURA’d will create for me.
Maybe the US Transportation Department will see this as violating passenger rights and step-in.
This happened to me in early March 2023. American offered me a hotel and guaranteed flight out the next morning. I declined the hotel but took the flight out the next morning. As soon as I got back, I found a lawsuit against American Airlines in small claims court. American Airlines settled the lawsuit before going to court for four times the amount of my ticket. I can’t provide any other information because I signed a non-disclosure.
Experienced the new system last month… seems good in theory but YIKES. Our flight held to accommodate about 16 connecting passengers who had been delayed. AURA rebooked them all so then we were delayed while they all had to get rebooked on. Guy behind me who made the flight on standby was removed. Overall a huge mess. We were delayed about 90 minutes and it ended with gate agents having to board the plane to manually get the manifest correct.
AA is our primary airline in Philly. I refused to fly with them. Bad policies and awful customer service. This happens because they are not held accountable.
I always pay my Airfare with American Express so if I get screwed over I contest the charge.
I received a text while on the final approach to Atlanta that we were being re-booked on our flight to Rome the next day. We would have made it to the gate in time had it not been for a 15 minute wait on the tarmac for the gate to clear. Seven people sprinted to the B terminal to see the doors closed 5 minutes before takeoff.
I noticed on the board that Delta cancelled a Rome flight later that night. It’s obvious that they gave our seats away. Gate agents could have cared less. They didn’t pay for our hotel either. We waited two hours to re-book.
Prior to this, I spent hours with “Customer Service” on another issue so I wrote them again. They offered me 5,000 points. What an insult. We missed three important events in Rome thanks to Delta.
Delta has sunk to US Air level.
How is this even legal and can nsidering you can’t get your money back instantly and have to file a claim and it can take months or better yet I have paid for a ticket and you put me on a flight that I may not be able to connect to in time and they just conveniently inconvenience me by making me take another flight wow! And Pete Buttigieg is ok with this and think it’s fair? I fly international more than domestic I will stop traveling international if this ever happens to me. I will make a big deal out of it and take whatever airline it is to court because there is absolutely no advisory advertisement that says this can happen which will allow me to make an informed decision do I want to fly with this airline! That is there obligation before they take my money considering their customer service takes forever to reach and file a claim to get my money back!
If this works for AA with no fuss from the public, the other airlines will implement it. Someone said it earlier.. R.e.g.u.l.a.t.i.o.n!
In the last month, AA has tried to leave me stranded in O’Hare twice. In both cases, my incoming flight was 15-20 minutes late (but I leave 2-3 hours layover because this isn’t unusual in O’Hare). Even though I had enough time to eat a nice meal, browse the shops, etc., they still involuntary denied me boarding and wanted to rebook me as standby on the next flight to my destination — which was 24 hours later. On a CRJ-200 with about 35 seats, they involuntary denied 12 people — meaning they oversold by at least that much. In one case I made enough stick with the gate agent she bounced somebody else and let me on. The other case, I took the $1200 cash for being denied boarding and took the Amtrak home (which got me home 3 hours later than I was scheduled).
As crude as Delta can be sometimes, they usually get me home. AA has failed to get me home more often than they’ve been successful in the last 3 months.
Sadly, this is why our layover planning has moved us from 1 hr between flights to 2 hours approaching 3 now, minimally.
Not fond of wasting time in layovers but better than watching my plane take off without me.
I don’t ever book a connection with less than one hour between flights. Just way too risky, and this program adds to the risk.
It is a very serious problem and unconvinced to ” a good paying customers”.
My wife and I had business class confirm tickets with boarding passes for the flight from Amsterdam to LAX via Heathrow airport London for July 7,2023. The departure time for LHR to LAX was 5:15 PM and we reached the gate for departure flight at 4:30 PM. When we arrived at LHR at the gate, we were instructed to run to our next flight. When we reached the gate – We were told that we no longer had our seats and needed to re-scheduled. We had literally ran to get to our gate at LHR. I am a going to think twice before flying again on AA via LHR.
That happened to my husband and son on American last year. Their first flight was delayed. They ran from one gate to the other and made it as the last people were walking on to the plane and they refused to let them on. They also had first class seats. They were even rude about it.
I avoid using American they removed me from fligh claiming it was canceled when it was not it was a total lie.
This happened to me on a flight from Athens to San Diego on AA. Unfortunately, it has caused me to avoid AA whenever possible. PS, I was a business class passenger.
Delta does this to 1st class passengers. And the MAGA people behind the desk rrally seem to enjoy it. Avoid Delta like the plague, especially their hubs in the S.
Without department of transportation action and hard and firm penalties to the airlines, this abuse will continue. Here’s an idea: don’t oversell the flight. If the plane has 300 seats, that’s it. 300 seats.
There is a reason no American flagged airline (outside if region) ever makes anyone’s top ten list… but you’ll find Lufthansa, British Airways, Emirates, etc…
Then they need to fix their check-in lines and TSA to include expedited TSA (front of the line) when they open the check-in counter 3 hrs before takeoff but it takes 2 hours to check your bags (not all destinations allow prechecks) and then another hour for TSA (looking at you Chicago Ohare) so that you are rushing to the gate to what? Find your seat given away because of puiss poor slow service by the agents?
American airlines needs do do better with connecting flights. Last week I was supposed to fly MIA-PHIL-MAD and they left me stranded in Philadelphia for three days and refused to pay for hotel or food.
This will definitely be a daily occurrence for anyone flying on AA. AA connection times are 35-45 minutes. If you are on regional to mainline you can count on this happening. CLT and PHL are the worst hubs to connect.
A couple years ago I flew PWM-PHL-IND. Connection in PHL was tight due to ATC and weather. I ran to the connecting gate and was told that aircraft for was already closed even though the plane didn’t move away from gate for another 35 mins due to ATC.
Gate agent was so rude on reaccommodation. I was told next flight to IND was the next morning at 11am. I could wait for that flight or she would send me to SDF and ‘I could find my own way home from there’….. WTF! No credit for rental car, meals or anything.
American Airlines lost a customer, permanently, that night.
Sure wish AA would get their SH!T together.
In the example in this story, the passenger had a first class ticket but was boarding in group 4? I call BS.
If you want things changed for the better forget the ones in political office, go for the candidates running against them that has a chance at winning or the current ones running for reelection and make them make a verbal comment that is recorded so that they could be later held accountable and be more motivated into working for change. If they are in office they won’t listen, it’s when their not with their handlers that common folks have a chance to be listened to. That’s how the politicians work nowadays. No money no voice and the handlers take the money and bring the ones that pay to the front while the average person stays away, while the poor stays away from the party being held. Work with the candidates starting out, and stress that this is a major issue that affected a lot of people, that’s where you will bring things to the news and might get a comment or two from others running and change for at least one in office will be a start. I know that it’s not much but it has to start somewhere doing something. We let the airlines bed down with the government in the past and the only way to get them out is vote against the scoundrels that works for them while in office.
“Caring for people on life’s journey…” /sarcasm
I recently had the same problem when my flight was delayed in Tuscon (no explanation given) and I was flying to Chicago for my next flight before going to Va.the pilot got on there late and then to door was closed so I had to make arrangements to get on another flight and they wanted to send me to NY. A lot of upset people and I was put on a flight to Charlotte arrived at 12;00 am and stayed in the airport all night and no compensation and nothing open but I was able to get something. Not pleased with American but their employees get the all the perks if they miss their flights. You have to give better customer service.
Fly a different airline.
This happened to me before my flights! I planned my trip thoroughly months prior and had all 5 seats together and 2 days before the flight, with no notice, AA moved my itinerary to 1 day later on the same flights! Hello, same flight, next day?!? Come to find out, AA had to cancel flights due to bad weather and decided to change people without their knowledge or permission! Luckily I was paying attention to my flights and was able to call and get back on the flight even though they gave away my prearranged seats! Tell me how this is legal! This is not something I like or want.
I was so used to passenger abuse by American Airlines (even though I was Platinum) that when I switched to United I felt like a VIP on every single flight. Still do.
@Nicole – the passenger made it to the gate while group 4 was boarding, that wasn’t ‘their boarding group’ (which was 1)
This happened to me when going from Nashville to Charlotte to Richmond. We were held hostage on the plane from. Nashville because there was no one “qualified “ to hook the ramp to the plane. It took them 20 minutes to find someone. When we finally got off they had changed our gate to the far other end of the airport. There. We’re 12 of us that ran all the way thru the airport only to be told very spottily by a gate agent that our seats were given away. The plane was still there with the doors open but we were all turned away. This was at 4:00 and we were rebooks on a 9:30 pm flight and put on standby for a 6:30 flight, where we had to Moe gates and walk the airport 4 more times. We got on the 6:30 flight that didn’t take off until almost 8:00. Still waiting to hear from AA customer service about compensation miles. They said 3 days and it’s been 2 weeks.
I was one who was removed while my inbound flight was on the ground waiting for a gate. We were flying home to BWI, and the rebooted us to DCA, Leaving us to find a way to Baltimore from DC. Never using American airlines again no matter the cost.
American used to be a great airline (operative word,used)
I owned a travel agency and recommended American all the time
NOT!!!!
American Airlines has terrible delay policies. I describe it this way: American will slam the door in your face as you hurry to make a connection they missed. Delta will keep their toe in the door, doing all they can to get you to your destination. Too often, I (and a large group of other passengers) have been left behind on a flight that sits in the gate as we arrive. Delta wins my business every time they have a flight option available.
This is off present topic but as a handicappedpassenger requring a w/c to get to the gate AND to board ley me advise ALL pazsengers needing asssttance DO NOT FLY AMERICAN! I was told on two seperate occasions that i had to walk down the jetway because w/c were not allowed in jetway. If I could walk up and down jetway, why would I need a w/c? Letter to AA CEO resulted in $50 voucher for my next flight! I sent it back.
This just happened to us this past Monday 7/3 on DFW-CLT-PWM…..35 minutes to change planes in CLT so when 5am DFW flight was delayed almost an hour, for a mechanical issue, AA auto-changed flight to PWM to next day, 7/4. Pilot got us to the gate in CLT 5 minutes ahead of original PWM departure, ran to the gate, only to find plane left 3 minutes early. Got AA to re-route us to BOS where our daughter in Portland could drive down and pick us up. Flight home was no picnic either….non-stop PWM-DFW had to divert to PIT to pick up fuel ….landed an hour late, and then waited another hour for bags. Used points for the trip so thankfully only cost me the upgrade on seats with some extra leg room…..worst trip with AA ever!
I will drive up to three hours after a direct flight instead of getting a connection. A delay in the first flight means the second one is missed. Having the second flight cancelled means you sleep on the floor of the airport. Even when it works, the layover wastes a lot of time. Connecting flights are a last resort for me.
Heck, the airline isn’t the USAF 89th VIP airlift wing with precise touchdowns within 60 seconds of scheduled arrival. It’s Archaic Airlines where they might arrive on the date that they are scheduled to. Some darn MBA revenue manager came up with this stupidity. ALL MBA graduates need to be fed alive to sharks.
The more things like this are occurring in the airline industries the happier I am to rent a car and drive to wherever I need to go. Plus I would rather take the time to see where I’m going.
This happened to me as well on American before my first leg departed the system rebooked me on the second leg out of ORD. I really had to make the connection or switch to another airline in ORD to make it to my final on time. I called the EP desk right away and asked them to put me back on the original flight. They did so without any issue. When I landed in ORD the gate agent for my second flight called me and asked how far away I was as they were ready to close the door. I had to run from the end of L to the end of H but they held the flight for me! Doesn’t always happen, but there are good people working for American that go above and beyond.
@Craig….no doubt there are good people that work for AA and other airlines. But they were no where to be found last Monday. Those good people are hindered by bad policies that don’t hold connections for at a reasonable amount of time. And now, as soon as AA thinks you will miss a connection, your seat for next leg is gone. AA knew DFW flight was late due to their issue, knew when the flight would arrive in CLT, could have held flights for connecting passengers affected and every single 2nd leg flight that could have had a toe in the door for the DFW flight left on-time, or in many cases, early. In hindsight, a longer layover would have solved the problem.
Never, ever, ever, ever again.
I think that happened to me and my husband last December. Although our original flight left on time and was set to arrive 10 minutes early, there was no gate available when we landed so we were late about 30 minutes to get out of the plane. We ran to the gate to board our connection and made it there while the gate was still open. The gate agent said our seats had been reassigned and we couldn’t board. We made to our final destination with a 12 hour delay. I reached out to American for compensation and all they offered was a 200 dollar flight certificate for a ticket I paid 1700 dollar for.
A real issue if in fact you end up missing a connection you could have made. But in the example above flier was offered a seat on the flight and could have had his first class refunded. It must be awful to have to suffer in an exit row vs first class. I totally get the problems if its international and / or you really are bumped off the flight but no sob story for having to rough it in coach
This has been happening for years now. I use to work for them and seats were given away 15-20 mins before flights left. This was done so the plane could leave on time.
This happened to me on June 27th in Philly. AA gave away my seat, even though I made it to the gate in time. Next flight was 7 hours later.
The same thing happened to our party of 6 last month. 10 people delayed slightly due to AA, ran through DFW, gate was shut in front of us and the flight left early. We arrived at our destination at 3 AM. It sounds like this is common practice and I can’t believe it is legal. Horrible horrible horrible service. They also gate checked my carry on, of course, since they found a flight to squeeze us into random available seats. Then they proceeded to rip the wheel and bottom off of a brand new hard sided carry on.
Not just American, other airlines seem to have adopted the same practice.
I flew Spirit from Kingston, Jamaica to Houston and and my layover was 1:45 minutes in FLL. We had a 60 minutes delà putting my connection at risk. Before boarding, I received a message that I was re-booked on the later flight. Interestingly, my original connecting flight was delayed by 90 minutes. Moreover, I had to collect my luggage, exit and go to ‘rebooking’ and lost my business seat I had prepaid for. I arrived 9 hours late in Houston.
Many years ago, I was living in Chicago when I started my road warrior career. The only two “business” airlines were United and American with hub at ORD. I chose United, and a couple of million miles later, I thank my lucky stars I chose United. AA is no longer a business airline, they are basically on par with Spirit or Frontier. What idiot planners at AA think a 35 minute connection time at CLT and PHL is a good idea?
While I would never fly AA this happened to me on Delta recently. I was flying ATL-SEA-HNL and we were late leaving Atlanta. When I arrived in Seattle my nice lie-flat seat on the A330 had been given to another passenger as Delta predicted that I would not make the connection. Instead, I had to wait for 2 hours for a regular seat to Kona and then connect on Hawaiian to Honolulu. I was pissed. I book first so that I can comfortably sleep.
To try to avoid these situations I won’t book with less than a 2 hour connection, preferably more time. Then just hang in the Admirals Club. Yes, it makes for a longer trip but less stressful.
I am million miler and Exec Platinum on American and I avoid leaving too little time between flights even when I have had the experience of making a tight connection before and when I know they will pull out all the stops to accommodate me on my weekly business flights.
If and When I book an offered flight with a 40 minute connection I realize there is a good chance I will miss the connection. American warns customers of the possibility in bold red letters.
The times I have purchased a Business Class seat and lost it due to connection problems I have received a refund of the difference between the Business Class fare and the seat I was given. Not the most pleasant occurrence but unavoidable due to extreme weather.
Spoiler alert: I’m not trying to justify what AA is doing or anything that appears to be a cavalier attitude. You can’t put standby passengers onto a plane instantaneously, so you can’t wait until the time the door closes to put them on unless you want to delay the flight. You have to do it at least a few minutes earlier, and that leads to what is described in the article. That part of it is zero-sum game: you take the chance of either canceling the seats of the people who unexpectedly actually make the connection or telling the standby passengers that they can’t fly. Of course, the former are going to be furious, but how do you think the latter feel if they find out from others that they were not allowed onto the plane even though there were ten empty seats? To be cynical about it, they are less likely to find that out than people who had their seats canceled are to find that out, and to be fair about it, having a confirmed seat gives you a greater entitlement not to be canceled than being on standby when there happens to be an empty seat. The decision which way to play this is the airline’s, and they are playing it to maximize the number of seats they fill for revenue, which should surprise no one, and in the hope of making a greater number of people happy even if a few are very very upset.
Even if you could argue either way regarding standby passengers, one thing that cannot be argued is the matter of upgrades. I recently flew on another airline, and the last several upgrades, in at least a few cases first from regular economy to premium economy and then from premium to business, were not given out until everybody was already on the plane and the door closed. That way, no one who actually made the flight found that his or her seat had been given away. (The airline has less of a financial incentive regarding upgrades than empty seats.)
Happened to me and my wife in early May. 3 hours before our flight departure from the Turks and Caicos islands, I get a text that said our incoming flight had been delayed and we had been rebooked on our connection in Charlotte. I tried calling AA but 3-5 hours prior to someone talking to someone. Our original connection was 65 minutes in Charlotte. The text moved us from row 2 in first class to row 36 on the new flight. “Funny thing” (NOT) the original connecting flight was delayed and we could have made the connection with time to spare. Spoke with a ticket agent in Charlotte, and they said there was noting they could do. When I got home I saw that AA had credited my account with 2500 miles. What an insult. They ruined the after glow of a great vacation. Will never fly American again if it has a connection.
It is time for legislation that deters this via strict enforcement with heavy fines to the airline and direct compensation to the customer for flight delays, cancelled flights, etc. The airline industry for some time now has been getting away with “screwing the customer” and the customer having very limited to no options for restitution. I don’t give a _____ about contract carriage! AA in particular needs to be sued and if they can’t figure out how to use AI (or any other method) that doesn’t cheat the customer then sue again. The on-time metric that is intimated as their reason for this is also a crock of _____. If that is the true motivation then there would be no need for the measures and methods they currently use to miserably under achieve it. The problem is the airline industry and their ridiculous policies and games played. The customer is not the problem.
Yes!! This exact instance happened to me & my husband last year when flying from Chicago to Turks & Caicos, through Charlotte – first class. We bolted for our connecting flight, with about 10 other passengers, got to the gate to find out that they gave away our 2 First Class seats and booked us on another flight the next day! All other passengers still had their seats. They were able to get us on the flight, in random economy seats. After months of contacting AA, we finally got our points back for the difference but they disregarded my balance disorder which requires me to fly towards the front of all planes to minimize symptoms. And the entire situation was exhausting and frustrating trying to battle to get back what was owed to us.
American bumped me from first class the first time I ever splurged on it and refused to pay me for the lost fare. They also put me in economy on a flight that had many guest class seats open when the flight took off. Shit customer service.
New?! This exact practice happened to me plus 5 in my group as well about 15 additional people on my flight from BTV to Washington National on July 15. We were all on our way to Sarasota. Our flight from BTV was delayed by American because gates weren’t available in Washington. We got to our gate in Washington on time anyway, but they closed the doors early and reassigned the seats despite their own fabrication. And we watched our plane remain at the gate for the next 30 minutes. We were fortunately (and I question that description) rebookec to Tampa but incurred additional (and expensive) car rental fees to get to our original destination. Part of our group also lost their car rental and had to rebook that at a higher price than the reservation made months ago. I call BS.
New?! This exact practice happened to me plus 5 in my group as well about 15 additional people on my flight from BTV to Washington National on July 15 2022! We were all on our way to Sarasota. Our flight from BTV was delayed by American because gates weren’t available in Washington. We got to our gate in Washington on time anyway, but they closed the doors early and reassigned the seats despite their own fabrication. And we watched our plane remain at the gate for the next 30 minutes. We were fortunately (and I question that description) rebookec to Tampa but incurred additional (and expensive) car rental fees to get to our original destination. Part of our group also lost their car rental and had to rebook that at a higher price than the reservation made months ago. I call BS.
I stopped flying AA. they have lost their way, forgotten who pays the bills. I was abandoned in Dallas upon return from Europe, last leg cancelled because the pilots timed out. The told me it would be two days before they could get me on a flight home and offered no accommodations for my layover. I was already booked to Europe again, the next week, I ask for consideration because of continuing delays, they refused, screwed up my next trip, waited two days for my bags.
@ Victoria Gibbons employees don’t get any perks. We have to get our own hotels, pay for our own food, my husband and I don’t get rental cars we find hotels with shuttles. I have a hotel reward program that we’re gold members of. The only employees that get get “PERKS” as you call them are employees on work travel. Pilots, flight attendants, overnight away from home base, and mechanics away from home base fixing aircraft.
What are your rights as a passenger when you have confirmed boarding passes (screenshot or printed so the airline can’t take them away electronically) and you reach the boarding door before the flight has closed? I would call that an involuntary denied boarding if they don’t let you claim your confimed seat or an equivalent seat.
This isn’t new. Years ago this happened to us on American connecting in Dallas. We also were first class the whole trip. Our seats had been given away to stand by passengers and they wouldn’t let us on.
Screw AA. I haven’t flown them in several years and avoid them like the plague. The original AA has been gone for a while now. It’s really US Air/America West using the AA name. And the awful mgmt comes from those airlines…
I actually found the new system helpful. I flew in June 2023, out of VPS – Dallas- Tucson. The system knew what I didn’t and asked me if I wanted to rebook. Thank God I did.
Our flight out of VPS had to turn around due to a mechanical issue, before take-off. Once, we were ready to take-off we were told there was a weather issue in route. Grounded even longer.
Once we arrived in Dallas, there were no gates available. We were stuck on the flight line once again.
While others waited in a horrific line for flights, I had been already booked on the last flight out. Aura was helpful in my situation.
I am going to Europe in a couple days and I left myself 7 hours in Phl. They oringinally booked me on the last flight of the day and so changed it. Summer is the worst and all you need is 1 bad storm to mess up your plans..Always leave plenty of time between flights even tho it might take a couple hours longer..30 minutes just doesn’t work !!
AA is the worst of them all. Delays, lack of information and rude employees. I shall never fly with them again.
This just happened to me American Airlines flight from Houston to Milwaukee, I had a connecting flight to Dallas, I was at gate A25 , my flight was scheduled to leave Houston at 6:29 pm, my flight was delayed, there was so much chaos going on at my gate only one gate agent, so my flight to Dallas was so delayed over 2 hours so by the time ppl boarded that flight to Dallas it wasn’t going to arrive until 10:40 so that meant I missed my connecting flight ! So I had to reschedule my flight until Wednesday due to daughter’s work schedule. I file a complaint to American Airlines and explained what had happened and that I should be compensated for all the chaos and delays causing me to reschedule my flights. AA sent me an email crediting me $25!!! So I resubmitted email back to AA and informed them i will not accept this $25 credit , it’s a slap in the face ! AA can do better then this!! SMH I really thought AA was the best out there but now I can’t say the same today.
This happened to me in DFW. I stopped flying American and was a AAdvantage Executive Platinum frequent flier after they did this once to me. I switched to United 1K and never looked back. If you can’t hold your commitments to your customers based on what they paid you for, you won’t earn my business. Plain and simple. Don’t give away seats unless the doors to the plane are about to close and the passenger isn’t there.
Always been the policy, it has happened to me a few times.
Seats should only be reassigned after call for boarding.. period.
Ridiculous..
Just flew AA and it a crap show. First off the customer service is low level at best. Two, we’re suppose to land early in Charlotte from Aruba. Which we did. Then they sat us on the runway for 40 min waiting on a gate. We saw 10 to 15 open gates. Instead of an hour layover where we could eat. They started boating our flight back to Florida while we sat on a plane delayed. They also had the nerve to blame the delay on the Airport. We eventually made it home but I will be cutting up the high hawked AA card and going back to Delta.
It seems that the airlines have all the wrights and we the passengers have very few. What ever happened to good customer service? This must change!!!!!!
Sadly AA is now in the credit card business and not really the airline business. They sold me a flight with a close.comnection. Flight was delayed due to mechanical. Yes they gave away my seat even though our flight with 10.passengers made the connection just in time. LGA AA staff horrible.
And how is this not an IDB situation? I think it would get fixed if they actually faced the IDB penalties.
And if they would change their procedures standbys could be boarded just before the doors close. Issue them special boarding passes that can only be used in say the last two minutes before the door closes. At that point they’re called up, if their pass works, good, if the proper passenger boarded the pass is rejected.
Ever since US Air was acquired by American ( and yes I know it was the other way around) and they dumped all of there old regional aircraft into the domestic market. I refuse to fly them, but of course our unqualified Transportation Secretary does nothing to protect the flying public!!!!
On this I agree with you Mr. Engelhardt. I would add most, if not all, Dept. of Transportation heads are “unqualified.” It’s just a place to park political friends in a job with a nice paycheck and perks. The DOT as a whole is not really set up to “help” travelers. It is where complaints go to die…..
Never ever fly AA! Every policy they have is pro company & anti customer! Haven’t flown AA since I was in my 20’s & I’m 64
This happened to us on a Air Canada flight a few months back. There was some 20 people that ran to the gate only to be told that they have our seats away. Meanwhile, they were letting additional staff to board the flight that were deadheading. The next possible flight that they offered us was 32 hrs later. . They would not compensate us for the hotel that we have to purchase or the cab fare. I would rather spend an extra $500 than fly air Canada ever again
I have been bumped several times on AA. THEY ARE THE #1 Airline for doing this. They have bumped me so many times I’m done with them. The last time, I was running to get to my 2nd flight to get home late at night, nope we sold your seat, we can get you on a flight 2 hours later. Which is BS. MY flight was delayed due to another aircraft broke down at the gate my first flight was supposed to leave from. AA didn’t give 2 F’s for jacking me over. Customers don’t mean anything to AA, just income at any cost. I would love a Boycott of AA.
I paid for a first class ticket from Houston Hobby to Cedar Rapids Iowa via the required stop in DFW. Due to immense storms, the flight from Houston was delayed first for an hour on the tarmac before we were brought back to the terminal to wait another 2 hours. Of course I missed my connecting DFW flight, but in the end the connecting flight was delayed several hours. In Houston, when we had to deplane to wait out the storm, all passengers were seated in that waiting area. As I am handicapped (which is why I bought the first class ticket), my seat had been given to someone else. I simply couldn’t believe I had been treated that way. I had been there all the time because, needing a wheelchair and being 80 years old, there was no way I could go for a meal or shopping. After 15 minutes of searching, American did find me a seat in economy. They refunded $54. I couldn’t believe that either. I sure paid more than $54 for a difference between first and economy. I think the airline industry is taking too much advantage of passengers and there needs to be an investigation into how much the airline can manipulate a person who has a full fare ticket and a reservation..
It’s just another form of “involuntary” bumping; but without compensation.
American has been a disaster for us. Booked with them for 6, they were late and gave away 1 of 6 seats making our vacation cancel. No one on their end seemed to care. Then lost 2 suitcases. Sad.
We need to mobilize against AA. 33% of my flights have been delayed or canceled. We need to start a Facebook page, call them every day to use up their employees time, and then send a Huge complaint file to the Dept of Transportation. Scream in unison at the airport. Take their credit card forms on the plane and then throw them away. Use up their drinks. Request 2 cans of pop. Harass the Ceo with letters.
That’s why you should never fly American cuz they don’t give a damn about their customers if they would leave a bunch of handicapped individual stranded with no help no flights no hotels no nothing it shouldn’t surprise you about them giving your flight to somebody else this Airline is just crap
@Sha – really? That is nothing. United customers the last 3 weeks are telling AA passengers to “hold my beer”.
@NEVERflyUnited – so you are now adding AA to your list of airlines to “never fly”. Pretty soon you will be walking wherever you want to go. BTW, all airlines do this with connections and usually enforce the “must be on board 15 minutes before scheduled departure or we can give away your seat” rule. Amazes me that people on here are so clueless about airline operation or self centered that they think it revolves around them. Airlines have a business to run and must make decisions for the greater good and to optimize operations, not to accomodate you.
I’m glad there are other airlines to choose from so I won’t be choosing American.
Delta did that to me in 2019. I was on a Delta flight that ran late, when I arrived at JFK for my connecting flight it was already boarded and sitting on the tarmac when I ran to the gate. Knowing that I’m on a Delta flight u would think they would know I’m running late and not give up my seat. It was for my Uncles funeral and the way Delta handled it was atrocious.
@AC The airlines need to wait until 10 minutes prior to real departure time to release seats of passengers on connections, especially if they are giving the seats to non-revs and other standby pax ahead of customers racing to make their ticketed connection. Even if the theory is that passengers aren’t going to make it, making those decisions far in advance doesn’t allow for lots of things that can happen in the meantime…. crew not available, inbound gets a shorter arrival path, mechanical, whatever. Even if that means more scrambling at T-10, that’s what the legitimate connecting pax deserve.
@Carl — and that is what is supposed to happen. It is so unhospitable to do otherwise and just one more reason the general public distrust airlines probably more than any other industry.
On 7/9/23 I was traveling from Bangor, ME to Dallas, TX through DC (Reagan) on American (2386 and 803)
Due to severe weather on the east coast, my flight from Bangor to DC was delayed. American’s auto system rebooked my connection flight for the following day due to the delay interfering with the connection.
The only problem was that flight 2386 and flight 803 used the same physical aircraft; it was literally impossible to miss the connection. The stupidity of the situation was mind numbing and very frustrating.
I was able to get the problem fixed but American’s customer service situation is awful. “Unexpected high call volume” is no longer a valid excuse.
This tool isn’t doing anything new, it’s just automating aspects that make it easier for gate agents to enforce policies and get flights out on time.
Final boarding call is 15 minutes prior to departure so they can identify what people haven’t shown up and start assigning those seats to standby passengers who missed their connections earlier in the day.
If you show up 10 minutes before departure and the doors are still open you’re still late.
The automation identifies your not going to make it in time and frees up those seats immediately so gate agents don’t have to waist time calling peoples names who aren’t there and get on with loading the standby passengers who are there allowing them to get the flight out on time which helps prevent that flight form being delayed causing those passengers to miss their connections.
It’s a new feature which causes sticky situations. Some passengers still make their flights and others don’t. It comes down to the availability of seats. The passenger has to be checked back in and then they get a seating assignment. If they were 1st class and could not be accommodated, then they are given a number to call to reimburse them for that unused segment. That said, there are a lot of comments on here which may accurately convey frustrations, but abysmally lack knowledge on systems that they are not familiar with but speak s though they do. Tsk, tsk.
@MediaAssassin AA should be required to give IDB compensation if you arrive before the boarding door is closed if you are (were) checked into the flight, they should not have the right to remove you prematurely without a consequence if it was wrongful. Further the notion that you can call for downgrade compensation is useless. The airlines always come up with some totally de minimus amount that is based on the difference to a last minute full coach fare. When you buy your ticket, it’s $500 more than coach, but on the day of the flight, it’s only $50 refund.
@Earl It’s absurd to blame connecting passengers for being late to the boarding gate if it’s due to a late AA inbound flight. If they are not running the tool until 15 minutes prior to departure and it’s based on real time information, that’s reasonable. But if they are runnning it predictively 30 minutes or more before departure and off-loading people at that time, then if the facts change and they show up at the gate before boarding is completed, those passengers should have the right to their seats ahead of cleared standbys.
This happened to me over the weekend flying boston to tampa on 7/23 with a connection in Reagan. I had 2 first class tickets and the weather was fine. The flight from BOS to DCA was delayed due to the plane arriving in boston late followed by a ~45 min mechanical issue. We eventually got on our way and upon arrival to DCA the connecting gate was less than a 1 minute walk. I immediately went to the gate; the connecting flight had just arrived (also late) and was deplaning. I talked to the desk crew and was informed that our 2 first class seats had been reassigned and that they could only fly use home to TPA the following day. Keep in mind – I was bumped out of my seats BEFORE THEY EVEN STARTED BOARDING THE FLIGHT. Customer service has been abysmal (as expected). From an email I got this morning (they have told me the only way to deal with this stuff is via email) they had put ‘miles’ into my account for the inconvenience. Based on my account, it appears that they credited me 2500 miles (or about $25-30). And, this doesn’t take into account that we had 2 seats taken from us. I will keep working at this – and documenting things along the way – but we are extremely frustrated by this. We don’t travel much and usually spend the extra on first class tickets to ensure problems like this do not arise. At this point we will never fly American Airlines again and will be sure to encourage others to do so as well.
Good non-story brú. If you were the person getting the seat you would be happy. If the flight is delayed due to something other than weather or air traffic control (something an airline had control over) you’re still given a hotel voucher. Does it suck sometimes? Yes. Does everyone do it? Also yes.
This happened to me on 8/17/2023 at MIA. I had given myself 2.5 hours of layover time, the incoming flight was a bit delayed, but the connecting flight ended up being delayed by more than 3 hours so there was plenty of time to make the connection — no running through the terminals. The system rebooked me anyway to a flight two days later. I received no notification on the AA app, I found out while I was trying to board.
What’s so frustrating is that it is very easy to program a computer (whether using AI or not) to say “if the connecting flight is also delayed, don’t rebook the passenger”. The existing algorithm is probably capable of making that determination, but the AA app was saying the connecting flight was on-time despite the fact that there was no aircraft at the gate and no flight crew. It just kept saying “0 minutes to board” for hours. So the algorithm was probably being fed incorrect information that the connecting flight was on-time; despite the fact that a quick google search of the flight number showed that the plane wasn’t going to be at the gate anytime soon.
It sucks that this is happening to so many people. I was trying to go see my family on the other side of the country for the holidays. My first flight was delayed and I knew that I would have to run to make the connecting flight once we landed, but I get to the second airport and turns out my second flight had been delayed as well, so I held onto the associated ticket and ignored the rebooked email I got while I was on my first flight. I manage to get on the second plane because they sped up the boarding process by just asking for seat numbers. I go to use the restroom in the plane and when I go back to my assigned seat, I see someone else in it. I ended up having to talk to the agent on the plane about the situation and he gives me another seat on the plane (thank goodness). I was so confused and was trying to figure out why this had happened to me and then I find this article and learn that it’s not just me.
I understand life is not fair, but it was not right to give me a new booking that gets me to my destination two days later when I booked the flight a week in advance and had already paid for it. I want to see my family for the holidays as much as (maybe more) the passenger they gave my seat to might.