American Airlines cancellations come with fine print that could cost travelers plenty

17
779

In September, American Airlines changed its fine-print contract with its customers. Now, if the airline cancels a flight, it will only be responsible for refunding the travelers’ tickets and fees — it’s not responsible for hotels, expensive last-minute replacement tickets, food, transportation, or missed connections.

In other words, American Airlines is now operating like a discount airline, with no guarantees: If you spent $100 on a ticket and the flight is cancelled, you’ll just get your $100 back.

That’s compounded this week by the more than 1,750 flights the airline canceled over the weekend and at least 336 canceled so far on Monday, or 12 percent of American’s flights today, according to FlightAware.com.

The airline is blaming wind gusts at Dallas-Fort Worth, its hub, according to CEO David Seymour’s memo to employees on Saturday. But the majority of the cancellations are due to staff shortages, especially flight attendants, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Southwest Airlines canceled 80 flights on Saturday and 20 on Sunday. Three weeks ago, Southwest canceled more than 3,000 flights over four days, blaming storms in Florida, and air traffic control staff shortages. Later it became evident that the airline was also short-staffed.

American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are part of the oneworld® airline partners group.

Read about how American Airlines’ new terms of service agreement may leave you stranded at Fortune magazine.

17 COMMENTS

  1. “Wind gusts”, LOL!
    .
    The only wind gusts that are hurting American Airlines right now are the billows of hot air and lies that they are emitting while trying to conceal their staffing shortages, which are due to their workers effectively going on strike against their onerous and monstrous ‘vaccination’ (sic) mandates.

  2. United, we stand together to combat employers “who play a doctor on TV” to dictate our health decisions. Alaska Airlines is taking applications for exemptions, likely measuring the fall out if/when they mandate their, “I’m not a real doctor, but I play one on TV” role in pilots’ and flight attendants’ lives by mandating shots and more.
    It’s personal AND it’s business. And they are happy to mix them both.

  3. American Airline’s Motto: Satisfied customers? Who needs them.
    .
    I have a strict policy against American Airlines. Yes, I will pay more to fly a different airline, end of story. They have f-ed me over more than once, and their employees knowingly and deliberately lied to me.
    .
    They cannot go bankrupt fast enough in my opinion.

  4. Nobody cares about the traveling public

    Sheep to be sheared.

    Vulture capitalism mix with wokeness at its finest.

  5. At some point travelers will have had enough, and simply stop flying. We did so during the “pandemic” (that wasn’t and isn’t) and we can do so again. To heck with businesses that don’t serve customers.

  6. I feel bad for AA, as their airline was the only one impacted by the “weather” at DFW. Horrible. This had nothing to do with the mandates? Oh, okay. Sinister behavior by SWA and AA, lying to consumers.

  7. So if only 50% of seats fill up and it looks like American Airlines will lose money by keeping its commitment on that particular flight, it can now just cancel at the last minute and foist the costs on its passengers? If a flight is booked 100%, does it share the extra profits? How does anyone know the true reason a flight is cancelled?

  8. Arrogant airlines we in the industry always called them. I will not miss them. Or United. Or Seattle airlines (Alaska) should they bite it. Should open the market for surplus jetliners that some dreamer can take a large fortune and turn it into a small one. The cycle will continue, don’t worry. Air travel will continue without the help of arrogant airline CEOs and aging flight attendants, who don’t know when to retire. Blame it on the winds. The winds of change.

  9. Well I’m sitting in Florida after getting canceled by American yesterday morning and won’t be able to fly home until tomorrow. While it’s not the worst place to be stuck it has cost me money and frustration trying to arrange last minute plans.. What pissed me off is that I wasn’t given notice by the airline and didn’t find out until we arrived at the airport very early in the morning. In Alaska we are really stuck with few options of getting out and I think it’s only going to get worse. The ticket agent said it was staffing issues that caused all the cancellations. Not weather! I actually applaud the employees for having a sick out even if it caused me inconvenience. That’s the only way to change!

    • Well concluded, Sheryl. Much inconvenience will have to be endured if we are to make change happen in this world where our “betters” have better ideas for our lives.

  10. The only ” wind gusts ” affecting American Airlines flights are coming out of Beijing Biden’s pie hole!

  11. Airline business is to provide transportation in exchange for a price, which is the agreed value of the transportation. Want reimbursement for incidental expense for a cancelled flight, … buy insurance.

  12. Yeah, and I have a specialized cargo trailer to haul south. For decades, I’ve thought Alaska should have a deal cut with Canada. Our state government apparently makes deals with China!!! Free travel between the states and all – flying and $$$ ferries don’t cut it.
    And Don Young votes for trillions…

Comments are closed.