One airline, two different customer service experiences
It’s no secret that the major airlines are struggling. And that they need to charge some of the penalties and fees that they do to survive. But sometimes waiving a fee might be the best financial decision an airline can make.
TSA and AA start paperless boarding pass at LAX
Last month Continental, Delta, Northwest and Alaska started a pilot program in several airports throughout the United States, which allowed passengers to receive paperless boarding passes on their cell phones or PDAs. Now American Airlines joins the testing.
Short flights become a longer road to elite status on American Airlines
American Airlines this week joined the bandwagon of airlines that are cutting off a longtime favorite benefit for frequent fliers: minimum mileage guarantees on all flights. This move saves American Airlines and the other airlines a load of mileage liability.
Screw Europe! American Airlines moves to “unbundle” air fares
Officials at American Airlines this weekend announced that the airline is planning to move to an “unbundled” fare system in 2009 — even as Europe is about to implement a new rule requiring airlines to quote an all-inclusive price.
American Airlines, JFK get bogus travel agent awards
It’s difficult to find a traveler who thinks always-congested JFK is the best airport in the country or that always-late American Airlines is the top air carrier — let alone a competent travel agent. But not according to the World Travel Awards, which has given JFK and American its top honors.
Kayak countersues American Airlines in fare display dispute
Now it’s Kayak’s turn. The online travel site, which is being sued by American Airlines for displaying its fares, has countersued the company in Tarrant County, Texas.
To save fuel, should planes fly unpainted? Here’s the surprising answer
While walking through an American Airlines office I saw a post that said, “It’s a fact — Replacing paint with decals can reduce aircraft weight by 400 pounds and, across the fleet, save approximately $19 million in annual fuel costs.” If that is true, why are all the other airlines slathering their planes with paint?
“Seamless” travel? Here’s the reality of codeshare flights
The new three-way codeshare agreement between American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia is being touted as a “benefit to consumers” that will offer “easy, seamless and convenient travel to more global destinations.” Yeah, right.
If those cancelled flights made you feel safer on American Airlines, think again
It’s only been five months since that horrendous travel week in late March when American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights with their MD80 airplanes, and some passengers were stuck for days, especially at Dallas/Ft Worth airport.
American’s baggage rules pushed into the headlines
American Airlines has been the subject of lots of bad press over charging Army reservists going to active duty additional baggage fees. The airline, through its company spokesman, said it was only following procedure and that eventually the reservists would be reimbursed by the Army for their third bag.