Fairfax Backpacker blog slags off American airlines

[Warks]

This is great reading. Glad I'm flying Virgin America next week.
The Sydney Morning Herald Blogs: Travel

What's up with US carriers?

Leaders of the free world they may be. Land of the free, home of the brave, blah blah blah. But what they are not, is the home of decent airlines.
I love visiting the US. But what the hell's going on with their airlines? Why are they all so incredibly bad?
Flying through the US is a nightmare, everyone knows that - but it's not just because of the massive security push, the fact you have to take your shoes off about four times before you even set foot in the airport, and hand over your mother's cousin's social security number before you can board the plane.

One comment:

I've made many flights with American airlines over the past few years, almost every one a complete disaster. At least they're consistent, but I wouldn't make a long haul flight with one of them again even if they paid for the ticket.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I had the misfortune to be flying AA from NYC to LA in June. Got to the airport and printed my boarding pass. So far so good i thought.

Now, where do I check my bag. Join 1 Q, find out that's not right. Lots of people standing around. Lots of people asking are you in the Q. AA staff telling us to join the Q. People asking where's the Q. AA staff having no idea.

I must admit when i finally go close to the head of the Q, the way one of the AA staff was rasing her voice in spanish at the passengers. Classic. I suspect they get treated worse on aero mexico.

Anyhoo, i've put AA in the same category as Alitalia - even a F class free seat would not get me on baord.

 

[odysseus]

Definitely a good article. They've come a long way down... and keep going down. The past few weeks they've upped checked baggage charges again.

 

[straitman]

Interesting comments.

My only recent experience with AA was last Tuesday. We arrived approx 2 hours late on our QF93 flight from MEL which meant our AA connection was becoming very tight. The baggage transfer was individualized to ensure the bags made the connection and it all went well except one bag arrived on the following flight.

For the the trip LAX-DFW-TPA the aircraft were clean, on time, the FA's attentive and the aircraft appeared to be in good condition.

I know this is just a random sample of two flights but I'm posting to offer balance to the comments on the first couple of posts. I will be interested to see how the remaining 4 flights on our itinerary pan out.

 

[drron]

This is a typical piece of laziness from ? an australian journalist.In the States last month I read pieces of this blog in an article in one of their papers-things such as pizza and M&Ms,and your mother's,cousin's social security number I remember having read-and what Australian would mention social security numbers.
And what if 1 person has had bad experiences,mine on AA have virtually all been good-does that make it a great airline-certainly not.However best sector I have ever flown-AA F JFK-LHR in 2007.The most exceptional service from a GA-AA at MIA in 2006 when 8 of us travelling back from Curacao missed our connection to LGA because of Immigration at MIA.Not only all 8 of us accommadated on the next flight she made sure that the upgrades I had for the original flight for myself and mrsdrron were good for the rebooked flight but the other 6 were all seated together.This led to my most memorable moment on a plane when grandson(4 yrs)was taken to the coughpit on the ground in MIA,sat in the copilots seat with the Captains hat on,shown all the instruments then made an announcement over the PA-a priceless memory.

 

[dundas]

My last long haul experience with AA was two years ago NRT-LAX return, and they were OK. They looked after me (QF silver) with exit row seats both ways, although the seats themselves were curiously industrial/oily to look at. Generous portions at meal times, and the food itself was OK. But as the pilot said "The cabin crew are here prim-ar-il-y for your safety", meaning don't expect any service (the cabin crew spent a lot of time playing cards in the galley, and really did not like any intrusions). Worse, AA don't carry water on long haul, there are no fountains and no water runs. Your only chance of getting extra water is to beg for the unused containers collected off other pax meal trays (at least the crew did that much).

Short-haul, my last flight (about this time last year) was typified by the cabin crew just ignoring pax in the emergency row who left their bags under the seat in front of them. And the short haul planes all seem pretty long in the tooth to me. They got me to my destination, though.

I would now avoid AA in the US just because of the baggage charges - for where I fly, Southwest is my choice. Friendly, and somewhat newer planes, OK legroom, and they don't charge for the first or second bags. The nifty frequent flyer scheme is a bonus.

 

[Evan]

I can't comment on non premium classes on AA but generally for a US airline i find them pretty good. No complaints as such except the old seats in the maddogs could be replaced with something newer and more comfortable.
Even the food was acceptable to good

 

[UP4014]

Certainly found them no better or worse than any other large airline. Don't have anymore flights booked with then until Jan and Feb 2010 - just a return LAX - SFO shuttle to suit my next holiday.

 

[Keith009]

I actually find AA ground staff to be a lot better than a lot of other airlines especially in a fix like delays, missed connections etc. On par with CX ground staff which I also find very good, if not the best in oneworld. Always go that bit further to help out their elite pax and have no qualms bending rules to get you on your way. I remember landing in ORD in winter sans luggage - only had a light coat on me. The AAngel who filed my baggage claim actually hunted around for scarves and gloves in lost&found that I can borrow, and upon learning that it's my first time in Chicago - actually ensured that I knew how to make my way to my hotel, rang up hotel shuttle booking hotline for me etc.

In the air I had an AA purser who recognised me from a flight I taken with her 7 months before and took extra care to make sure that I was look after even though she was responsible for another cabin. Generally I tend to find the LAX cabin crew very good to excellent and deffo on par with the likes of QF and SQ. I've only had a single below average crew member so far, SEA-JFK flight, who acted like everything was a chore but every airline has their off days and I've had worse on other more reputable carriers.

I also had an opportunity to fly BA on my usual TATL route in July, LHR-LAX. It was my first time on BA on that route given I'd recently switched my earning from AAdvantage to QFF. The comparison between AA and BA J products was actually closer than I'd thought. BA's seat, wine list and champers totally pwns AA - but they were otherwise rather equal on service and food. The BA arrival into the TBIT cesspool was enough to make me miss AA which arrives into the much more pleasant T4.

So I really cannot relate to the constant horror stories about US carriers. Of course, i might have a rather different tale to tell if I'd been a regular traveller on US Airways rather than AA.

 

[notzac]

I actually find AA ground staff to be a lot better than a lot of other airlines especially in a fix like delays, missed connections etc.

Amen to that. QF have, on average, the most unfriendly ground and lounge staff I've come across (FLounge staff excluded). AA generally couldn't be friendlier and more customer-focused! In particular the SFO AC and DFW AC AAngels are wonderful.

 

[Keith009]

Amen to that. QF have, on average, the most unfriendly ground and lounge staff I've come across (FLounge staff excluded). AA generally couldn't be friendlier and more customer-focused! In particular the SFO AC and DFW AC AAngels are wonderful.

QF lounge staff are ok. But there's a lot of 'computer says no' mentality amongst their ground staff in general. Same could be said for SQ. If it's anything other than what they've learnt from the rule book, forget it!

 

[notzac]

QF lounge staff are ok.

Really? I've had nothing but rudeness from the MEL and BNE domestic QP service desks. *shrug*
In any case, this thread reminded me of a certain FT thread...

Some harmless weekend One World fun! - FlyerTalk Forums

What would your ultimate oneworld airline look like?

 

[penegal]

QF lounge staff are ok. But there's a lot of 'computer says no' mentality amongst their ground staff in general. Same could be said for SQ. If it's anything other than what they've learnt from the rule book, forget it!

Here Here, I hate that 'computer says no' attitude... Some attendants will give poor customer service just because the computer doesn't automatically allow the request or there isn't a specific rule which they are familiar with.

Having said that, I have had isolated excellent and poor service (on different occasions) from all of AA, SQ, NZ and QF.

Actually AA have done the right thing by me more than once when I had 'abnormal' requests. As it is often said: good service really depends on the individual person you are dealing with.

 

[dajop]

As it is often said: good service really depends on the individual person you are dealing with.

+ 1. Totally agree.

One other point, I'd guess (based on my experience) that the likelihood of getting good service (on the ground) is higher if being served by the airline's own employees, as opposed to contracted ground handling agents. Not a hard and fast rule, but is logical and seems to be often the case.

 

[pauly7]

Really? I've had nothing but rudeness from the MEL and BNE domestic QP service desks. *shrug*
?

I've had some of the best customer service from the QF group from the MEL QP....

In general (and not aimed at anyone in particular...) it often helps to be polite and friendly yourself and not over-react or retaliate.

Lets face it, these people don't have the best jobs in the world, they deal with alot of FWits and over-emotional people. Some empathy and politeness goes a very long way in my experience.... (infact my smile has won upgrades ahahah)

 

[Keith009]

Really? I've had nothing but rudeness from the MEL and BNE domestic QP service desks. *shrug*
In any case, this thread reminded me of a certain FT thread...

Some harmless weekend One World fun! - FlyerTalk Forums

What would your ultimate oneworld airline look like?

Ooh let's see....

AA runs call centre and/or check in

CX runs ticketing desks and/or check in

QF Flounges with champers bar supplied by BA

JL business lounges, especially beer pouring machine and snags

QF crew

QF food

JL food on Japanese routes (but with non-shellfish options for people like me pls )

QF wine list

AY vodka

CX FCL cabin

BA JCL cabin

QF whY+ cabin

whY - it's all a wash isn't it?

QF IFE

QF serviceware

FF program with AA earn/burn ratio but QF's ease of top tier status

It is usually at this point that my alarm clock rings.....

 

[notzac]

In general (and not aimed at anyone in particular...) it often helps to be polite and friendly yourself and not over-react or retaliate.

Agreed with you there .. having spent several years in hospo, having a customer asking you something with a smile and a positive attitude is worlds different to the same request from someone who's grumpy or has a sense of entitlement. I know it made a difference to the service I provided, and most everyone in the same position as a service provider would be the same.

Of course, everyone here would be polite and pleasant to airline staff at all times...

 

[notzac]

It is usually at this point that my alarm clock rings.....

Hehe, good list!

Add gin by BA and a boarding process by AA, at least for domestic/short haul.

 

[NM]

Ooh let's see....

BA whiskey list

 

[odysseus]

Most of the commentary in this thread, some slagging the writer, is about "American Airlines" when the article is actually about American airlines or, as per its heading "US carriers"...