Guest Grouser: Second Class Treatment on American Airlines

Another guest Grouser, Taylor M., lets American Airlines have it for cramping her legs (and style) during a flight back in November. Lest you think all complaint letters are tossed in the circular file, check out what AA sent Taylor M.:

"I got a form letter that I burned. And a $100 voucher."

Damn right you did.
___________

Dear Mr. Arpey [President and Chief Executive Officer, AMR Corporation/American Airlines, Inc],

I would just like to inform you of the unsatisfactory service I received on a recent flight from SFO to ORD on 22 Nov (Flight 1608). Since it was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the flight was completely full with the exception of a seat in the back row and numerous open seats in First Class. There was a major problem with the seat I was assigned (13A). The magazine pocket on 12A was broken, so the minimal leg room I should have had was cut in half. Instead of having the foot or so of leg room that most passengers have, I had about four inches. As a tall woman, almost 5'11", my legs were scrunched, and it was terribly uncomfortable. A metal bar jutted in to my shins and forcibly pressed my legs backward.

Once all the passengers had boarded, I asked one of the flight attendants if there was another available seat. She informed me that there is one in the last row. When I asked about the ones in First Class, which were in plain view, she said that I could not sit there for security reasons.

Since I wasn't sure what extra security checks or precautions the passengers in First Class went through, I asked for more detail. She said something about their names being in a computer. But since I was booked on this flight, I'm assuming my name is in the computer as well. Her explanation still doesn't make sense to me. Furthermore, I saw one of the passengers in seat 8A or 9A move to First Class at the same time I asked. This too didn't make sense to me. Trust me, I understand that the passengers in First Class pay more and that courtesy upgrades are few and far between, but I believe if there was ever a justifiable time to offer a courtesy upgrade, this would have been opportune. (The man sitting next to me couldn't believe the explanation and the service either, and he was a completely objective third-party opinion.)

I'm writing you because I used to love American Airlines. I would frequently fly between LGA and PBI. I remember getting off the plane raving about the extra inches between the seats and saying how I wouldn't fly on Delta or any other airline in the foreseeable future. Over the past year or so, I have seen an extraordinary decrease in the both the level of the comfort in the aircrafts as well as the service provided on American. I had started to grow somewhat accustomed to this, but this flight was the worst yet. Numerous open seats, which I was forbidden to move to, despite the ridiculous discomfort my seat caused. And the reason was never quite clear since the flight attendant gave me a song and dance for an explanation. This was essentially my return to AA as well; I haven't flown you in sometime since my last experience was also poor. Perhaps now you can provide something to entice me back.

By the way, I am assuming the flight attendant was either D. Burnett or L. Lane – she was a tall and slender African-American woman. I was unable to get her name since she appeared to have been assigned to the rear of the aircraft, and I was near the front. Also, I found it amusing that she described herself as tall in what I'm assuming was an attempt to empathize with my situation, but then offered no further assistance. Hopefully, you now can offer some further assistance.

Thank you,

Taylor M.