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American Airlines Takes Special Care of Military Service Members' Children During Christmas Flights
I have a strict anti-spam policy and I absolutely hate those chain letters that people forward, but this is from a guy my husband actually knows. I assume he sent the email out of frustration and in the hope that publicity might help American provide some sort of remedy. I don't know that posting his email in my LJ really helps that much, but I thought I'd do my part.
I will never forget Christmas 2007 listening to my 14-year-old daughter on December 22nd crying on the other end of the phone from the American Airlines counter at the Orlando, Florida airport, “This means that I will have to spend Christmas alone without you or Mom.” In the background I could hear the American Airlines representative telling my former spouse, “Ma’am, you need to move aside, your children’s luggage is in the way and I need to help the next customer.”
Rewind:
Several months before Christmas, I called American Airlines direct in order to purchase round-trip tickets for my two children (Morgan 14 & John Henry 13) to fly from Orlando, Florida to Honolulu, Hawaii in order to spend Christmas with their stepmother and I during their holiday break from school.
Having served more than 25+ years (and still serving) in the military, I was familiar with the requirement for an escort with reference to unaccompanied minors; hence, booking directly with an American Airlines representative. This allowed the representative to reserve the tickets for 24 hours allowing their mother the ability to purchase one ticket and I could purchase the other ticket since we are required to split the transportation costs for the children’s visitation.
Upon booking / reserving the tickets, the American Airlines representative had full knowledge that these tickets were for two unaccompanied minors. She reinforced this by ensuring that I understood that the cost of the tickets did not include the “escort fee” of which would have to be paid at the American Airlines counter the day of the departing flight, and then again at the counter on the return flight.
Sometime after purchasing the children’s airline tickets, my former spouse’s father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and the doctors could not determine how long he would have to live. Since both children would be with me during Christmas, my former spouse scheduled a short four-day trip (incl. Christmas Day) to take her father to the Bahamas, since this might possible be his last opportunity to travel.
As the days approached closer to Christmas, the children’s excitement grew.
On the scheduled departure day, my former spouse arrived at the American Airlines counter at the Orlando Airport with both children well over two hours prior to the departure time, only to be told that they would not accept the children to fly unaccompanied. The American Airlines representative explained that since the last leg of the flight had the children changing airlines from American to Hawaiian Airlines, they could not fly. It seems that there had been a policy change since originally purchasing the tickets. To make matters worse, American Airlines representative made it clear that these were “non-refundable” tickets (in excess of $2,500), and there were no available seats on any American Airlines flights for several days.
Both my wife and I are “American Airlines Advantage Members” but the reality is, this does not afford any advantage whatsoever.
Thank You & Merry Christmas to American Airlines…
Sincerely,
JOHN F. SPENCER III
MAJ, IG
US Army Pacific IG
Chief, Ops Branch
john.f.spencer@us.army.mil
(808) 232-3133
I will never forget Christmas 2007 listening to my 14-year-old daughter on December 22nd crying on the other end of the phone from the American Airlines counter at the Orlando, Florida airport, “This means that I will have to spend Christmas alone without you or Mom.” In the background I could hear the American Airlines representative telling my former spouse, “Ma’am, you need to move aside, your children’s luggage is in the way and I need to help the next customer.”
Rewind:
Several months before Christmas, I called American Airlines direct in order to purchase round-trip tickets for my two children (Morgan 14 & John Henry 13) to fly from Orlando, Florida to Honolulu, Hawaii in order to spend Christmas with their stepmother and I during their holiday break from school.
Having served more than 25+ years (and still serving) in the military, I was familiar with the requirement for an escort with reference to unaccompanied minors; hence, booking directly with an American Airlines representative. This allowed the representative to reserve the tickets for 24 hours allowing their mother the ability to purchase one ticket and I could purchase the other ticket since we are required to split the transportation costs for the children’s visitation.
Upon booking / reserving the tickets, the American Airlines representative had full knowledge that these tickets were for two unaccompanied minors. She reinforced this by ensuring that I understood that the cost of the tickets did not include the “escort fee” of which would have to be paid at the American Airlines counter the day of the departing flight, and then again at the counter on the return flight.
Sometime after purchasing the children’s airline tickets, my former spouse’s father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and the doctors could not determine how long he would have to live. Since both children would be with me during Christmas, my former spouse scheduled a short four-day trip (incl. Christmas Day) to take her father to the Bahamas, since this might possible be his last opportunity to travel.
As the days approached closer to Christmas, the children’s excitement grew.
On the scheduled departure day, my former spouse arrived at the American Airlines counter at the Orlando Airport with both children well over two hours prior to the departure time, only to be told that they would not accept the children to fly unaccompanied. The American Airlines representative explained that since the last leg of the flight had the children changing airlines from American to Hawaiian Airlines, they could not fly. It seems that there had been a policy change since originally purchasing the tickets. To make matters worse, American Airlines representative made it clear that these were “non-refundable” tickets (in excess of $2,500), and there were no available seats on any American Airlines flights for several days.
Both my wife and I are “American Airlines Advantage Members” but the reality is, this does not afford any advantage whatsoever.
Thank You & Merry Christmas to American Airlines…
Sincerely,
JOHN F. SPENCER III
MAJ, IG
US Army Pacific IG
Chief, Ops Branch
john.f.spencer@us.army.mil
(808) 232-3133