Nothing Special In The Air.
Written: May 12 '00 (Updated Jun 14 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Customer Service Reps are Awesome!
Cons: They don't communicate while in flight.
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| scully81873's Full Review: American Airlines |
Flying was never one of my most fav things to do. In fact, I hadn't really been a user of air transportation until just recently. However, I do know what good service is. I have mixed views about American Airlines. Their in-air service was about as friendly as an angry tomcat. However, their telephone reps are awesome and all are well-trained in what to do. That is, in most cases... Their corporate offices, on the other hand, don't know a damn thing about service. Cuz hey! They just run the whole damn company. They don't "DEAL" with customers. Customer Service doesn't stop at the rep. These processes need to be implemented company-wide, and American has not practiced this AT ALL!
I needed to use American's customer service this year when I took a flight from New York to L.A. in February. The first mistake I made was booking the flight on priceline.com (but that's a whole other bag of crud that I'll write about soon). This meant that I would have to fly more than one leg for each way. Only one stop over in Chicago, there and back. Not bad. I was getting these tix for a killer price, so I went for it.
So the saga begins with American...
During the week that I was due to depart for Sunny, Funny, California, the weather in NY was just DREADFUL! I was trying to beat a storm that was headed our way, but little did I know that it had already ripped through Chicago (exactly where I had to land for the first leg of my trip). All flights in and out of O'Hare were canceled. Seeing as the weather was effecting everyone and their grandmother, I got on the phone with American and PATIENTLY waited for 2 hours so I could get some help.
Now, I work in Customer Service myself, and I know how hard it is for our Representatives to control themselves; I could just imagine how it was for the American reps that day. The service that I got over the phone was top notch! Everything was laid out by the rep. She told me what she was doing at all times, and she was very kind, with a wonderful phone etiquette. However, because of the storm, American's phone lines just couldn't handle the call volume that they were experiencing. Just as my transaction was about to be completed...Click! I GOT DISCONNECTED! I had to call back THREE times. Count 'em: ONE...TWO...THREE...THREE!!! (I am not trying to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop here!!) Each time I waited for a minimum of 1 hour (close to 3 at one attempt). Ridiculous!
Finally, 5 hours later, with a crick in my neck, dehydrated, hungry, exhausted...I heard a sweet angel's voice.
"Thank you for calling American. This is Jenny. How may I assist you?"
This time, Jenny actually took the time to take down my phone number in case we would get disconnected again! I was flabbergasted! She helped me out. She found me a BETTER flight (direct), and she said and did everything with the patience of a Kindergarten teacher. Jenny held my hand (so to speak) and led me through the storm (literally). Finally, I was on my way to SUNNY, FUNNY CALIFORNIA!
The service on the way there was fine. No problems whatsoever. Courteous attendants. Free magazines and newspapers. They played a good movie. I wasn't able to stow my bag anywhere because there was no room, but these were more than bearable circumstances. I laughed it off with a shrug and began to read my complimentary Financial Times.
We landed on time, and I began my vacation.
I had a wonderful time even though it was winter in California (it rained almost every day I was there). I wasn't looking forward to my trip back because I had so much fun. The fact that my return trip was awful didn't help my depression either.
I was dropped off in front of American’s LAX terminal at 8:30AM and I worked my way inside to my gate. At the gate, I learned that our flight was going to take off about 1/2 hours late. I needed to get to O'Hare by at least 11:45 so that I could catch my connecting flight. I figured we would have enough time since I had about 1 1/2 hours between connections. WRONG! The flight not only took off late, but it took off 1 hour late. American had us sitting in the plane for two hours! One hour at the gate, and one hour waiting to take off. They said not one word as to why there were delays. Now, me being the newbie air traveler that I am, I didn't realize that they would make arrangements for everyone who missed connecting flights due to their tardiness. So I was giving birth to small herds of cows while thinking that I would have to run to catch my flight.
Finally, we took off toward Chicago.
Now, considering my mind-set about the whole "Cripes! I'm gonna miss my connection" thing, I think that I was pretty calm. So, out of curiosity, I asked the flight attendant a few questions:
1) How late do you think we'll be?
2) Will the airline hold the other flight for us?
3) Can I please have a wedge of lemon with my Diet Coke?
Her answers were:
1A) No clue.
2A) They might. You'll have to deal with the ticket agent.
3A) I didn't cut any lemon today.
That's it! Then she proceeded to bash every isle seater in the elbows as she dragged that sad bevie cart down the isle.
I felt cheated. Confused. Worst of all...I had no lemon.
Then I had ordered something that they dared to call a calzone, and a small salad for dinner. Usually there is a small cookie for dessert...There was no cookie. I just about crumbled. I just wanted something sweet. Comfort food. But no! NO COOKIE!
So...I took a few deep breaths and tried to control my anger a bit.
As I was taking the last swig of my lemonless Diet Coke, the same cart tart who gave it to me ripped it out of my hand and threw it away. Yet again there was a less than customer-friendly move on her part.
I quietly watched time tick by and tried to figure out what time zone we were in. Watching my watch...I missed my flight. It took off. It was gone and I was going to be stuck in Chicago. I was having ghoulish nightmares of having to panhandle for cups of coffee, not being able to shower--it was horrible! Then by luck of Yeah Zeus, we finally landed. By my calculations, I missed my connecting flight by 15 minutes. But American had a little trick up it's sleeve:
THE PLANE THAT I WAS CURRENTLY SITTING ON WAS THE SAME @$@$%#&^@%$%@&* PLANE THAT I WAS IN SUCH A RUSH TO CATCH!
Waves of people from the back of the plane, started to run to the front to try to exit, men were screaming about the level of unprofessionalism, children were shrieking and screaming because, They too, were upset about not getting a cookie. All I wanted was my bed at this point.
I quietly exited the plane. My blood pressure was so high that I was in somewhat of a coma state. I just had one goal...to get to New York.
After the Clean up crew came through and cleaned up a little, they let us back on to the plane. I realized I was sitting one row away from where I was before. There was no room to stow anything (I had to basically sit a top of my luggage). But hey! In exactly 1 hour and 45 min, I will be back in New York enroute to my comfy bed.
As Jeremy (Head flight attendant guy) started making announcements and showing us how to assume crash positions, The cart tart that was on the other plane passed me by. WONDERFUL....Another lemonless coke!
So We take off no problem, happy day! This plane had lemon for my coke, I looked at my watch and we were about to land in 20 min. Just enough time for a little cat nap.
One hour later.....
I wake up to find that not only had I been drooling on myself, we were still in the air! No announcements had been made in the hour that I was asleep. Then I am informed by Jeremy that due to fog, we will have to circle a bit more. What can I do? New York was always a little foggy. At least they had our safety in mind.
Fifteen min later, We get another announcement that we will be making an emergency landing because we are running out of gas! WHAT?! We will need to fly 30 min out of our way to Syracuse, NY in order to "Touch Down" and refuel. That "Touch Down" lasted 3 1/2 hours! We were locked in the plane. Not allowed to move about and I was still perched atop my suitcase! How p i s s e d was I? Let's not even go there!
Inside I was crying. All I wanted to do was get off the plane. I wanted to wander about freely, get a real cup of coffee(maybe that cookie I missed so much), smoke a cigarette, and stretch out. However, monkey boy who was gassing us up was taking his sweet a s s time getting us filled. Not to mention the fact that there was some guy sitting behind me who was attempting to make friends with every body on the plane. All I could think is " If that happy go lucky freak comes one step near me.." Then he offered me a COOKIE! Ahhh...comfort food for my nerves. He could sense my frustrations. I guess he wasn't too bad.
So...After wolfing down that cookie, and taking a few deep breaths, I felt better. The plane took off again. 30 min later I was at JFK waiting to get my A S S out of the plane.
On the way out I shot the cart tart a dirty look and said to Jeremy..."I will never fly this airline again. Your service sucks and you're lacking in cookies and lemons!" It was childish but I had been bruised, battered and nearly tied in a knot for the past 12 hours (Plus I was needing a Nicotine fix real bad)
I whipped my head around, grabbed tightly to my Pullman and dragged myself through the airport. Lit a cigarette as soon as I got outside and hailed a cab. I got into the cab. The driver asked "Where are you going?"
I said..."Home...to my bed."
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
scully81873
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Location: Burbank, CA
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 8 members
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