American Airlines update

[Tyshepp]

OK, now for the update. Only AFTER I contacted the Government Services Agency, which is the executive agency for the travel contract that all federal government agencies use, did American Airlines bother to get back to me.

First they sent me a long letter telling me basically that too bad – so sad, but that they had this extensive sophisticated database tied to consulates all around the world that gave them up-to-date information on country entry requirements, then they cut and paste some info without any reference. But on reading the info they cut & paste, it clearly stated that I needed a passport, my government ID, and ﾂ"mayﾂ" require a SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) visa.

Guess what? I had showed all that to two people at the American Airlines desk the day they refused to let me on my RETURN flight to Japan.

I pointed out their error. After a week of no response, I again went back to GSA and only then did AA come back and admit their mistake. Then they avoided that by say the people at the check in were really just trying to do their best.

Bullshyt!

No check-in clerk, by the way, unsupervised clerks, should be allowed to unilaterally refuse people on a freaking RETURN flight for goodness sake! This is not a training problem. It is a managerial and process problem and AA is still playing dumb!

I have now sent all information to my congressman and both senators. They really need to check into this as travel agents and other service members are telling me they are rarely asked for ﾂ"paper ordersﾂ" and it only seems to be when a flight is over-booked.

Alaska Airlines and Japan Air Lines brought me back with no difficulty at all.

NEVER will I fly American Airlines again!

 

[Tyshepp]

OK, now for the update. Only AFTER I contacted the Government Services Agency, which is the executive agency for the travel contract that all federal government agencies use, did American Airlines bother to get back to me.
First they sent me a long letter telling me basically that too bad – so sad, but that they had this extensive sophisticated database tied to consulates all around the world that gave them up-to-date information on country entry requirements, then they cut and paste some info without any reference. But on reading the info they cut & paste, it clearly stated that I needed a passport, my government ID, and ﾂ"mayﾂ" require a SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) visa.
Guess what? I had showed all that to two people at the American Airlines desk the day they refused to let me on my RETURN flight to Japan.
I pointed out their error. After a week of no response, I again went back to GSA and only then did AA come back and admit their mistake. Then they avoided that by say the people at the check in were really just trying to do their best.
Bullshyt!
No check-in clerk, by the way, unsupervised clerks, should be allowed to unilaterally refuse people on a freaking RETURN flight for goodness sake! This is not a training problem. It is a managerial and process problem and AA is still playing dumb!
I have now sent all information to my congressman and both senators. They really need to check into this as travel agents and other service members are telling me they are rarely asked for ﾂ"paper ordersﾂ" and it only seems to be when a flight is over-booked.
Alaska Airlines and Japan Air Lines brought me back with no difficulty at all.
NEVER will I fly American Airlines again!

yep, seems I hit a nerve with a bunch of these pencil pushers siting at American Airlines living by Chiba ha ha ha -- have a beer and chill ya bunch of pencil-neck geeks. Your life will never be better than it is right now ha ha ha ha ROTFLMAO

 

[nice gaijin]

I feel for you on the airline thing, and I'm not sure if you've been censored or anything, but you seem to be making an *** of yourself now.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Personally, I don't like any of the U.S. carriers that I've flown on. I complain a little, but sometime's you just have to know when to let something go.

Good luck with your next flight!

 

[RockLee]

I've never flew with an American airline company before, so I can't really say I had problems with them But these days so many companies screw up, and one of the main reasons is untrained/unskilled personnel or good-for-nothing administrators who mess up. Not only in America this kind of BS happens I'm afraid. The worst thing is, in most cases you don't even get an apology from the b*stards. They just stick it to "technical" problems. Technical problems my a$$ !!

 

[ArmandV]

I had two round trips to Japan on United Airlines and had absolutely no problem with them. They were just a "hair" below Singapore Air as far as service goes. I've flown AA domestically and had no problem, but in small ways I think they are less customer-oriented than United.

 

[Flashjeff]

I flew to Japan on American three years ago and didn't have a single problem, either going there or back. All things considered, I'd fly with them again.

 

[dulac]

I came here to Japan on AA and had no problems, but based on the horror stories I've read- not just here, but everywhere else- I don't think I'm going to try them again.

 

[Pachipro]

But these days so many companies screw up, and one of the main reasons is untrained/unskilled personnel or good-for-nothing administrators who mess up.

I think there is a grain of truth to what you say here and I think it really depends on the country the employees are working in and not the airline itself.

I fly to Japan via AA every year and have not had a major problem with them once. However, I did have a minor problem once: Two years ago I left three bottles of expensive whiskey on the plane when I arrived in Japan and didn't notice it until we were well on our way home. Thinking I would never see them again I never called the airline and just chalked it up to a "stupid tax".

Two weeks later when I was departing Japan I was paged at Narita airport in the departure lounge. When I went up to the desk, they had my whiskey right there and gave it to me with a polite bow. Man was I surprised.

A year later my wife left some books she purchased in Japan in the seat pocket. She really wanted those books bad. She called AA in Dallas, Texas and tried her best to get those books back. Not even a phone call back from them and we never saw those books again nor did we ever hear from them!

I believe that if the books were left in the seat back of the plane arriving in Japan we would've gotten them back quickly. Therefore, I believe it depends on the courtesy and dedication of the employees in the country they are working. Japanese employees care very much about their company and customer service while the US cares nothing for their own company or the customers. Not only in the airline industry, but everywhere here in the US the customer service is the worst I have ever experienced.

Anyway, this is my experience with AA for what it is worth and in flying them twice a year for the past 10 years those were my only problems.