- It is super long due to such a long story about what happened with my flight from ORD to DFW
- At times, I may not even make sense but I tried to proofread and fix things as much as I could.
- I did contact AA and have not received a response yet, probably because there were so many angry people who also contacted them, aside from us.
- I get violent in this post so beware.
- I absolutely am disgusted by American Airlines and their #$&@ service.
Our flight issues began from the VERY beginning of our trip. On August 13th, flight 2341 was supposed to depart from DFW at 7:45pm. So, our family all gets to the airport at around 5:45ish and by the time we pass through security and check in our bags, we get to our gate at around 6pm. Boarding was supposed to start at 7:25pm, but after 15 minutes of sitting at our gate, the flight was delayed an hour and would depart at 8:30ish. Nobody made an announcement at the gate saying our flight was delayed, but because I was aware of the crap service AA has, I made sure my phone notified me of anything ridiculous happening with our flight, which it did. So after one delay, another came, and another and another. We had about 5 delays, NONE OF WHICH any AA agent notified us about. When people finally started questioning what was wrong, the agents first told us they were having maintenance issues. Then the next delay, they said the screw was loose on the co-pilot's seat (WTF???). Then the next delay, they said they had to entirely replace the co-pilot's seat. After much patience and four hours later, they finally fixed whatever issue there was and we boarded our flight at around 11:30pm and arrived at our hotel near ORD at precisely 1:41am.
UGH.
So here's what happened when we wanted to come back to DFW:
On August 17th, flight 2374 was supposed to depart from ORD straight to DFW at 8:50pm. (The beginning of these paragraphs sound like an upsetting CNN documentary) We arrive at ORD at around 6:15pm and get to our gate. We wait and wait for our boarding to happen and then I get a notification that our flight is delayed until 11:30pm. Once again, nobody notifies us at the gate. Prior to getting a notification, I noticed that ORD staff began setting up cots with pillows and blankets. I thought they were for those who have an overnight layover, I was wrong. After waiting around at our gate, my family and I decided it would be more comfortable to lay down for a couple of hours until our flight would board. After 30 more minutes, I get another notification saying that our flight would depart at 11:50. Then after another 30 minutes, I get a notification saying our flight is CANCELLED. So you may be thinking, "Yes, Misbah, flights do get cancelled. It's not really a big deal". Yeah, keep reading.
When I get the notification, the AA agents at our gate FINALLY announce it and say we all have to go to another gate (K10 or K4) and visit the rebooking center. They also said it was weather related, even though there was only light showers Sunday morning and everything was clear that night. So everyone disperses and rushes to the rebooking center where there are absolutely no flights available (I find that really hard to believe, but AA is known for lying). To make matters worse, we not only had a handicap with us but also someone who had a medical emergency (of course AA doesn't care). When we checked our flight status, apparently AA had already put all passengers from flight 2374 onto different flights on Monday to reach DFW. None of these flights were direct and they were not at preferable timings (2pm with 3hr layover in Kentucky).
I go back to our original gate from the booking center and stand in line to get some compensation. I obviously was not about to stay overnight at ORD which meant I wanted a hotel, I wanted food, I wanted a refund from AA. And if you know me, you would know when I get mad, I get really angry. It's like the kraken is released from my body and you don't want to meet it. So I stand in line and I only have to wait maybe 20 minutes (better than 3 hours right?) and I ask the agent what the heck happened with this flight and if there are any flights available tonight since both my parents had work and I just wanted to get home. One of the agents tell me that it was weather related and that the small rain shower that went on Sunday morning was apparently enough to disrupt the entire flight system. THIS was a downright LIE because all of my other family members who also flew with AA all got directly to DFW that same night. So AA was just giving me bullshit and their agents were so kind and gave me an attitude. So another agent takes over after I give the other agent a look as if I'm going to tear her face off and he tells us that there are no flights available tonight, BUT he would give us a stay at La Quinta all the way in Schaumburg (?!?!?) as well as food vouchers to be used at ORD and a taxi to and from our hotel and ORD. I wasn't complaining at that point because at least I had a free place to stay with free food and free fare. Then he said that AA really just cancelled the flight for no reason and that's what AA does often.
So we get to our hotel, spend the night there, and here's the taxi issue when going back to ORD:
The hotel receptionist booked a taxi for us since not all taxi companies were going to accept the voucher AA had given us. When the taxi finally comes, my sister shows him the voucher and asks, "Do you take this voucher?" and he says, "Yeah!". So we get in the taxi and about 5 minutes into our ride, the taxi driver says, "I can't take this voucher. I have to go to AA headquarters all the way in Washington DC to cash this." I was about to rip his head off.
So we start yelling and asking him why he gave us a ride when my sister showed him the voucher and he said he accepted it.
He's says, "I thought you meant the American Taxi voucher! I didn't know what voucher this was!!"
So then we tell him, "Then just take us back if you don't take it because we're not paying for the fare!!!!!!!!"
He says, "Okay then you pay the fare back to the hotel!!!".
And we say, "NO. We're not paying anything!!!!!"
So he pulls over and says, "Okay then I'll call the cops."
And we're just sitting there and we tell him, "Yeah, okay. Call the cops. Cool."
He then calls dispatch to ask if they take the voucher and guess what? THEY DO. So after all that, he then says, "Oh, I'm so sorry. It was a misunderstanding. Sorry sorry".
Sorry doesn't fix the fact that I want to rip your head off mister. So I called his taxi company and sent in a complaint for not only threatening us but also relentlessly texting while driving - against IL state laws.
**If you've made it this far in the post, I applaud you**
When we finally got to ORD at 12pm, we waited for our flight. While waiting, I decided to use the food vouchers and while in line to get some delicious veggie bagels, I see the following on my voucher:
Right above "EXPIRES", you can see that it clearly says: Delay - Mechanical.
So pretty much, AA was tweeting me that it's been a difficult day for air travel, AA agents were telling me that it was weather related issues, and my food voucher was telling me it was mechanical issues. Way to lie, AA.
Our flight finally left from ORD at 2pm and we reached Lousiville, KY at 3pm. We had a 3 hour layover which was extended to 4 hours after AA delayed our flight AGAIN and said it was due to weather. They were just making excuses. Also, I had once again tweeted AA asking what exactly had happened with flight 2374. They told me due to weather, the crew was displaced. OKAY. SURE. It may have been the truth, but I wouldn't know since AA is the equivalent of the boy who cried wolf. We finally reached home at 11:30pm. We could have driven quicker.
Here's why I know for sure AA was lying the entire time:
1) Clear skies over Texas that night, nothing happening in Chicago
2) When they began to set up cots at ORD, they knew the flight was cancelled but didn't tell anybody and said it was delayed
3) While telling us it was delayed, they were already placing all 2374 passengers onto different flights for Monday
4) If it was really weather related, none of the other DFW flights my family were one would have departed that night.
This entire thing was deliberate and I want a full refund. AA caused both my parents to lose a day worth of work and money and we pretty much just wasted our money paying for a nonexistent flight.
So that's my experience with AA and why I will NEVER fly with them AGAIN. My family keeps joking that Chi didn't want me to leave since I love it there and I was born there. Although I consider Chi to be my first home and a chunk of my heart will always be there, pieces of my heart also lay in Dallas where my real home is. I hope all parts of this post made sense and if it didn't, leave a comment.
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