American Airlines repeatedly ignores their own written baggage policy

Date: 15 April 2013
Airline: American Airlines
Location: Denver, CO (DIA)
Flight: AA3613

I am seeking a reimbursement of $170, cash or airline credit, for an item that was pilfered from my checked bag.

On Apr. 15, I flew home to Chicago from Denver. When I retrieved my checked bag from the baggage claim, three of the pockets were splayed open and multiple items were coming out. One item was missing entirely: a pair of Black Diamond Sabretooth Pro Crampons (metal spikes you attach to boots for mountaineering and ice climbing, retail $170). They had been packed very securely.

I immediately filed a claim with the baggage department. My claim was initially denied. According to the documentation included with my checked bag stub, the airline has at least $3300 baggage liability per passenger, which does not cover 'photographic equipment, computers and any other electronic equipment, jewelry, cash, documents, works of art or other similar valuable items.' Crampons do not resemble anything in this list.

I was told that I could file a complaint online, which I did the following day. I received a reply, saying again that I was denied, with a similar list of non-covered items. Again, it does not seem that any of the non-covered items include crampons.

I wrote a complaint online once again, stating that my crampons are not included in their list of non-covered items. I received a reply stating that, ""It is our practice for personnel in our local offices to handle claims of this type. They have the full authority and responsibility in such matters. You will be contacted as soon as possible.

After three months, I still had not heard from the local office, so I called them directly. I was told that my file had been denied and closed out, that my item was not covered because, 'We only really cover clothes and stuff.' I was told there was nothing they could do.

I have been a regular American Airlines customer and would greatly appreciate the airline remedying this very unpleasant experience.

Poor coordination between United Airlines and Amtrack

Date: 24 June 2013
Location: Philadelphia, PA (train station)
Airline: United
Flight: UA6661/UA675

My wife and myself,[names redacted], had a pathetic experience traveling from Philadelphia to Seattle on June 24, 2013 on United Airlines. Ref confirmation code [redacted]. It was Flt # UA6661 from ZFW to EWR (train service) and then Flt # 675 from EWR to SEA. We booked through Expedia (Itinerary #[redacted]) and the reason we chose this option was that we were traveling with bags and it seemed very convenient to check in at Philadelphia train station.

With a Flt no. for the train service and indicating franchise operated subsidiary, this expectation seemed very much in line with norms of reason. It turned out at the time of travel that there was no United check in or flight no. at the Philadephia Amtrak train station. We had to carry our luggage (three check in bags) through train stations all the was to Terminal 3 at EWR.

Because of the check in bags we hired a porter service at Philadelphia train station and it turned out to be a saving grace because nowhere on the Amtrak flight system was UA 6661 displayed, which train service we were looking for, and it was because of the porter that we got to the right train. At the time of booking the way the whole thing was presented is tantamount to giving wrong information to the customer.

Had it been mentioned that our flight was from EWR to SEA and we had an Amtrak train connection from Philadelphia Amtrak station to EWR, we would not have opted for this United option and selected a suitable flight option from Philadelphia to Seattle on any airline.

Passenger sprains knee and wants apology for airline response

Date: 1 June 2012
Airline: United, flight 709
Location: Baltimore, MD

It was June 1st 2012 I left BWI on my way to Chicago and then to LA and lastly San Diego. I got on the plane put my baggage in overhead and immediately tried to sit before the plane took off and twisted my knee. My complaint goes to the treatment I received after the injury.

Customer service in Chicago told them what happened and they had someone wheel me to the Medical Center and once I got there I was denied service because she said she had three people in front of me and I would miss my connecting flight.

I hopped around the airport until I got to my final destination. I went to the VA Medical Center once in San Diego and was told by the doctor that my knee was in fact sprained. I would like an apology from the airline for their conduct and want to be reimbursed in some form.

-Donna

Mystery date change with Singapore Air

Two tickets were purchased and confirmed on 24 November 2011 to fly from Houston to Moscow for 30 April 2012. On Saturday 31 March 2012, I received a phone call from Singapore Air stating that we could not fly on the date of the purchased ticket and had to change the date of departure.

Initially offered an earlier date, I argued against that change since our visas would not allow us into the country for that arrival date.  Then I was told we would have to go either on the 1st or 2nd of May 2012 and settled on 1 May 2012. The tickets were reissued that day with the same ticket numbers and the date of purchase (not change) was backdated to the original purchase date.

When queried about the reason for this change I was not told nor was I told when I called the airline nor was my complaint ever answered by Singapore Air. I would still like us to leave on the original date and return on the original date (22 Jun 2012). To arbitrarily change a date for a purchased ticket without any reason and tell they cannot go on that date is the height of airline arrogance. Although this is the only complaint having used Singapore several times before, this one seems to be serious.

-Jimmy

Can't fit standard infant carrier in some US Airways seats

Date: 9 May 2012
Airline: US Airways, flight 1247
Location: West Palm Beach, FL

I was traveling with my 5 month old infant son as well as my 4 year old daughter and mother. My father paid for two seats for the infant, one going to Palm Beach and one for the return flight to Philadelphia There was no problem with using the baby carrier on flight down. However, on return flight, attendant said baby had to be buckled into window seat.

The infant carrier did not fit in the window seat and US Airways' attachment seat buckle did not fit around carrier. US Airways neglected to tell passenger that the older planes do not properly accommodate baby carriers on window seats, even though US Airways mandates that babies have to sit in the window seats.

I had to hold my 17 pound baby during the entire trip. Paid for a choice seat for an additional cost. Seat was never used. I am requesting a refund for the unused return flight seat. Lack of communication regarding baby travel requirements was the fault of US Airways, not the passenger.

-Kristine

United employees accused of popping slides for no good reason

Date: 13 May 2012
Airline: United, flight 1098
Location: Houston, TX

I am outraged that my flight to Houston scheduled to leave at 5:01 after a 4 hour layover was sabatoged by a United employee on the arriving flight, at the gate. A mechanical delay was announced. A United employee whispered that a slide had been deployed, on the A320, at the gate following landing.

I went to the service desk and was told the plane probably would not fly until the next day and was told that this was the third slide deployment at the airport by a United employee. This is outragious, and a terrorist act as the employees are damaging and disabling airplanes.

I was scheduled to land in Lake Charles, LA at 10:55PM Sunday evening for an interview the following morning. I was forced to take a flight to New Orleans, LA which arrived after midnight and drive three hours to Lake Charles, LA arriving 3:30AM Monday morning. These United employees seem to face no consequences of their actions, but look how their actions impacted
... just me. I am outraged and want action taken against United and the terrorists!

-Richard

Holiday Airline Travel Advice on Security and Baggage

With the holidays comes the joys and the headaches of holiday travel, especially if it involves going to the airport. If you follow AirSafe.com's advice, you could avoid most of the mistakes that passengers make when it comes to packing and air travel.

Advice for infrequent flyers
If you have never flown before or if you have not flown in a long time, you should review the AirSafe.com's Advice for the Infrequent Flyer, which covers some of the basic things you need to know, and also has links to more extensive information about security and baggage issues.

Baggage Advice
The following links will provide you detailed information on a range of baggage related subjects of interest to travelers during the holidays or at any other time of the year:
What the TSA allows in checked and carry-on baggage
Carry-on baggage tips
Top 10 baggage tips
Baggage claim advice
Lost and damaged baggage claims
Duty-free items
Traveling with your laptop
Overhead baggage risks

Security Advice
Top 10 Security Tips
Acceptable identification
Restricted and prohibited items

Other advice
Fear of flying
Traveling with children and infants
Top 10 tips for children traveling alone
How to fly with your pets

Want to Share Your Airline Change Fee Horror Story?

Have you been one of the many thousands of passengers who received an unexpected change fee from your airline? Have you been so upset that you wanted to tell your story to someone? Now you have your chance to tell your story to more than just your family and friends. AirSafeNews.com, working with the Kaplan Casting, would like to hear your story.

Kaplan Casting is looking for documented cases of passengers who have been charged unexpected "change fees" by their airline. Kaplan is very interested in business travelers and families, but will consider anyone of any age or background for a television commercial. If you are chosen, you will be paid Screen Actors Guild (SAG) rates for your time on the set.

What to do to be considered
To have your story considered, you have to have some kind of documentation of the airline change fee, and must provide us with basic details about the flight. If you are interested, you have two choices. You can either fill out the form at the bottom of this article and submit it to AirSafeNews.com, or you can contact Kaplan Casting directly at kaplancasting@gmail.com.

In your email, please include the following:

1. Your name (first and last) and age
2. Phone number
3. City/State where you live
4. Description of your change fee story, including when it occurred and what documentation you have to show change fee charges

If you like, you can also send Kaplan Casting a photo (JPG) or audition video (quicktime).

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When the TSA and the airlines don't work together, passengers suffer

While safety is a priority, it seems that TSA and the airlines should be able to figure out ways to get people to their aircraft in a timely manner, especially when passengers show up well in advance of their flight.

Airline: Delta Airlines Flight DL6093
Date: 3 January 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA (ORF)


I arrived at Norfolk airport(ORF) at 5:00am for my 6:15 flight to Orlando via Cincinnati this morning. I electronically checked in at a kiosk, received my boarding pass and proceeded to wait in line at security for over an hour. Only 2 of the available metal detectors were in operation. When I heard an overhead announcement for the last call for boarding of my flight, I showed my boarding pass to a security guard and asked if there was anything that could be done. I was told no, and that everyone else in line was in the same position as I was. I also was required to wait for a "female assist with no alarm", a new security precaution to me.

I was not the only passenger sprinting for a gate. I and several other passengers approached the ticket counter and were told by the representative at the gate (in an unspeakably nasty manner)"Too bad, it will be a long wait until we can get those of you who missed your flights".

While I was waiting on hold for a Delta customer service representative, I witnessed approximately 40 other passengers on the next two flights leaving from the same gate (one to JFK and the next to Detroit) who missed their flights because they were also held up by security. I overheard the same representative say to her co-worker at the boarding gate about the Detroit flight, "The rest of the passengers are still in security, go ahead and close the doors."

Here are the problems I see and, what seems to me, some simple solutions.

1) Better Staffing: I imagine that ORF knew in advance which flights were scheduled for departure this morning and which seats were booked. Adequate planning of an appropriate number of security personnel for the expected number of travellers could have alleviated some delay. Temporary usage of more than 2 metal detectors for an apparently heavy travel time would also have remedied the situation for myself and many of the other Delta passengers.

2) Customer service at the departure gate: I and many of my fellow travellers left stranded in Norfolk this morning were spoken to in a stunningly disrespectful way. A small effort could have been made for those of us who were already checked in to our flights to get us on board. This second problem seems to me the most important issue. A different way of conveying the same information at the departure gate would have greatly changed my experience this morning. As it was, I am left with a very sour taste both for Delta airlines and Norfolk ORF.

I am sensitive of the needs to cut costs by the airlines in these difficult economic times. However one of the results is overworked and disgruntled employees. In the future, I believe I will save myself the $400 plane ticket and $20 checked baggage fee and travel by automoblie.

AirSafe.com Responds
This passenger has a good grip of what is needed. The TSA and the airline have to be sensible about matching security staff with traffic demand.

Photo: mcandrea

Always check with the airline to confirm your flights

When you book with a third party service like Orbitz or some other online service, always check with the airline about the status of your flight.

Airline: United Airlines, flights 5096 and 5033
Date: 24 December 2009 and 1 January 2010
Location: Round trip Kansas City, MO to Salina, KS


After much planning for the Christmas & New Years holidays, I had a less than pleasant experience on my leg from Kansas City to Salina, Kansas December 24, 2009. Due to inclement weather, my flight #5096 was cancelled and rescheduled for the next day. This
flight was was again cancelled and found that the next actual flight that made it to Salina, Kansas from Kansas City was Saturday night December 26. By the way, my luggage (a new red roller bag) finally showed up filthy at that time. This was a fairly recent purchase also. The only reason I made it to Salina was the kindness of strangers from Pennsylvania that invited me to drive there with them or I would have been stranded.

Before my return flight on January 1, 2010 on United flight #5033, I received a call from the Salina airport December 31 around 5pm indicating that my flight was cancelled due to lack of no one working to fly the plane. I was rescheduled for the same departure time and flight number for January 2, 2010 and again informed by the Salina airport that this flight was cancelled due to lack of no one to fly the plane.

I was rescheduled to fly back on Sunday, January 3rd. This is the "funny part", I even received courtesy calls from Orbitz around 3:30am January 1 saying that my flight from Salina to Kansas City was on time. Another "funny" is that two booking sites that I checked indicated that these flights were still booking passengers for the Friday and Saturday flights that were cancelled.

I work in Customer Service and although I had no problems with the people I dealt with as far as courtesy as they were apologetic, after spending $594.40 for my round trip flight from Michigan to Kansas and not getting the service I paid for and luggage problems and added expenses and inconvenience, I am requesting 2 round trip non-blackout days tickets in the continental US. I feel this is the least I deserve after having to change plans inconveniencing myself and my family.

AirSafe.com Responds
Unfortunately, the US airlines on domestic flights are not required to compensate passengers for canceled flights, late flights, so she would be lucky to get anything out of the airline. She has more hope about compensation for the damaged bag, so long as she can document the condition of the bag before the flight.

While you may get information about a flight from on online service, you should contact the airline directly if you have any questions about your flight, especially for delays and cancellations. If you book a ticket through a non-airline service like Orbitz, you should still check with the airline or the airline's web site for flight information

Photo: Aquila

Airline Denies Boarding at the Last Minute and Passenger Can't Get Another Flight

This complaint from Charles is an example of what can go wrong if you are denied boarding, but his actions kept the situation from getting much worse.

Airline: Northwest
Flight: NW4310
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Date: 17 November 2009

Attached is a description of an incident which occurred with Delta Air Lines at the Baton Rouge, Louisiana terminal on Tuesday, November 17, 2009. I apologize for the length of this description, however I do want to present all of the things I feel are relevant.

I booked reservations with Northwest Airlines for flight NW 4310 leaving Baton Rouge at 6:20 AM and for following flights. At the time of the reservation, I provided the airline with my credit card information and was advised that I had confirmed reservations and paid for tickets. I received a conformation by e-mail. I arrived at the Baton Rouge airport and checked one bag. I was given a boarding pass and a baggage coupon which indicated the $20.00 charge and a baggage claim check. I was advised by the Delta counter person that I was “all set” and should proceed to the gate area.

After presenting the boarding pass and my ID to the TSA agent, I was allowed through the security screening and preceded to the assigned gate. The Delta agent at the gate explained that it was a small plane; gave me a claim check for my carry-on and told me to surrender it at the end of the ramp before boarding the plane. I was perhaps the fifth person in line to board and when I tried to board the gate agent advised me “that there is something wrong with your boarding pass” and then asked me to wait until the others had boarded. After the plane was loaded, the agent had to ask another agent why the boarding pass wasn’t valid. The second agent advised me that the ticket had never been paid for and I needed to give him my credit card to pay for it. After I did, he advised me that there would be an additional fee (I believe it was $35) since I was paying at the gate. When I objected to this, he told me there was nothing he could do about it, he then advised that it was too late to buy a ticket since it was within ten minutes prior to the flight departure.

I asked the gentleman to at least get my checked bag off the flight, as there were no other flights to Tulsa that day and I would have to hurry and drive to the New Orleans airport for a flight on Southwest. My bag was returned to me at the ticket counter where I was originally issued my boarding pass. They had time to retrieve my checked baggage but didn’t have time to sell me a ticket. I asked to speak to the manager, and a man came up who did not have a name tag, and did not introduce himself. I believe that other counter attendant referred to him as Robert. I explained that I wanted compensation for denied boarding and Robert said it did not apply as the airline had done nothing wrong. I asked to see a written copy of Delta’s procedures on denied boarding and Robert refused. He then gave me a small note with a phone number and advised me to call Delta Customer Service if I had any complaints.

I asked Robert if there was any federal agency I could complain to and he responded ”don’t bother – they ignore complaints.” I then asked him to at least issue a refund for the $20.00 they had charged for my checked baggage. Robert went into an inner office, and some twenty minutes later, he emerged to tell me he had canceled the charges for the checked baggage and had double checked to make sure there were no charges on my credit card for the tickets.

After my trip, using Southwest, my wife called Delta customer service at the number Robert had given me, only to learn that indeed there were charges for the tickets but the airline would issue a refund.

I believe that I was denied boarding on Delta flight NW4310 due to the mistakes of no one other than Delta personnel and subsequently I have been denied compensation. I would appreciate any assistance your office could provide me with this matter

Respectfully;

Charles xxxxxxx

Cc: Manager, Delta Terminal, Baton Rouge Airport
Richard H. Anderson, CEO Delta Air Lines
AirSafe.com Online Complaint Form

AirSafe.com Responds
It seems that Charles did everything right. The ticket was purchased ahead of time, he received confirmation of the purchase by email, and the check in and security screening process went smoothly. For whatever reason, the airline issued a boarding pass, and by the time Charles when from the check in counter to the gate, the airline decided to not accept the ticket.

Unfortunately, there isn't much that Charles can do. Except for cases where a passenger is involuntarily bumped from a flight, there are no federal requirements for reimbursing passengers for delays or flight cancelations. If it turns out that the airline was mistaken about the ticket, then Charles may get some kind of compensation, but that would likely be up to the airline. Charles has certainly done everything to make that possible, including documenting the process.

At one point after he was denied boarding, Charles asked to see a copy of the airline's denied boarding procedure. This was a reasonable request, and he should ask the airline in writing for a copy of their policy.

We agree with the airline that complaining about this situation to a federal government agency will likely do little good. The most relevant agency is the Department of Transportation, and at best the complaint may end up in a statistical summary of airline complaints.

The one recommendation AirSafe.com would give for requesting compensation from the airline is to be very specific in the request. If the airline were at fault, requesting a refund of any extra costs associated with the trip is reasonable. However, Charles may want to consider other compensation such as one or two round-trip tickets.

Photo: Casino Jones

Rude Flight Attendants Take it Out on Passengers

The following is one from the archives, but it reminds passengers that sometimes crew members can be all too human.

Airline: United
Date: 20 October 2007
Location: En Route Buenos Aires to IAD

I wish to complain in the strongest terms about the customer service that I received recently on October 20, 2007 on flight UA846 from Buenos Aires to Washington Dulles. I was seated in seat 18F. The cabin crews were serving dinner. Up to that point service had been OK but somewhat short. The staff made repeated irritated announcements about not getting up when the seatbelt light was on and reprimanded a passenger for pressing the service light when the seatbelt light was on by asking the customer to put his hand up to identify himself. I know that it is a requirement for passengers to remain seated at these times but there are ways to make these kinds of announcements in a professional and polite way.

The female cabin crew member was coming up the aisle serving dinner. I had taken one of my headphone ear pieces off so that I could hear her but I thought that she was talking to customers in front of me as she was not looking at me and I could not hear her above the cabin noise. I was shocked when I heard her reprimand someone for not paying attention to her but did not realize that she was talking to me until she walked past me without serving me (I was waiting expectantly with my table lowered). When it became clear that she was not going to serve me I asked her for a meal and she rudely replied that I should have paid attention to her. I did get my meal a few minutes later. She continued to provide unprofessional service to other customers throughout the flight. This is especially surprising in that she did not know at this point if I even spoke English. Her colleague, an older balding man with a mustache heard the interaction but did nothing about it. The man next to me in seat 18E and the two woman in the row behind me did hear it and sympathized afterwards (they planned at the time to send in complaints of their own).

These two ladies kindly identified the hostess as Laura. I heard her and another male staff member be rude to several other passengers during the flight (in full view of their colleagues). As a final insult, near the end of the flight when the crew was picking up the leftovers from breakfast the same female crew member picked up my empty box. I also had a half full cup of coffee, just as I was lifting it to my mouth she picked it out of my hands while asking if I had finished. By the time she finished the question my cup was gone!

The overall atmosphere during the flight was like a war zone, crew members against the passengers. It was such a relief to find that the staff on my next flight, to San Francisco, were normal – that is they were polite, respectful and helpful – everything that was lacking on flight 846. I plan to fly to S. America in both of the next two years, if I thought there was any chance of meeting this cabin crew again I would purchase my ticket from another company regardless of price. In 30 years of flying this is the worst customer experience I have ever experienced on an airline.

AirSafe.com Responds
This is the kind of situation that would likely be unacceptable to any passenger on that flight, even if the rudeness were directed at another person. While it may not make sense to complain to another cabin crew member, it would be a good idea to both document what you see as much as possible, and to file a complaint to the airline's customer service supervisor at your arrival airport. If that is not possible, contact some other airline representative.

A Reminder that Some Delays Are an Inconveniece to More than Just the Passenger

This complaint, sent in by Andrew, is a reminder that airline delays can cause serious inconveniences to many more people than just the ones on the airplane.

Date: 8 November 2009
Location: Charlotte, NC
Airline: USAir Express (Air Wisconsin) Flight 3741, ATL to PHL

Dear USAirways:

I am writing this letter from (a hotel) in Charlotte, North Carolina, where it had been no part of my travel plans to find myself tonight. I am writing to protest and complain about the treatment I have received today from your airline.

Yes, it was a good thing for your contractor, Air Wisconsin operating as USAirExpress, flight 3741, to have a pilot who set the plane down safely for an unscheduled stop in Greenville-Spartansburg not long after leaving Atlanta at 10:51AM on our way to Philadelphia (see flight data from FlightAware). After that, your company’s performance was poor.

The USAirways staff at that location first informed us (after an hour or so on the ground) that our flight had been canceled and that new equipment was being sought. That would have been within the range of acceptable airline responsibility. It was quite a bit less acceptable to hear (after another hour or so) that instead, we would be taken by bus to Charlotte. We did not leave Greenville-Spartanburg until well after 2PM, now already 3 hours after leaving Atlanta. I was not offered and did not receive a meal voucher in Greenville-Spartanburg.

After traffic delays, we arrived at Charlotte at around 4:20PM and I stood in line for over an hour and twenty minutes before any USAirways staff attempted to deal with my situation. We were told by staff there that no efforts at all had been made by anyone during our trip to find us alternative routing and that they would need to start from scratch. That waiting line did not move at all for a long time; a few of the more vociferous passengers seemed to get some attention, and some of them seemed to get onto new outbound flights. By the time I reached a podium, close to 5:40PM, I was told that there were no remaining seats on any flights from Charlotte to anywhere that could connect to Philadelphia flights for tonight.

Between around 1PM, when it was known that no replacement aircraft was coming to Greenville-Spartansburg, and 4:20PM when we arrived in Charlotte, it should have been perfectly possible for USAirways to place every one of us on new flights to our expected destinations. It is a complete failure of responsibility to your passengers that this did not occur.

Although I am alive and well, and our plane did not crash, I am in a hotel room in a strange city instead of being home in my own bed. I got $15 worth of meal vouchers that covered part of my dinner here at the hotel. I will also have incurred another day’s parking charges at the Philadelphia airport, for which I consider USAirways to be responsible. And even on the earliest available flight, I will not be able to get to work at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center in time to begin seeing patients on schedule. In addition to inconveniencing me, USAirways will be responsible for delaying needed care for our returning combat veterans seeking mental health treatment.

Please consider me a very dissatisfied customer. The accommodations and vouchers received so far may begin to meet your statutory requirements but they come nowhere near addressing the breach in relationship and responsibility that your company has inflicted today. As a Philadelphia-based traveler, it is not easy to avoid USAirways, but you have given me every reason to try very hard to do so.

AirSafe.com Responds
As we have said before for previous delay complaints, US airlines are not required to offer any compensation whatsoever for passenger delays on domestic flights. That said, a reasonable airline would make reasonable accommodations for passengers who face more than a minor delay. In this case, getting passengers to their destination on the same day, would likely be acceptable to an overnight stay in a strange city, even if all costs were covered by the carrier.

Suggested Passenger Actions
When faced with a significant delay or a diversion, if the airline is dragging its feet or otherwise does not seem capable of quickly getting you on an alternative flight, one action you can take is to call the airline's reservations department to see what you can arrange. If you can work something on the phone, then all you may have to do is get a boarding pass.

If your airline can't arrange a flight, you may want to contact another airline that is serving that airport (either at the airport or by phone) to see if they have an alternative available. Your airline may not reimburse you for doing this, but if time is critical, the money you spend to get to your destination sooner may be worth it.

You should also contact the airline's customer service department with details of the service shortcomings, and a very specific request for compensation. For details on what kinds of information should be in a request for compensation, visit the AirSafe.com How to Complain About Your Airline page.

Photos: BMRR and Xeni

Check Your Ticket Very Carefully and Avoid Both Hassles and Avoidable Penalties

These two complaints from last week have a similar theme--mistakes on the ticket led to problems at the airport.

Complaint #1: When I arrived at the Flint MI. airport I attempted to check in. For what ever reasons I could not check in on the kiosk. I then tried to check in at the desk. The airline personnel advised me that they did not have me. I advise them that I was seated in 16B. They still said that the did not have me. I Immediately went to my son's apartment to get the information that I had forgotten there. I hurriedly returned and showed them my confirmation.

They claimed I had left off the J in Jones and it was listed as ONES. That was a terrible day for me trying to return to ATL. I was given a hard time with the staff that checks your bags. I almost missed my flight. And in a HURRY I had kept my son's keys in my purse. Not Knowing this, I received a phone call from my son with this info. I had to ask the Steward to allow me to get off of the plane to give my son the keys. He was so RUDE and of course I was embarrassed tremendously. I spoke with someone on the ground who said that they would give my son the keys. THANK GOD. Again I was very EMBARRASSED. The steward was just not sympathetic or empathetic to my situation. I spoke with a staff after I arrived who did comfort me. Now I do not want to ever get on Delta again and am requesting some kind of refund.

Complaint #2: I admit I must have hit the date wrong on the crummy Delta Website causing a ticket to be reserved for Dec instead of today. It was a shuttle flight which was half empty on the BOS-LGA leg since it was a Saturday (7 November 2009). When I could not get a boarding pass online for the return, I realized that the wrong date was entered. The Reissue clerk (who would not even listen to my explanation without babbling on about the change fee of 150.00 per person, which would have cost an additional 300.00 for two uf us) simply refused to hear any plea EVEN IF THE PLANE TODAY WAS HALF EMPTY. I admit it must have been partially my mistake and partially their website mistake but come on 150.00 to change a ticket for the damn shuttle on a weekend.

AirSafe.com Responds
Always check and double check the information on any ticket order, especially the name, date and time of travel, flight number, departure airport, and destination airport. Especially important is your name since it must match the ID that all adults need in order to fly (while minors are not required to have an ID for domestic flights, it is a good idea to carry one if they have it).

Unfortunately, if you don't follow the airline's rules, you are at their mercy when it comes to things like change fees. You can try to talk to a customer service supervisor at the airport, but if that doesn't work you, then you are likely out of luck.

As for the rude flight attendant in the first complaint, it is unlikely that that passenger will get any compensation. However, rudeness should not be tolerated, so if you have a chance, talk to the head flight attendant on the plane, or a customer service supervisor on the ground.

Passenger with Suspected H1N1 Flu Removed from Plane and Later Misses Connection

Cindy describes a situation that involved compensation issues for delayed flights, the airline's response to a perceived medical issue involving Cindy, and the airline's response to her situation.

Date: 9 November 2009
Location: San Antonio, TX
Airline: United Airlines Flight 7316, SAT to IAD

As we were all boarding the airplane and I was seated,a lady sat next to me. I have been having sinus problems and they were draining and making me cough and my head hurt. She asked me if I was feeling okay and I said no but "It's not the flu." The lady jumped out of her seat and ran up front to a vacant one.

The flight attendant talked to her about it and the next thing I knew the same flight attendant told me to put on a mask. I tried to tell her I wasn't that kind of ill and showed her my Advil sinus and cold pills I've been taking. She insisted I wear it and I asked if I could just hold it up to my mouth because I am allergic to latex and was afraid the rubber bands would cause skin irritation. She replied that I wasn't being cooperative and causing a disturbance which was going to result in my being removed from the plane. I still was afraid to wear it but continued to hold it against my mouth.

The next thing I knew was the plane was being turned off the runway and parked at the terminal while everyone on board was groaning about missing their connections. The flight attendant then told me to follow her to the front of the plane while I held the mask in place. As I walked down the aisle I was so embarrassed and humiliated as everyone in the aisle seats leaned away from me.

When I got to the front a man told her to take me back to my seat, that the medics would check me out back there. So I returned to my seat which was only 2 or 3 rows from the end of the plane, so once again I had to walk past all the people in total humiliation as they all stared at me. Then after I was seated again, I was told they changed their mind and I needed to walk forward again only this time she carried my bottle of water from the front pocket of my seating area. I said to her "I guess this means I won't be coming back" and she said nothing.

I was so terrified of what was going to happen to me and whether I was going to end up at a hospital or left at the airport to sleep on the chairs or how I was going to get back home. I did my best to remain calm and put on a brave face and comply with all that was being asked of me but inside I was a nervous wreck and trying hard not break down in front of everyone.

As I was forced off the plane I saw a group of men wearing masks and standing next to an extremely scary looking contraption they proceeded to strap my legs and waist to. I was so frightened, my legs were shaking as they all started sticking things to my body and asking me questions. It felt like I was having a horrible nightmare and couldn't wake up. Finally after what seemed like an eternity they cleared me to get back on the plane. For the fourth time I had to walk down the aisle in embarrassment. After we took off and it became dark and I was hoping no one could see me, did I then finally let my emotions loose and silently cried during the whole flight.

Needless to say almost everyone missed their connections after we landed late, I was one of them (According to FlightAware.com, this United Flight 7316 left 58 minutes late and landed 47 minutes late at 9:29 pm local time). It was almost 10:00 pm when I was told the next flight out wouldn't be till morning. The three people I had been traveling with were mad at me because they had to be at work in the morning, so they called a friend to drive two hours to pick them up and United told they would have their money refunded from the trip.

The customer service man gave me the tickets for a hotel room, flight pass and a meal ticket. I told him about my ordeal and asked if I could be refunded for my flight costs and he said no, but instead gave me a $150 credit voucher. Since I drove them in my car to the airport I was stuck having to pay for the almost $50 parking lot fee and gas which one of my traveling companions was supposed to pay on the way home.

This whole experience has left me feeling traumatized and I feel that after what I had to go through I should be totally compensated for my flight costs and above mentioned additional monetary costs. I truly believe That I deserve at least that much.

AirSafe.com Responds
This raises three issues. Compensation questions concerning delayed or canceled flights come up frequently in the AirSafe.com Complaint System, and was stated in earlier articles, US airlines are not required to offer any compensation due to a delayed or canceled flight. The airline was not required to give compensation in this case, though the different levels of compensation may represent a fairness issue best dealt with by contacting an airline manager in the customer service area.

The second issue is passenger compensation for treatment by airport or airline staff. The passenger in this case felt traumatized and embarrassed by what she had to go through, but there is no specific FAA rules for compensating passengers who have this kind of experience. If a passenger is seeking some kind of apology or compensation, filing a formal request with the airline may be one option.

The third and most complex issue is whether the airline addressed the apparent medical issue with the passenger in an appropriate way. In the last week of October 2009, the US Centers for Disease Control had reported that the H1N1 flu activity was widespread in 48 of the 50 states, including Texas. The CDC has also provided guidance to airlines about what to do with passengers who exhibit flu-like symptoms. Suggestions include:

- Cabin and flight deck crew should be aware of the possible symptoms of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, runny or stuffy nose

- Separate the ill person from others as much as possible (at least 6 feet) without compromising flight safety.

- Have the ill person protect others by wearing a face mask, if it can be tolerated, to reduce the number of droplets coughed or sneezed into the air.


AirSafe.com found no CDC guidance that called for what the airline apparently did, which was to taxi back to the terminal for further medical screening. The CDC stated that an airline's captain is required to contact the CDC if there is a suspected H1N1 infection on an international flights flying to the US, and the CDC in such cases may arrange for appropriate medical assistance, but no such guidance was found for a suspected infection on a domestic flight.

Swine Flu Risks for Airline Passengers

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For more videos, visit the AirSafe.com YouTube channel.

AirSafe.com Passenger Resources
Centers for Disease Control Swine Flu Information
World Health Organization Swine Flu Information

Photo credits: Flickr user Guerilla Futures- http://www.flickr.com/photos/streamishmc/2247180420/sizes/l/, CDC

Airline Delays Lead to a Missed Flight and the Passenger Is Forced to Pay the Hotel Bill

Michael sent in this complaint about a recent flight from Mexico that included significant delays and extra unexpected travel expenses.

On a flight from Cancun to Dulles connecting to Norfolk, VA (UA 7709).
The airplane arrived at our Cancun departure point about an hour late. the plane experienced a minor mechanical problem that lasted another 20 minutes of delay. We finally departed Cancun about 90 minutes late. About 80 passengers missed their connections in Dulles, me included.

The United customer relations people booked us all for a flight the next day. We, however, we were told to pay for own hotel rooms because the delay was due to ATC (air traffic control).

Well, I say it was due to a late arrival at Cancun and a mechanical at Cancun. Even the Captain said we were delayed for a mechanical. I was an airline pilot for 5 years and no way was ATC to blame for this delay. There were also about 20 of my co-worker pilots on board that will attest to these facts. United is trying to use a bogus ATC delay to avoid paying for their shortcomings. So, I am paying for my own meal and room.

AirSafe.com Responds
The sad fact is that it does not matter why the plane was delayed because for the most part airlines that fly in the US are not legally obligated to provide any compensation for a delayed passenger, even if that delay results in a missed connection or unexpected hotel charges. It is possible that an airline will offer some kind of compensation, but that is up to the airline, or more likely the top airline customer service representative you can find after you find out you will be delayed.

AirSafe.com goes into some detail about when you can get compensation from a US air carrier, typically for cases where you are bumped from an oversold flight.