***ABSOLUTELY Another Flights with AA require a second thought... (American Airlines)

Member Name: curious_tan

Product:	American Airlines
Date:	21/09/06 (2872 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It has several routes going to the US and being a member of 'oneworld' alliance

Disadvantages: Having old models of aircrafts

SUMMERTIME is the busiest part of the year. To have an enjoyable summer vacation requires advance planning. Part of this planning is the selection of the destination where to spend the holiday and most importantly what airline/air carrier to travel with.

Even though I am a frequent flyer, I still have this dilemma of having a slow assessment in choosing an aircraft for my holiday destination every year. Despite the fact that I have my two major requirements for an airline, I hardly settle quickly without browsing numerous agents on-line just to satisfy my requirements. Firstly, majority of us wants to have cheap tickets within our budget range. Secondly, I don’t know if this applies to everyone, that I could still earn mileage points from my travel.

Fortunately, I have four frequent flyer memberships (Qantas, Japan Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Northwest) which give me a wide range of selections for international travels. This time to make my decision faster, I chose first the travel agent and from there I automatically contacted them for quotation based from my two requirements. Finally, I had my verdict to fly with American Airlines (AA) from UK to the United States of America!


*****WHY AA?

1. Travel Agent’s Promotional Package
My travel to the US for the third time after 8 years from my last visit has a mix of emotions: fear of terrorist attacks and jubilant to meet my cousin and her family in California. With these feelings, it is really hard to choose what airline to bring me safe to Uncle Sam. The answer to this is my travel agent – STA Travel. I knew STA since I was temporarily residing in Australia in 2002. Having a good reputation for student fares, I visited its office in my current location and renew my membership for £7 a year and booked my flight from Manchester to Los Angeles via Boston, and return via Chicago. I got a round-trip ticket amounting to £470, inclusive all fees and taxes. In particular, STA offers good fares for students travelling between June and August to America with non-changeable and non-refundable policy. So with that, I have to ensure that my dates are fixed and no turning back, unless something happened badly that hinders me to go on with my itinerary.

2. Mileage Benefits
AA has partnership with selected airlines and rail operators around the world. AA is part of the “oneworld” network having integrated services with 7 airlines, namely: Qantas, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, LAN, Finnair and Iberia. Having a Qantas frequent flyer membership, my mileage accumulated from AA is automatically transferred to my Qantas account and I am receiving the same privileges in terms of check-ins and other services (like elite membership). It is very easy to transfer my mileage points by just handing over my frequent flyer card during check-ins to the desk officers and they swipe it on the computers. The boarding pass is printed and the frequent flyer card number is already indicated on it which means that my mileage is already credited.

Briefly, for certain accumulated points, I can use these points in my future free travels abroad in two options. One option is I can choose a destination within the accumulated points in my account, or other option is to purchase the remaining points required for a chosen destination if my accumulated points are not enough to cover my trip. Unlike before, there is no expiration date for the accumulated mileage points and it is transferable provided that I continuously travelling within 5 years. If there is no activity for more than 5 years, the airline will advise me to use the mileage points within the year, or else it will be forfeited.

To date, my accumulated mileage points could give me free round ticket to Australia (from Manila) or one way from UK to Manila to be booked at least 180 to 365 days prior to my departure for higher percentage of approval since it is first come first serve basis.

The main objective of “oneworld” alliance is to provide a range of services and benefits that no single airline could provide on its own. Its goal is to make the flyers feel at home in its global network of more than 600 destinations in over 135 countries (www.oneworld.com). By the way, AA has its own mileage flyer membership called ‘AA advantage’ (www.aa.com/aadvantage).

3. Reputation
Recently, AA is recognised its diversity-related efforts when two publications honoured the airline with prestigious awards: AA is in the list of the top 40 best companies for diversity by Black Enterprise magazine; and by Profiles in Diversity Journal named AA as one of the top 10 companies for innovation in diversity for 2006. Amazingly, AA is the only passenger airline name on either list. Diversity for AA is having assembling a workforce covering a rich mixture of cultures and experiences; building a diversified supplier base to provide increased opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses; and shaping services to meet customer expectations.


*****HOW AA works?

1. Check-in
It is a normal practice to be in the airport at least 120 minutes (2 hrs) prior to departure. But recently after the bomb threats in August, it is recommended to be in the check-in counter at least 2.5 - 3 hrs before departure especially for day time international travels. I did not have any difficulty reaching Manchester airport because I stayed overnight in the city, instead of having a connecting flight from Northern Ireland to UK mainland on the day of my departure to the US.

Being a non-British passport holder, my check-in procedure was longer. There were officers checking the passports and bags before everyone can get their boarding passes. In my case, a lady officer (PhD graduate in psychology) approached me while on the queue. I handed my passport and my reservation ticket/receipt to her and she started questioning me about my job, purpose of my travel, where to stay, how I packed my luggage, etc. She even asked me in details about my research project! At the end, she commented that I am an organised person and people like me could easily find a job in the UK. It was really intimidating being interrogated in front of other people, and having your details on their pads as if you will be committing a crime inside the plane! Anyway, I successfully checked-in my 25 kg luggage, got my boarding pass and ready to board the plane.

Fortunately, hand-carry luggage (size/weight) with liquid substances was not a major issue during my departure in July. But when I went back in the middle of August, then it was really a disappointment for various reasons: I paid $25 for my excess luggage. I used the same bag and I knew that I have approx 25 kg. In the US, AA uses pound (lb) and the maximum weight for check in is 50 lb. which is less than 25 kg (1kg is 2.2 lb). In other words, I have to pay but AA provided the bag for my extra weight and removed some of stuffs (books) from my hand carry bag without exceeding the 50 lb max weight just to compensate the $25 excess fee.

The size of the hand carry is not an issue from US route, but unlike other airlines bound to US or elsewhere (including domestic flights) from UK where 35cmX45cmX16cm hand baggage is strictly implemented. Other restrictions for hand carry include the ff: liquids, gels and pastes, cosmetics, toiletries, sharp items, lighters, and medical prescriptions over 50 ml or 50g., except for milk for babies.

2. Boarding and On-board
While seated in the lounge area waiting for the boarding time, I noticed in my boarding pass that it was stamped “group 6”. With my little curiosity, I approached one of the front desk officers and politely asked him if it is alright to ask questions. He gladly responded and I immediately verified from him what the ‘group 6’ stands for. Quickly, this is the explanation I got from him which somehow relates to the boarding procedure:
Group 6 – economy passengers assigned to sit at the far end of the plane (tail)
Group 5 – economy passengers assigned to sit 1/6 away from the tail of the plane
Group 4 – economy passengers assigned to sit 1/3 away from the tail of the plane
Group 3 – economy passengers assigned to sit at the middle of the plane
Group 2 – economy passengers assigned to sit right after the business class
Group 1 – passengers in the business class, passengers with children and with disabilities, and frequent flyer card holders.

So instead of calling the seat numbers, the passengers are grouped into 6, much easier to remember as stamped in the boarding passes. Having that, I asked again the officer why I did not have a ‘group 1’ stamp since I am frequent flyer card holder (showing my card as well). He was surprised and he immediately checked it from the computer. It turned out that my card details were not recognised by the AA database, which he advised me to settle this upon arrival in Boston and have my details inputted manually.

I am not a fussy person with regard to on-board amenities. Why? Well, I sleep most of the time! Anyway, there are few things that somewhat gave me a dissatisfaction with AA on-board service. Majority of the on-board staff (steward/stewardess) are old which is quite different from Asian airlines having young, good looking and smiling staff. The tv monitor is centralised which means I have to focus my eyes to the wide screen attached on the wall sharing it with other passengers (with individual earphones). Food and drinks are ok, except that liquors and wine are not free. For my connecting flights (Boston – LA; LA – Chicago) the food was not free except for water. Even the earphone is for sale, thus I kept the one from my Manchester-Boston flight for my flight return. On the positive side, like other international airlines, AA has its own in-house flight magazine called ‘American Way (trends for the modern traveller)’ which I normally keep it as a souvenir. The mag is published twice a month which contains some interesting write-ups, including holiday destinations, book reviews, forms, terminal maps, puzzles (sudoku), etc.

3. Delayed Flights
Because of the terrorist threat in the early of August, my flight from LA via Chicago was a big disappointment. Starting from my check-in in LA airport up to my connecting flight from Chicago, everything was unexpected. Firstly, my flight going to Chicago was delayed for 2 hours due to broken altitude meter! With that 2 hour delay, my connecting flight from Chicago to Manchester was consequently affected. Thus, I have to arrange my alternative route to reach Northern Ireland on the next day of my connecting flight for a meeting with my supervisors. Prior to our landing in O’Hare International Airport, we were advised that passengers with connecting international flights will be taken care of AA staff outside the arrival gate. Ironically, upon exit nobody was there to tell us where to go and what to do with our connecting flights! Luckily, we were advised by other passengers to proceed to the customer service counter – a counter without a staff, only 3 red phones on top of the counter. Since a lot of passengers having missed their connecting flights, I have to wait for almost 45 minutes to speak to the staff over the phone. Because of my frustrations, I told him all my conditions and threats – reaching my final destination on time with my meeting.

Finally, AA was able to arrange my connecting flight not with AA itself but with British Airways and BMI airline as my connecting flight from Heathrow (instead of Manchester) to Belfast. My return was safe but my meeting was cancelled, and my check-in luggage was delayed but delivered intact after 2 days – that’s another story!


*****WHAT’S my judgment?

At the last minute AA did an excellent job making my trip safe and be on time for my meeting. There were problems during the trips but, sometimes these things were unpredictable. At first, I will be annoyed and frustrated for such delays but on the other hand, allowing my self to think deeply about the validity of the reasons why these things happened could lessen the stress/anxiety; and I do things like reading to relax while waiting. In my observation, AA provides a first-class service to ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers.

HAVING American Airlines for the first time and visited the US for the third time was an enjoyable summer experience. And I am still having a second thought to be with AA for my next trip to the US in 2007.

Summary: AA tried its best for the safety and comfort of the passengers