Mom's Flight(s) Cancelled Need Help Options

[USAirways737]

Today my mom was to return to DFW on American, however we had a major windstorm with heavy gusts which resulted it all three flights being cancelled. After 5 hours of no power at my own house I was on my cell phone with her and she told me AA wouldn't put her on a plane until monday. My mom bought her ticket 5 months ago. My question is why would they not put her as one of the first priorities for tomorrow? They said that all cancelled flights were rebooked and that she was one of the ones who couldn't get on until monday due to flights being full. I thought to my understanding that Americans policy said if you were booked and paid for a "ticket" you were to be put on the next available flight ASAP because you paid for a ticket. Is American screwing my mom? She has also been trying to get ahold of every other airline who flies into DFW and DAL to see if other flights are available but she couldn't get through. Does anyone know if there is anything she can do to get out tomorrow instead on Monday afternoon?

Thanks, been awhile, USAirways737

[dash8q300]

I guess there is just no available flights till Monday. There could have been a whole lot more people that were of a higher priority than your mum. They might have booked their flights before her. Anyway, we are talking about air travel which can be very unfair and unpredictable. Who knows, there could be some people waiting till Wednesday for a flight out. Your mum might be one of the lucky ones. There could also be a limited number of flights. I know how you must feel though. I have had a flight cancellation before.

Hopefully she can get through to another airline or American can fit her onto a sooner flight. But this situation is out of your hands. I'm sure American is doing all they can. It must be pretty stressful for them. Anyway, good luck to your mum.
Dash,

[Kilrah]

I thought to my understanding that Americans policy said if you were booked and paid for a "ticket" you were to be put on the next available flight ASAP because you paid for a ticket.

In that case it simply turns out the next available flight actually is on Monday...
Would be interesting to know how they decide who goes where indeed.

[klm_city_hopper]

Unfortunately, there may of been lots of early bookings; and the flights are simply full. Then again, it depends on when flights were scheduled, or even when the storm 'blows' its self away.

Christian.

Jordan isn't it? Welcome back.....

[velocityflier16]

My mom bought her ticket 5 months ago. My question is why would they not put her as one of the first priorities for tomorrow?

Heres my rant. Just because your mom bought a ticket 5 months ago does NOT mean squat. Commercial Airlines do not care about just one passenger or who bought their ticket 1st for the flight. They try to do it as a group instead. They try their best to get people back to their destination as quickly as possible if their flight is delayed/canceled. Sometimes it takes longer, so you just have to deal with it.

[Guppyman]

Does anyone know if there is anything she can do to get out tomorrow instead on Monday afternoon?

Call Amtrak? Seriously. During winter months, airlines are held mercy by Mother Nature and her whimsical sense of humor. It's just part of flying. You want the airline to get her out the next day, but then that might mean bumping someone else from THAT flight, perpetuating the problem as the bumps continue on down the line. Eventually, schedules and booked flights would mean nothing. Anyone flying during winter weather should remain flexible and expect possible weather delays. It's just the nature of aviation. And there are other ways to get somewhere. While icing may ground airplanes, passenger trains roll along unscathed. And the food is pretty darned good on Amtrak these days. She might want to consider it, if she can work out a routing. Amtrak does serve Dallas.

Time to spare? Go by air!

[AIRCRAFT ENGINEE...]

Sometimes the trains don't even go though. Weather is a nasty little thing in winter - it's why I decided to go thru ATLANTA next week instead of one of the more "northern" states or Texas (nothin' between you and the Canajan north wind but a barbed wire fence - 2 strand if you're lucky - and most of the time it's down anyway)

[dmd747]

I was going to start a topic on this, you should have seen what was happening at KORD saturday, top to bottom CXLD notices. United for example cancelled every flight on the board minus the heavies coming in internationally. On top of that what we had with the ice storm and all, it all headed for the east coast. The nightmare continues, being in operations this is a nightmare. But there's just nothing you can do about it. Weather here isn't improving either, remember this motto from the airlines "hurry up and wait". The only other thing I could suggest is ground transportation.

[21cwDave]

Yes I know how you feel I had a very similar experience flying with AA going down to Costa Rica. Well anyways my flight left or was supposed to leave on thursday feb 15 2007 out of Logan International. I got to the airport checked my luggage and went to the gate, i was also with 5 other people going down there with me. It was a cold sunny day and I was flying on a MD-80 down to Dallas fortworth. Well after we waited at the gate we get this from american airlines, well we are sorry but the plane has to be taken out of service due to maintence problems " well ok I can see that", but then they come back on saying we have another plane but we just have to find a crew, OH geese that would be good. So we wait for like another 30 minutes and AA comes on again saying sorry but the flight is cancelled due to not getting another crew. Now we go back and get our luggage, at first they tell us sorry we cant fly you out till monday I'm pissed, that is 5 days out of my vacation I'm going to miss. So we sit at the airport frantically calling to see if they can get us something else but we get nothing. The lady from AA on the phone told my friend this "well I could look for something but I highly doubt I will get anything till monday plus that will mean I have to stay on the phone looking this up" Hello thats your job omfg we were all about to die, everyone was bummed out. So 30 minutes later my friend sees someone she knows at the counter who works for AA and they start talking and she tells him the situation. Well an hour later we get an answer, we flew out the next day but it was not that easy from there on. Friday we leave logan international and fly out to washingtion where we have to stay overnight of course the airlines paid for our hotel. Saturday we fly out of washingtion to north carolina where we wait for 3 hours. After waiting we get on a plane and fly to Miami and from there to Costa Rica. In all we left washington sat morning at 10:30 and got into Costa Rica at 1:00am saturday very long day. On the way back we flew from Costa Rica to Miami but the kicker is our flight was delayed in Costa Rica so we missed our connection in Miami. But here is the thing the flight in Miami was delayed and we did make it but they gave our freaking seats away to standby passengers when they knew we were coming because as soon as we got into Miami the AA people were rushing us the the gate after we cleared customs. So wtf went wrong do these companies have there heads up there arses or what. I mean my trip was great but the traveling was horrible, I mean don't get me wrong I love flying on planes but the people running this show WTF. Well they put us all on standby for the next flight home thankfully enough people didn't show or else we would of have to stay in Miami for another night. Well thats my adventure flying on vacation. Hopefully when I go again next year this wont happen but then again there are people in charge and yes I know weather can be a factor but in my case it was not. Well for a final note between my flight down there and back I flew on a total of 5 different planes, " they were A319, CRJ, 737, A300, and a 757. So maybe this was somewhat good which made up for all the bad things in some way.

This post has been edited by 21cwDave: Mar 8 2007, 04:54 AM