Run To The Gate To Catch An Earlier Flight? Starting Tomorrow American Airlines Will Turn You Away

by Gary Leff

Feb 29 2024

Time after time I’ve gotten home early when I’ve been willing to run. My connecting flight lands in Dallas a little bit early, I’m one of the first off the plane, and I book it to the gate of an earlier flight to Austin that hasn’t left yet. There’s still an open seat or two (or maybe someone doesn’t make the flight.) I walk up to the gate agent and ask to get added to the flight. For most customers, the answer from American Airlines is going to be “no” starting March 1, 2024.

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American Airlines Has The Least Useful Standby Policy. Now It Will Be The Most Annoying, Too.

by Gary Leff

Feb 28 2024

Starting this Friday, March 1 you must be an AAdvantage member to take advantage of free standby. So that’s a new restriction on standby, though of course people can join the program at the airport.

What wasn’t previously announced, though, but American is now telling customers is that they won’t be able to get added to the standby list by a customer service agent or gate agent. Standby requests will be self-serve only.

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From Chatbots To AI Agents: The End Of Traditional Customer Service At Airlines?

by Gary Leff

older gentleman taking a selfie with smartphone
Feb 28 2024

Soon customer service agents will be displaced en masse by chatbots, but not the kind you’re used to. AI-powered customer service agents will handle the bulk of requests.

Some businesses, including airlines, will promote human customer service as a premium experience (although eventually, perhaps, AI will be better – but at least initially this will be seen as a premium). And perhaps we’ll see airlines offering live human telephone service as an elite benefit.

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