On August 28, The U.S. Division of Transportation posted the next:
“WASHINGTON – The U.S. Division of Transportation (DOT) right this moment fined American Airways $4.1 million for violating federal statutes and the Division’s rule prohibiting tarmac delays of three hours or extra on home flights with out offering passengers a chance to deplane. DOT’s investigation discovered that American stored dozens of flights caught on the tarmac for lengthy intervals of time with out letting passengers off. DOT is ordering American to pay the biggest fantastic ever issued for tarmac delay violations and stop and desist from violating the legislation.”
I, too, was a sufferer of being held “prisoner” by American Airways. Nevertheless, my expertise was on the bottom, after I determined to splurge the $35.00 per individual for my spouse and I for curbside check-in at Miami Worldwide Airport.
Slightly than recreate my experiences with American Airways, beneath are copies of correspondence I had with the unfriendly skies of American that element my expertise
January 24, 2023
Mr. Robert Isom
Chief Government Officer
American Airways
P.O. Field 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
Expensive Mr. Isom,
As a public relations govt with appreciable air journey each domestically and internationally over a few years on U.S., European and Asian airways, I’m writing to tell you that probably the most appalling expertise I’ve ever skilled was on the Miami airport on January 22, 2023.
I used to be advised that the curbside cost of $35.00 per individual would expedite my check-in course of with out additional delay and checked two suitcases for a complete of $70.00 and in addition requested a wheelchair. No drawback, I used to be advised. However that’s the place the issue started. As an alternative of expediting the check-in course of it did simply the alternative. My spouse and I had been directed to sit down on soiled and damaged chairs within the curbside check-in space subsequent to cleansing supplies for about 20 minutes till a wheelchair arrived.
As an alternative of being taken to a location close to our flight we had been deposited in one other ready space the place our flight data was taken and advised to attend till wheelchair help arrived. After ready for a few half-hour and seeing individuals who got here after us being taken to their flight space, I requested the person in cost why we had been being handed over. It was solely then that I used to be advised that wheelchair help was primarily based on the time of your flight. Nobody had knowledgeable me of that and if I didn’t inquire about why I couldn’t be taken to my departure space I might nonetheless haven’t recognized that.
What’s much more ridiculous is that after I complained concerning the wait the person in cost stated, “baggage check-in is one factor; wheelchair help is separate,” as in the event that they had been separate firms, regardless that instantly after checking in you’re taken to the wheelchair ready space.
I requested to talk to a supervisor and was advised none was out there. After one other half hour of ready we lastly had been taken to our departure terminal.
Mr. Isom, I requested wheelchair help as a result of I’ve a foul leg. But when I used to be advised that the combination time of ready for wheelchair help can be shut to at least one and one-half hours and would preserve my spouse and I from the consolation of our departure terminal the place our youngsters had been ready for us, I might not have chosen curbside check-in.
(A pair sitting subsequent to me from Philadelphia within the wheelchair ready space stated in all their years of air journey additionally they had by no means skilled such a horrible expertise.)
As an alternative of a “need-to-know foundation,” my expertise resembled a “need-not-to-know” incidence.
My journey to Miami originated and concluded at JFK, the place the expertise with American personnel was the precise reverse of what occurred at Miami. However having half of expertise is just not what a client ought to count on whatever the product concerned.
At present. January 23, after I known as to lodge a criticism at your customer support phone quantity, I used to be advised that each one complaints must be completed through laptop. Not a solution to make mates for American Airways.
Sincerely,
Arthur Solomon
Over time, a number of instances, I’ve written to CEOs after I thought an issue was severe sufficient to be introduced on to their consideration.
I at all times acquired a letter signed by an individual that I might contact or a phone name inside a couple of days from an individual saying that the CEO handed alongside my criticism and that they’re trying into the matter and can get again to me.
However not on this case. On February 6, I acquired the next from AA:
February 28, 2023
Hiya Mr. Solomon:
Thanks for reaching out to us. I’m very sorry for the delayed response. We’re at present experiencing the next than regular incoming quantity and our reply time is longer than we’d favor. Your suggestions is necessary in figuring out areas which require our consideration. We respect the time you took to jot down, and we welcome the chance to handle your issues.
Mr. Solomon, we would like our prospects to really feel appreciated and cared for throughout their time with us. As a traveler myself, I do know that the customer support we offer can influence your general expertise. I’m sorry that, on this case, we didn’t present a optimistic expertise whilst you and your spouse had been touring particularly along with your circumstances. I do know the curbside check-in course of, the soiled and damaged chairs and the wait and course of for wheelchair help added to your disappointment and frustration. We wish our prospects to really feel appreciated and cared for throughout their time with us. I’m sorry this was not your expertise in Miami, and I can completely perceive your concern and disappointment.
American Airways is required to offer immediate help requested by or on behalf of a professional particular person with a incapacity with boarding, deplaning, transport between gates and different key areas of the airport terminals. Nevertheless, we should depend on every passenger to self-identify any particular service request to our staff on the time of journey. We’re frequently working to enhance our course of to make for an pleasing journey expertise for our prospects, particularly these with particular wants.
Now we have particular procedures to make sure that wheelchair help is offered upon request for boarding the plane, deplaning and connection help. Whereas we wish to present this kind of help as soon as the client arrives on the airport, often we could also be unable to take action as rapidly as anticipated by our prospects. Typically we should preserve individuals ready as a result of we’ve got acquired extra requests than the variety of wheelchairs or personnel out there. There are lots of variables concerned such because the time a buyer could arrive for his or her flight, the time their flight is scheduled to depart and the variety of requests for help.
Based mostly in your suggestions and our report indicated, wheelchair service began at 11:47am shortly after it was dispatched roughly at 11:35am. From a regulatory perspective, we imagine there was no regulatory violation as [the] wheelchair was offered. However, your feedback and state of affairs, whereas disappointing, remind us of our duty to offer our prospects with high quality service. We sincerely remorse that you simply had been dissatisfied with us and we are going to work with our groups and repair suppliers to make sure the very best attainable service degree.
Mr. Solomon, I additionally share your disappointment that the curbside space at Miami wasn’t as clear because it ought to have been. We rely on airport sanitation distributors to make sure our airport areas stay clear and cozy for our prospects. I remorse that was not the case if you traveled with us on January 22, 2023. Moreover, I sincerely remorse that you’re dissatisfied that Buyer Relations can solely be contacted through electronic mail. By writing to us, it permits us the chance to assessment your suggestions whereas additionally finishing the required analysis to correctly reply. This prevents the necessity for our prospects to carry whereas we assessment journey historical past and flight particulars. We imagine that this course of is usually extra handy for you.
Whereas we can’t change the circumstances that affected your journey with us on this event, please know that there’s completely no disregard of your description of occasions; your issues have been taken very severely. Relaxation assured, I’ve documented your issues and offered our management groups entry to your perception and perspective. Your expertise with us shall be part of our assessment course of to strengthen the extent of service we try for day by day. To stay aggressive within the airline business, we should persistently present good service. Your constructive criticism has given us the chance to make sure that we’re accountable for the form of service we afford our prospects.
Once more, please settle for my heartfelt apology for any discomfort and undue stress you skilled. It definitely was not our intention. While you’re at all times free to contact the Division of Transportation Aviation Client Safety Division concerning the difficulties that occurred, I hope that I used to be in a position to resolve the difficulty for you. Must you ever want incapacity associated help following a visit your mom had taken with us, you may name our Previous Journey Incapacity Help Line at 800-892-3624. We’re right here to assist.
Mr. Solomon, please know that we’re dedicated to offering nice service and we’re working arduous to make each American flight pleasing. We are going to proceed enhancing on making journey with us hassle-free. We’re grateful for your online business, and hope to have the chance to rebuild your belief in us. It could be our pleasure to welcome you and Mrs. Solomon on board an American Airways flight sooner or later.
Sincerely,
xxxxx
Buyer Relations
American Airways
As a result of the above reply didn’t acknowledge that what I wrote in my preliminary letter was even partially right, I made a decision to once more write to Mr. Isom.
March, 1 2023
Mr. Robert Isom
Chief Government Officer
American Airways
P.O. Field 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
Expensive Mr. Isom –
Beneath is a duplicate of my response to the e-mail I acquired yesterday from xxxxx of buyer relations:
Ms. xxxxx —
Your reply in your electronic mail is just not correct.
You point out a visit my mom took. My mom died many years in the past and I made no reference to her in my preliminary electronic mail.
Additionally, regardless of what you might need been advised, my spouse and I needed to look ahead to over an hour to get wheelchair help to take us to our departure gate. Please assessment my authentic electronic mail relating to this example for the proper particulars, and never what you might need been advised by your representatives, who refused my request to talk to or to contact their supervisor so I might focus on the state of affairs.
Additionally, blaming contractors for the soiled and damaged chairs is just not a sound excuse. Your reps on the specific check-in facility needed to learn about this situation and nothing was completed to alleviate it. And sitting near cleansing fluids is a particular well being hazard.
Additionally, don’t you suppose we must always have been notified earlier than choosing specific check-in, with a payment of $35.00 an individual, that ready for wheelchair help trusted the time of the flight and by checking in early we might have a wait of over an hour earlier than being taken to our departure gate? We simply might have checked in nearer to our airplane departure and spent the time in a extra comfy place.
As a journalist, I’ve written about good and unhealthy customer support. My expertise at Miami airport could be the lead of a future article on unhealthy and deceptive customer support.
I’m sending a duplicate of my reply through mail to Mr. Robert Isom.
That ended the e-mail correspondence between us. As an alternative, I acquired a phone name saying the identical factor that was expressed in American’s electronic mail.
Airways at all times make excuses when customers complain about unhealthy service. Unhealthy climate issues are to be anticipated. However issues which are the results of unhealthy administration, in any respect ranges, shouldn’t be excused.
In my case, the squalid circumstances at Miami Worldwide ‘s curbside check-in web site needed to be recognized—it was in simple sight of the check-in personnel who additionally didn’t present data that checking in early would imply a prolonged wait in an undesirable a part of the airport.
It’s been typically stated that the best kind of public relations an organization can obtain is free: It’s when a client talks properly of an expertise with a product or entity.
The explanation that “phrase of mouth” reward is taken severely is that it comes instantly from an acquaintance with out being filtered by a 3rd celebration, not like public relations and promoting campaigns.
On June 9, 2022, on this web site, I wrote one other column about why good buyer relations ought to be an necessary component of a public relations plan
In that column, I wrote, “However the fact is that each one the paid media on the earth can’t flip an sad client into a cheerful one.” That’s why shoppers ought to insist that public relations plans embody ideas about making the customer support expertise a cheerful incidence. My private experiences show that it’s attainable to take action: Apple does it. Pfizer does it. And an account that I labored on for a few years whereas at Burson-Marsteller, G.E., does it. Extra lately I’ve had an excellent buyer relations expertise with Braun relating to their fever thermometers. So I’m not opposed to giving credit score when credit score is due.
I’m certain that through the years I’ve additionally had good customer support experiences with firms that I can’t recall as a result of as William Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, “The evil that males do lives after them; The nice is oft interred with their bones.”
Based mostly on my expertise, in addition to these of passengers not permitted to go away planes after being stored hostage on the tarmac for hours, American Airways’ conduct is inexcusable. On a public relations scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the very best, American Airways charges a public relations grade of zero.
