American Airlines Services Going Downhill!!!!

Where can start with American Airlines… hum…

Since I checked-in online I did not have to see anyone at the ticket counter (had only a carry-on bag) and went straight to the gate. My first point of contact with an AA person was the flight attendants onboard.

I am on an Airbus A-300, which holds over 200 people. Being December 23rd, the aircraft is completely full. This specific flight goes from New York’s JFK to Miami Airport and continues to Port-au-Prince. I would get off at Miami to connect to San Juan… heat! I need to escape the below zero wind chills, icy roads and shoveling the driveway! Sun and fun, here I come!

We had a slight delay at the gate to load cargo onto the aircraft. For the most part, I never have a problem with this type of delay but this is a 5:45am flight. This aircraft has been at JFK all night and they decide to start loading cargo when???? After passengers start boarding??? And this is why I have a problem with this delay…

Being in the industry myself there are four theories for this delay:

1. The airline management has laid off too many ground personnel that they cannot handle the cargo operation properly or;
2. The airline management, to reduce cost personnel, decides to cut hours and in the morning; which allows the morning crew to start loading cargo at a later time or;
3. The cargo/ground personnel are too lazy and start loading cargo later than they should or;
4. The AA cargo operations are just screwed up!

Seriously, come on! Why start loading cargo that late!

Anyway, I settled into my aisle seat with one guy next to me who thought that his personal space went as far as elbowing me… argh… but I am letting that go… is too early to fight with one person that at 5:30am asks you to loan him a pen and paper because he does not have one. And I just saw him put a briefcase under the seat in front of him. What kind of ‘business’ person is he?

While waiting for the cargo to load, I decided to go to the bathroom and take walk around the airplane. All I have to say is: YUK!

First, the bathrooms were just plain out gross. It stunk and smelled so bad… worst than a public restroom at a train station or a public park; and I was afraid of touching anything in there… disgusting! Paint chipping away, fray and torn carpets in the cabin and just plain old plane makes this experience not a good one. I wonder if the engine and the wings are properly attached to the aircraft.

Besides, after flying JetBlue and enjoying the nice legroom, sitting in this old American A300 plane with seats so close that my knees touch the seat in front of me as well as not being able to open my laptop when the person in front of me reclined the seat, makes this flight not an enjoyable one. Oh… and I know is super early but the inflight crew was not friendly and non-approachable at all. I am now dreading my next/connecting flight.

The Miami to San Juan flight was in some cases better, and in others worst than the prior flight.

The crew was very nice! The flight attendants were very chatty, smiling and it did look that they enjoy their jobs. It was very refreshing to see that! And in this flight, the crew asked me to move to another seat to help a passenger and I ended in the exit row with no one in front of me which made this flight a most pleasant one.

However, this was another Airbus A-300 plane and I immediately could tell that this plane was even older than the one I just got off from. The video system had very old monitors and the movie looked in some monitors off color, in others needing tracking adjustment and in others the movie just was off center. Also the bathroom conditions were worst than the prior plane. Toilet smell went all the way into the galley area as well as the last few rows of the plane. In fact, every time anyone opened the lavatory doors, the flight attendants would run away to the other side of the plane… that bad!

Another problem with A-300 planes is that the video system is located in the overhead/center of the plane only. The monitors are not big enough to allow passengers seated in the window seats to enjoy the movie at all. Monitors are just too far and when people are standing, can’t enjoy the video at all.

Onboard services include: selling headsets for $2.00, meals for purchase between $ -$ and alcoholic drinks for $6.00. All other drinks are complimentary.

This is my overall service ratings of American Airlines for both flights:

Video System: 1.0 out of 5.0
Lavatories: 1.0 out of 5.0
Seat Comfort: 1.0 out of 5.0
Overall Conditions: 2.0 out of 5.0
Inflight Services: 2.0 out of 5.0
Flight Attendants: 3.0 out of 5.0

Total Score: 10.0 out of 30.0 (33% or F Grade)

Final Comment: American has cut back so much that the planes are just too old and falling apart. Interiors are not being refurbished at all with fray carpets, old seats and old video/entertainment systems. Smelly toilets and disgusting bathrooms makes it unbearable to use. Only reason why I flew them? They were cheaper than JetBlue. And I am paying the consequences for the difference in price by giving up the difference in comfort and service.