American Airlines flight delayed by 27 hours - any tips

goingtothedogs

Hello! I was wondering if any of you travel experts out there would had any idea about this…

Last week, I was on an American Airlines flight from Costa Rica to London, via Miami. The flight from Costa Rica was delayed by seven hours (American Airlines admitted it was an engine issue, its fault). So we ended up missing our flight to London and the next one wasn’t for 24 hours. That one was delayed by three hours so all in all, we were 27 hours late home.

Now, I think we’re only entitled to accommodation and food costs, and they did provide this (albeit rather stingy meal vouchers and a hotel in another city – Kendall). But it does seem rather unfair; we both missed a day off work. Where does it stop: two days late, three days late?

Was just wondering if anyone had any tips on how we could persuade them to give us some compensation to make up for the delay. What are our chances?!? Any tips greatly appreciated…

bagand96

It's definately worth a call or email to AA, but I don't think you'll get anything. Frustrating as it is, AA didn't do too bad by you, providing hotel etc. its also worth saying, that your flights weren't 27 hours late, you missed a flight (ok it was due to AA), so had to get the next, but that isn't technically a flight delay.

You have to flip the coin and see it from AA's point of view... what were they to do? Delay the entire MIA-LON flight to wait for the two of you? Lay on an extra flight from MIA-LON for the two of you? Fly the Costa Rica aircraft with a faulty engine to ensure you made your connection? (I'm not trying to be sarcastic or clever here, just trying to point out the situation AA were in)

Like I said, it's worth raising the issue, but don't expect too much. When it comes down to it the initial problem was safety related, and although it had big consequencs, safety has to come first.

katieloumatt

Hi a similar episode happened to us en route to orlando via Philadelphia in March. Basically when our flight from Manchester landed in Philly they closed the airport - and it stayed closed for 3 days!!!!

We had to pay our own accomodation costs becasue the airline deemed it 'an act of God', and of course we were dressed for Florida weather!!

To cut a long story short we claimed on holiday insurance, maybe you could go down that route.

Good Luck, think you may need it dealing with airline!!!

duchy

That is why we take out holiday insurance.
If AA do compensate you it'll likely be a few thousand miles rather than any cash-especially as they paid for your meals and hotel-so probably only worth going after if you are members of Aadvantage. American contract to get you there-when isn't considered releven t by any airline. Personally I'd have been asking them to re-route me home-fly me up to Chicago or New York and home on the day flight the next morning

goingtothedogs

Ta for the info. Having checked our travel insurance, we are entitled to £60 between the two of us. I'll also write to AA and see if they offer us anything out of the goodness of their hearts!

duchy

Never hurts to ask ! Good luck

blindman

goingtothedogs wrote: »

Ta for the info. Having checked our travel insurance, we are entitled to £60 between the two of us. I'll also write to AA and see if they offer us anything out of the goodness of their hearts!

May be a bit after the fact now, but if you ask on Flyertalk you may get some knowledgeable answer.

I think you could have insisted on being rerouted as mentioned by duchy.

If you get any compensation (doubtful) it could be a 'flight voucher' to use on subsequent AA flights.

Good luck.

jinkssick

In the event of either a cancellation or flight delay, the first thing you must do is contact the airline directly, and make it known that you'll be claiming the compensation. If the flight operator doesn't resolve the matter, you should then contact the Air Transport Users Council.

board that was on here before about delays on flights

t-elle

Hi goingtothedogs
I recently claimed for compensation from AA due to a delayed connection and missing the flight to London. Stated about missing work, rescheduling further travel,etc... and would prefer a cash compensation so I wouldn't have to use airmiles. I have been credited 9000 miles to my account which would cost $225 to purchase. OK, that was a start. They did put me up in a very nice hotel and gave a few $$ in meal vouchers, BUT a couple in the hotel coach with me said they were given $300 air dollars each for not taking their flight til the next morning (this was a 1 1/2 flight not 9 with a 24 hour forced delay).
I have emailed again explaining the above, again, and waiting for the reply. Took a month the first time Good Luck

Stella1971

I had a flight booked a couple of years ago from Manchester to Bangkok with Swiss, didn't leave Manchester until 24 hours after I should have flown as the flight was cancelled. Was put up in a hotel for the night.

Received £10 from insurance. Complained to Swiss and received a flight voucher for £100.

hammy_the_hammer

"BUT a couple in the hotel coach with me said they were given $300 air dollars each for not taking their flight til the next morning (this was a 1 1/2 flight not 9 with a 24 hour forced delay)."

a regular offer in my experience especially when flying 'small' aircraft between US cities.
on the last occasion they were offering $300 per person as the plane would have been overloaded ( i think because of a lot of luggage going on ) so all the seats weren't full.
a sobering thought was if they didn't get enough volunteers they would bump off the last people to check-in.....a problem if you haven't got time and interlined flights