Interesting experience flying AA.

[winfred]

I had an interesting experience recently flying AA from JFK to KUL via DOH & CGK.

I found out that my JFK-DOH flight was delayed by 1 hour when I was checking in. There was only a 2 hr layover in DOH so I was concerned about missing the connection to CGK. The flight was delayed a few times and at 1:30am, 4 hours after the scheduled departure time, "delayed" to the following night.

Everyone was given hotel to stay "near" the airport. After a 45 min bus ride, I arrived at the hotel and was told the hotel is full and has no available room . It was past 3am already. The hotel staff was very helpful and managed to work with AA to find us another room. I arrived at the new hotel at 5:30am.

Throughout the whole episode, the AA staff was rude and couldn't care less about the situation which was the most frustrating part.

I emailed AA about the incidence and complained about the altitude and incompetency of their staff. AA offered me 7,500 points and reimburse any out of pocket expenses.

I now understand why AA is ranked outside the top 50 airlines in the world consistently over many years.

 

[Quickstatus]

altitude and incompetency of their staff.

I wonder to what extent are the ground staff empowered to assist customers, or are they constrained by management. I.E If A happens the staff can only do B, even though C is the better option but not allowed by management.

 

[winfred]

I wonder to what extent are the ground staff empowered to assist customers, or are they constrained by management. I.E If A happens the staff can only do B, even though C is the better option but not allowed by management.

Altitude has nothing to do with what they can do but how they deal with customers. Competency is about how well they understand process, procedures and options for customers.

In my case, their advice was they will eventually get me to Doha and delays happen all the time (which I agree) but my missed connection is my problem and asked me to sort it our myself when I get to Doha. Also, any accommodation required for missing my connection is my own problem and at my own costs.

It was AA and I was at JFK. I was dealing with reservations, customer service, the whole crew.

I am sure if "A" happens, the SOP is not sending customers to a hotel with no room.

 

[Quickstatus]

but how they deal with customers

I was dealing with reservations, customer service, the whole crew

My question is to what extent does management constrain the ground staff. The assumption here is the ground staff are the weakest link, whereas I would suggest that it is management which puts in policies and procedures which actually constrain the ground staff in what they can do. If it is the whole crew that is not up to scratch, I would suggest the problem lie at the feet of management

 

[winfred]

Can't just blame the altitude of the staff on management but management is responsible for the lack of knowledge of the staff.

My experience showed that most employees at AA couldn't care less. It is a culture problem that any CEO may struggle to change.

 

[ausfox]

Maybe because they are at a high altitude they have a bad attitude.
Poor show anyhow.

 

[Mattg]

Sadly, this is fairly consistent with my experience of dealing with AA during IRROPs over the years.

One night they left me to sleep on the floor of the airport in RDU after my inbound AA flight was delayed and I missed the connection (on the same ticket). The staff could not give a toss.

 

[UP4014]

Leadership starts at the top. Treat your staff how you want them to treat your customers. As someone who manages people who deal direct with customers I can say it works.

 

[Quickstatus]

Leadership starts at the top

I find that the problem often stems from the top. The constraint often cones from there.
When the employee at the coalface is not empowered or given the tools/$$$ to make a difference, they cant, and eventually they wont.

 

[Forg]

Maybe because they are at a high altitude they have a bad attitude.
Poor show anyhow.

You shoulda gone with
Poor show anyho

… when you get that track to #1 in 67 countries, please think of me!

 

[drron]

Sadly, this is fairly consistent with my experience of dealing with AA during IRROPs over the years.

One night they left me to sleep on the floor of the airport in RDU after my inbound AA flight was delayed and I missed the connection (on the same ticket). The staff could not give a toss.

Though my experience is exactly the opposite. then again I do have lifetime status with AA and every good experience meant a compliment was issued.
I did have one experience which was similiar to that described when a PHL CDG flight was cancelled and the PHL staff were hopeless and lied. So I went to the Admirals club. They couldn't fix it so I asked to be put through to the Dallas office and it was all fixed within 10 minutes. On the BA flight the next morning and put up at the Marriott at the airport.

 

[TomVexille]

I find that the problem often stems from the top. The constraint often cones from there.
When the employee at the coalface is not empowered or given the tools/$$$ to make a difference, they cant, and eventually they wont.

The Doug Parker led AA took the tools away from the staff on the ground. They MUST follow what the computer says. Staff no longer have any discretion to help.

 

[exceladdict]

They MUST follow what the computer says. Staff no longer have any discretion to help.

I found this in a recent experience too, even when the system is wrong. They can call the helpdesk, but the helpdesk also seemed to have little discretion.

 

[Himeno]

Can't just blame the altitude of the staff on management but management is responsible for the lack of knowledge of the staff.

My experience showed that most employees at AA couldn't care less. It is a culture problem that any CEO may struggle to change.

My experience shows that many customers repeatedly ask/demand things that the service staff are not able/allowed to provide.
After a while when customers keep wanting you to do something you are not allowed to do and they only get more pissed off with you when you say you can't, the staff member is going to becoming less caring about it.

The staff either do something to help the customer and get in trouble from the boss, or they follow company policy and get harassed by the customer.

 

[Quickstatus]

They can call the helpdesk

Which must be demeaning for people at the coalface

My experience shows that many customers repeatedly ask/demand things that the service staff are not able/allowed to provide.

yes there are always going to be unreasonable customers. However, I find that they are generally in the minority.
I do agree that the customer is not always right

 

[winfred]

I did not ask for too much. Just send me to a hotel with a room when they cancel the flight at 1:30am.

There is a sequel to all this. Stay tuned.

 

[dajop]

It sounds like the delay was mechanical/crew and not weather/ATC related, is that correct?

 

[winfred]

It sounds like the delay was mechanical/crew and not weather/ATC related, is that correct?

Yes correct. Then when the mechanical problem was fixed, they couldn't find new crew to work. By the way, the same problem happened the night before so a number of passengers that turned up the same night as me said it was deja vu and most of them decided to find alternative ways to get to their destinations.

Delays happen all the time. I have no issue with delays or cancellations.

 

[dajop]

Yes, for weather you can expect to sleep on the terminal floor, but not for mech/crew.

 

[exceladdict]

Which must be demeaning for people at the coalface

Yes, I had to be firm but fair and eventually they overrode the system on my particular issue, the supervisor commented they were likely to get in trouble for doing so.
I was sure to send through a formal compliment straight away to hopefully counter any flak - staff shouldn't be punished for simply providing published benefits.