We leave for the airport flying on American Airlines again, the flight that we booked 6 months ago. A vacation we have been looking forward to. Now since booking the flight from Reno to Florence,Italy American Airlines has taken it upon themselves to change our flights twice. When they changed the times and flights AA didn’t take into account the time to get from one gate to another so we had to go to the site and check and change flights to make sure we could make it in time. If you don’t keep an eye on this AA will automatically change you’re flights,so you are forced to keep an eye on this.
Now this vacation was with another couple flying in from another city and we wanted to meet up so we could travel together. So when American Airlines changed our flights the other couple had to “hope” they could get the same flights. We are talking about $1000’s of dollars on the line with bookings and flights. And this is not the first time American Airlines have done this. This more seems to be the normal for this company.
With the last change to our flights there would not be enough time to make a connecting flight so we and the other couple decide to meet in the fist city and stay overnight ( hotel costs paid for by all of us that to American Airlines ) in Los Angels. We leave for the airport after work arrange for someone to drop us off , and we check in and drop off out luggage with AA.
Not 3 mins after leaving the more or less empty counter since we were there so early the AA app informs us the flight has been canceled. The flight we planed to take so we could meet up with the other couple who were already inflight from another city. American Airlines has a number of flights from Reno to LA per day. We dash back to the AA counter and it is now full of people trying to find out WHY the flight was canceled. From what information we could get from the AA employees at the ticket counter whats ” I DON”T KNOW”.
My wife gets on phone to American Airlines and is told by the rep that they didn’t have a crew for the flight to LA. She is talking on one phone and checking the AA app on another and not seeing any flights with AA that have room on the plane for us to make our connections. The AA rep said she could put us on a flight that was leaving in about 3 hours on Alaska Air , this would not be a direct flight from Reno to LA there was a 2 hour layover in another city and would not get us in till after 11pm.
With the amount of times that American Airlines have changed our flights for this vacation, and the times that they have canceled other flights we didn’t feel that they could get us to the destination we paid them to take us to. AA seems to care more about the inflight video looking well then the cattle they have watching it. The distaste they seem to have for the people who pay them lots of money is the impression I get from American Airlines. If you check twitter and other social networks on any given day you will find how they change/cancel PEOPLE’S flights everyday.
To not loss time and money on missed international flights and make it to our next city on time with some time to sleep we booked 2 tickets on Southwest Airlines. The flight on Southwest Air took off 1 hour later than the AA flight that was canceled and was a direct flight to LA.
Update 3/21/17 This is the bullshit i get from Trip Master
Dear Dawn and Erik,
Thank you for contacting us!
Thank you for answering the survey that we sent you and we apologize for the several airline schedule changes that you have experienced with your flight. We have received a notification from American airlines about the partial refund that you requested.
Please note that the type of ticket that you purchased with us was a promotional fare that is more affordable that a regular fare.
We have received a partial refund from American airlines for the amount of $17.74 per ticket as a partial refund for ticket number 001-79and 001-790.
We will credit your credit card ending in for a total amount of $35.48 USD. Please look for this credit on the next 1-2 credit card statement.
Should you need further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us again. Thank you for contacting us!
Thank you Auburn Lipon / Customer Service representative
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