American Airlines GroupReviews 101

We booked a flight from Hong Kong to Atlanta through Ctrip on 4/14/2017 on American Airlines. We checked in and were given our boarding pass. When we were boarding, the staff informed us that our ticket is not valid. American Airlines personnel said that they were not honoring tickets issued through Ctrip. American Airlines claimed that Ctrip is allowing fraudulent bookings through their sites. They called Ctrip and asked to refund our money. The Ctrip customer service agent said that the booking is valid and wouldn't refund our money. American Airlines confiscated our boarding pass. We were stuck with no tickets and no refund. Ctrip didn't take any responsibility for any issues that developed. American Airlines personnel told us that we can buy tickets to Atlanta for full price. We didn't agree to buy them. Our original flight departed and we were at the boarding gate for three hours. Neither CTrip or American would take responsibility. The American Airlines manager finally called security and four men came. We thought that we would be dragged out of the airport. We kept our calm and the security guards were friendly. Finally CTrip promised us a refund. We bought tickets and waited for our flight. Grateful we weren't forced to leave but still didn't know what the original issue or problem was.

Flew from PGH to CAN in June. Still can't get over the awful experience. Seats are small, flight crew seemed "annoyed". Flight from CAN to CHARL. Was terrible as well. TV was broken, upgraded my seats and paid around $150? Guy next to me didn't have to pay for his upgrade. I guess the secret is ask before you start boarding and they will not up charge you. I would say I got much better experience from Spirit then AA. I figured I would give them a chance but next time around I'm going with SOUTHWEST, by far the best airline you can fly with.

The timing couldn't have been more relevant and the phrase couldn't have been more distasteful. I had thought that post the United debacle that all airlines would be vigilant about either not overbooking or treating the people they overbooked very well. American Airlines clearly did not.

When my husband arrived at the desk, he was informed that I could not take the flight I paid for as it was oversold. To quote: "We overbooked, it is what it is". Honestly, if not the timing, but common curtesy should tell you that's not okay. To then obstinately continue to remain rude and when we were finally given two middle seats (someone took a voucher deal) say: "this is the way it has to be" threw me over the edge. I implore American to hire better and to treat the consumer as a human being. I know that I will not take American for a long time, even if it is the cheapest option.

I have never come across a worst airline and I've been flying all over the world for almost 30 years now. They are a fraud with regard to booking. They change prices within minutes and changes are not subtle! If you are looking for a ticket, you might refresh your browser or wait for a few minutes trying to confirm details and the price might go up $100 - $150 on domestic US flights! Simply disgraceful!

My latest experience was when their website was not working. I called and tried to tell them but they said their website was working fine and they had to charge me for $25 extra if I were to make a reservation over the phone. I said I would try again and the website was still not working! I wasted a day on this &^@%ing website! Then went back a couple of hours later and the price went up $100! I called back and asked to speak to a manager... Well, as expected, there was nothing they could do! Seriously, I have never come across a website with worst service, and more desire to rip off people. What is tragic about this is that they seem to monopolize some routes so you do not have an alternative! Simply tragic, I'm infuriated!

Also, their flight might be delayed and it might cause you to lose your connecting flight but yet you are expected to cover the cost of an overnight visit, with the excuse that the issue was due to weather conditions and they are not liable for that!

They have raised their price by another $100 within minutes! This is clearly unethical! Is there an organization that they can be reported to? Something protecting consumer rights or something of that sort? This is making me physically ill!

American Airlines will never honor their widely publicized "low fare guarantee." According to American Airlines,
"If, after a ticket has been issued and before any portion has been used, a decrease in the applicable fares or charges becomes effective, or a new fare between the points shown on the ticket is added, the full amount of the difference in fares less any change fees applicable to the original fare rule and date of purchase, will be refunded to the purchaser, upon request, provided there is no change in origin/destination/stopover points/flights/dates shown on the original ticket and, subsequent to the decrease in fares/charges or the addition of a new fare, all conditions of the lower fares/charges are met, including booking code and any advance reservations/ticketing requirements." HERE'S THE CATCH: American Airlines claims that issuing a refund constitutes a "change" in your ticket! And the cost to "change" your ticket? $200! In my case, fares dropped $30. American demanded a $200 "change fee" in order to issue the guaranteed refund of $30. Yeah. I obviously wont fly on American anymore! I was very disappointed. I used to feel like American Airlines was a good company.

I fly with with AA whenever I'm in the US. They have a very easy to use website, and an accompanying app which has made it extremely easy to make bookings and follow up on the same. I endorse this company

I am in the United States military. I booked my ticket through Cheapo air to go to a mission trip to Haiti. I must spend more time there because the missionary group that is with me need my assistance for few more days. After I bought my ticket I made sure I bought the insurance plan with it in case I should change my return date. Now, when I call cheapoair, they told me to change the return date I need to have documented military order or documented medical reason. Same thing happened with me few months ago with Southwest Airline. I bought my ticket while I was on deployment to go on leave to see my family. When I got home, my sister sold me her car that I had to drive back to Norfolk. I called Southwest Airline, they accepted to hold my ticket for a year. It was one of the Getaway ticket which was super cheap. I just used it recently. All I had to pay was the difference in price. Now, with American Airlines, I am told because my ticket was so cheap, to change the date, I'd have to pay an extra $200 plus the difference in price. The way business go this day with Airline companies, the consumer is the looser in every case. The consumer pays for the ticket to fly plus the insurance in case there is a change; cannot get what he/she wants.
I also called Tripmate the insurance company. They told me the same thing. Whoever is flying with American Airlines, if you buy a cheap ticket to not buy any insurance because it does not mean anything if you have to change the date.

I am 27 years old and my mother is 62. In our combined 89 years of travel neither of us had ever experienced anything like our flight out of Saint Martin yesterday. We booked a direct flight that left at 2:40PM and was to land in Philadelphia at 7:13PM. When we boarded the plane we were told we would arrive in Philadelphia early and were very pleased by this news.

However, after a short time the pilot told us that there was something wrong with the plane. "Something" with no further detail as to what was wrong or how long it would take to repair. After two hours of waiting in the plane, we were told that the plane was finally repaired and would be able to fly. The pilot informed us however that due to "legal issues" we would not be able to fly to Philadelphia as planned, which was an estimated 4 hours and 35 minutes, instead we would be flying to Miami a 3 hour and 15 minute flight. We were not told anything other than that. We were then given the option to leave the plane but were told we would not be provided a room. About 40 minutes later we took off for Miami.

We landed in Miami and waited on the tarmac for over an hour. Were told that we would be greeted by individuals who would tell us where to go and would take us step by step through customs and our return to the 10:30 flight from Miami to PHL. There was no one there to greet us when we arrived and no one to direct us through customs and security. We went through customs and were required to go through TSA security, despite not leaving the airport or having time to purchase ANYTHING. Once we arrived at our flight we were delayed in boarding and did not take off until after 11:30. We arrived in Philadelphia at around 2:00 and there was no one from AA to greet us or speak to. We waited, as a group, for our luggage for over 45 minutes before it began to come out.

I am extremely disappointed with how disorganized and unapologetic this airline was. If I can avoid using AA in the future I intend to.

Being a U.S. Airways elite member for years, I was used to the great benefits of elite status which included frequent upgrades to first class, priority seating and boarding to name a few. Now that AA has devoured what little was left of America West airlines, the elite membership has just as little left in it (and much to be desired). I kept my status and even paid a $600+ fee to maintain it after the merger thinking it would be just as good (or better)... wrong I was...

For example, in a recent flight I was originally in a window, exit row seat, which I had obtained by checking in early and being an elite member. When I arrived at the gate during priority boarding I was rejected and sent to see a clerk because I no longer had a seat. The clerk, Tisha or "Miss Attitude" for better fit, informed me several minutes later that due to a plane change my original seat was no longer available. Instead of reassigning me a comparable seat I received the very last seat in the plane... yes the one next to the "$#*!-house". I usually understand and forgive but there are simple things that could have been done to prevent this negative experience: 1) email me or text me about the seat change (they have all my info and already use it for plane updates! 2) try to find me a comparable seat 3) have staff who are positive and polite, Ms. Attitude shouldn't represent you!... at last I stopped by customer service before leaving the airport and the clerk there, with a much more professional demeanor, explained that over the next few months and possibly entire year AA will be upgrading planes and those new planes do not have all the seats that are in the old planes (rows 4 - 7 or so, the first few rows after first class)... now on a positive note: nice to see them adding new planes!

She also confirmed hearing similar complaints and that unfortunately there are very rare seat upgrades or considerations these days to elite members - the elite status doesn't mean much anymore unless you're at the executive platinum level which is about $1200 per year or more for me to upgrade!

I booked flights through Expedia and paid with American Express. When I went to select seats, none were available at the price I paid, so I had to pay an additional fee for select seats. I called AA customer service and was told that if I wanted the seats guaranteed to be available when I arrived at the airport, I would have to pay the fee or risk having seats not available. Have you seen the Jerry Seinfeld episode when he arrives at the car rental place and is told there is no car available even though he made a reservation? He told the attendant they didn't know the meaning of the word reservation. I would call this offer bait and switch by Expedia and American Airlines.

American Airlines, is selling tickets on Ghost planes and no seats. A ticket purchased in August 2015 for a flight in Dec for the holiday so early purchace should be no issue. Flight 1442 going departs 10:15 12/19 round trip DFW. So dropped off passenger at 8:30, as I was going returning and just went back through toll, call came in flight was missed? How can you miss a flight that according to the AA 800 number that morning was still logged as being ontime. Swung back around to pick up passenger and they had been put on a stand by flight. Due to age I went back into the airport and spoke with the ticket agent, who informed me the process was policy to be put on stand by. So here is the million dollare question? Is there a seat available? Oh no it is sold out and over booked. WOW! Customer service at its best! So I requested we try a novel route since the flight was book and paid for 90+ days earlier, lets look for a flight 12/19 or 12/20, that actually has a seat available. She (Ami) requested that I add a PLEASE, after that, awesome service. She hcame up with a flight at 3 pm 12/19, with a seat I verified, yes she put them on it. So on the 19th 10:00 going through the parking an all day event two round trips to DFW. Fun Day.On the way back to the garage I pointed out the cots in the area that apparently this issue was larger than just this one. Now DFW is AA's hub, but I don't think it is their palyground! To sell bogus ticket on flights that do not exist, and to actually have the recording verify the flight. I think that is fraud, and Delta as I understand from a co-worker does the exact same thing. FAA and DOT need to look into these practices looking for attorney for class action the idea of this being acceptable is insanity, causing undue stress and anxiety. As if Holiday stress is not high enough, AA your Dallas home needs to be be treated with respect, and courtesy to your customers..

Probably the worst review I have seen of an airline was of a travel writer who arrives at the airport to find the USAirways computer was not working. In desperation he offered to pay cash for a new First Class ticket if he could just get on the scheduled flight he had already paid for.

The reason I remember this is something similar happened to me.

As a long time Frequent Flier on American you could see the quality of the planes and of service drop with the merger. They started using 757s on flights to Europe that flew at speeds less than 600mph.

For the same money you could be in business class in a new 777 going much faster and sleeping on a bed and eating gourmet food (Air France, BA, even Aeroflot).

Absolute horrible experience. They charge you for checking your bag. Then the flight lands and sits waiting for a gate to be empty. Then you're late for your connection. Then they lose your bag. Trying to get information is an absolute disaster with all the recordings on their phone line. You wait literally one hour on the phone waiting to talk to someone. When you finally get a human being they can help you. It took a day and a half to finally get my luggage. They ruin your vacation. In a nutshell this is the worst airline I've ever dealt with. I will never fly with them again. $25 to check a bag and then they lose it. You would think they would refund the $25 but no way