- Sep 2, 2020
- 1
- 0
The black whole that is American Airlines: Sadly, Saturday August 31 we go word that my wife Leah's Dad had died.
We were not schocked, it had been a long illness, but the grief has been deep and real. We did research on what was required, preparing the needed paperwork as explained by Clark International AIrport's website. We called the American consulate, but were not able to get rhrough.
We were able to book a flight for yesterday, Monday, August 31, so we could get to the Phillipines in time for the funeral. Monday morning we arrived at Baltimore International Airport to check in our bags.
We were told by the agent at the baggage check-in we needed to book a round trip ticket to the Philippines in order to be allowed to board. WIth just 25 minutes before baggage stopped being accepted we huddled and booked a return flight.
We took the three hour flight to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. At Dallas we walked toward the gate to the connecting flight to South Korea (where we would pickup the last leg of the trip to Clark in the Philippines) We were paged before we arrived at American Airlines Gate D23.
At the Gate at 10:23 we spoke to Claire. The agent denied us passage on the flight to South Korea. She gave us multiple reasons why we couldn't get on board to say goodbye to Dad.
Inititally she presented us with a printout from something labeled the IATA. She said the printout showed we could not be let on board. The printout does not appear to require anything but a passport. (see image)
At one point my wife who was extremely distressed and under durress explained that she had lost her father and wanted her to reconsider. Claire declined asking Leah --How do I know your father really died?--I talked to Claire myself and she blamed COVID-19, at one point turning the dialogue toward how difficult her job was.
I reminded Claire that she was the customer service agent in the conversation. At the end of the conversation Claire told me that she found dialogue threatening. Exasperated, I said "Thank you" and walked back to Leah who was sobbing against the wall.
We did our best to meet Clare's demands. At first she told me she required us to have a Filipino passport.
Then she required us to get other documentation that proved Leah was born in the Philippines. Leah was inconsolable.
But through the miracle of good friends and family we were able to get the asked for documentation. Yet American Airlines continued to deny us boarding.
Eventually the gate agents just disappeared. After about an hour we went to go to an adjoining gate to get a representative to talk too.
At that gate an agent who called herself Wanda (AA agents did not provide last names or even Associate numbers which we asked for). Wanda said we could not get another flight to the Philippines through them.
She said the flight back to BWI would be the exchange for the trip we didn't get to take for the funeral. (I documented the priced difference. The trip to the Phillipines was 2K, a flight back to BWI was valued at $500)
When we went to board from Dallas for the plane back to BWI we were told the documents we were given by Wanda were not boarding passes at all. But they let us on board anyway without explanation.
We found seats and thankfully safely got home. I called American Airlines today and talked to Marla. She heard my story with profuse apologies and then without me requesting, connected me to her supervisor, Becky Furr.
Becky said Marla said I had requested to talk to a supervisor which i had not.
Becky referred me to the American Airlines website and with a "I'm very sorry sir there's nothing we can do from here." eventually hung up on me.
Leah and I are in grief from the loss of her Dad.Nothing American Airlines can do will change that. The treatment we received increased her pain, as well as cost us thousands of dollars. The treatment by their customer service borders on the inhumane, not from physical mistreatment but from an apparent gross negligence to the spirit of good customer service and any sense of sincerity or responsibility.
I wanted to make this experience public, to let people know what we experienced when working with American Airlines, A painful life event was turned almost into a traumatic event by a lack of professionalism, compassion and any sense of responsibility toward us as customers.
I
f you want to share this post please do, What happened to us was unjust and we wouldn't want the same to happen to other human beings. Prayers would also be appreciated. God bless.
We were not schocked, it had been a long illness, but the grief has been deep and real. We did research on what was required, preparing the needed paperwork as explained by Clark International AIrport's website. We called the American consulate, but were not able to get rhrough.
We were able to book a flight for yesterday, Monday, August 31, so we could get to the Phillipines in time for the funeral. Monday morning we arrived at Baltimore International Airport to check in our bags.
We were told by the agent at the baggage check-in we needed to book a round trip ticket to the Philippines in order to be allowed to board. WIth just 25 minutes before baggage stopped being accepted we huddled and booked a return flight.
We took the three hour flight to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. At Dallas we walked toward the gate to the connecting flight to South Korea (where we would pickup the last leg of the trip to Clark in the Philippines) We were paged before we arrived at American Airlines Gate D23.
At the Gate at 10:23 we spoke to Claire. The agent denied us passage on the flight to South Korea. She gave us multiple reasons why we couldn't get on board to say goodbye to Dad.
Inititally she presented us with a printout from something labeled the IATA. She said the printout showed we could not be let on board. The printout does not appear to require anything but a passport. (see image)
At one point my wife who was extremely distressed and under durress explained that she had lost her father and wanted her to reconsider. Claire declined asking Leah --How do I know your father really died?--I talked to Claire myself and she blamed COVID-19, at one point turning the dialogue toward how difficult her job was.
I reminded Claire that she was the customer service agent in the conversation. At the end of the conversation Claire told me that she found dialogue threatening. Exasperated, I said "Thank you" and walked back to Leah who was sobbing against the wall.
We did our best to meet Clare's demands. At first she told me she required us to have a Filipino passport.
Then she required us to get other documentation that proved Leah was born in the Philippines. Leah was inconsolable.
But through the miracle of good friends and family we were able to get the asked for documentation. Yet American Airlines continued to deny us boarding.
Eventually the gate agents just disappeared. After about an hour we went to go to an adjoining gate to get a representative to talk too.
At that gate an agent who called herself Wanda (AA agents did not provide last names or even Associate numbers which we asked for). Wanda said we could not get another flight to the Philippines through them.
She said the flight back to BWI would be the exchange for the trip we didn't get to take for the funeral. (I documented the priced difference. The trip to the Phillipines was 2K, a flight back to BWI was valued at $500)
When we went to board from Dallas for the plane back to BWI we were told the documents we were given by Wanda were not boarding passes at all. But they let us on board anyway without explanation.
We found seats and thankfully safely got home. I called American Airlines today and talked to Marla. She heard my story with profuse apologies and then without me requesting, connected me to her supervisor, Becky Furr.
Becky said Marla said I had requested to talk to a supervisor which i had not.
Becky referred me to the American Airlines website and with a "I'm very sorry sir there's nothing we can do from here." eventually hung up on me.
Leah and I are in grief from the loss of her Dad.Nothing American Airlines can do will change that. The treatment we received increased her pain, as well as cost us thousands of dollars. The treatment by their customer service borders on the inhumane, not from physical mistreatment but from an apparent gross negligence to the spirit of good customer service and any sense of sincerity or responsibility.
I wanted to make this experience public, to let people know what we experienced when working with American Airlines, A painful life event was turned almost into a traumatic event by a lack of professionalism, compassion and any sense of responsibility toward us as customers.
I
