American Airlines Services Going Downhill - Part Deux

This is a copy of the letter I have sent to American Airlines in regards to my last flight with them.

AA CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT

RE: FAR VIOLATIONS AND SERVICE ISSUES ON AA 648 / 12JAN09 – SJU-JFK.

Today, January 12th, 2009, I flew on AA #648 from San Juan to JFK. The schedule departure time was 8:25am. The flight was delayed until 9am. None of the gate agents made any announcements or updated the passengers as to what the situation is. I know is pretty bad when they are not uploading cargo into the aircraft, as it is a big sign that the flight most likely will be cancelled.

I called AA reservations to find what other options are available for me to get to New York. My very ‘annoyed’ reservation agent (and I use the word ‘annoyed’ loosely) gave me some possibilities as to how to get to New York; one of them via St. Thomas, Miami or the afternoon non-stop flight.

At the new departure time of 9:00am (which actually was the “decision” time, not the new departure – which makes me quite upset that American decides to hide their head in the sand instead of telling us what exactly is going on) it was announced that the mechanical problem has been fixed and that we would start boarding soon with a new departure time of 9:30am. This is the first time we hear of a ‘mechanical’ issue.

The cabin crew boarded and we followed shortly thereafter. I boarded, stowed my bags and wanted to use the lovely lavatories. As I proceeded to the back of the plane, a flight attendant blocked me. She stated that the plane had no water and no galleys! This is a clear indication that the likelihood of the flight being cancelled was greater than I initially thought. This caused the flight to be even further delayed until 9:45am. While onboard, no one from the cockpit, or the crew, made any announcements about the mechanical issue, which would have reassured and calmed antsy passengers.

I am seated in the emergency exit row at door 3L (seat 27B). Just seconds after takeoff, a flight attendant call light a few rows in front of me went off. I saw people looking over to the left side of the aircraft. I alerted the flight attendant seated in front of me about the irregular situation. A woman grabbed a magazine and started to fan air to a passenger. The flight attendant at 3L turned around, saw the call light, rolled his eyes and literally, got off his jumpseat (I am thinking he is going to check on the passenger) and he just walked to the back of the plane where he sat in the last row of passenger seats. If this was truly an emergency, what would have happened? What if passengers were actually looking at something going on outside of the aircraft and wanted to alert the crew?

Just remember, a few years ago, there was an American Airlines A-300 that encountered and emergency out of San Juan. In this incident, the passengers where the ones who alerted the flight attendants that an engine was on fire. The plane turned back to San Juan, had to evacuate passengers via slides and luckily, there were no major injuries. What if this was one of those cases? Or worst? The inaction of this flight attendant (at door 3L) shows how unprofessional and uncaring he is towards a position that is supposed to be based on customer service and safety.

In addition, the flight attendant working the galley in the economy cabin, made the following announcement over the PA system (I am typing this letter as I am seated on my seat – 27B): “Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to ask all of you who are waiting to use the lavatories in the back of the plane, to move out of the galley area so we can set-up the galley for the drink service. Once again…” and she repeated the announcement.

How unprofessional! Why make this announcement over the PA for over 200 people when is meant for just a handful of people in the back of the plane? Just remember that the lavatories were unusable while on the ground and many of us had to wait until after takeoff to use the facilities.

Which brings me to the fact of the appearance and lavatory conditions of this… actually, of all of American’s Airbus A-300’s. There are carpets and sidewalls being held together by duck tape. Seats are dirty as well and blankets look worn out and dirty. I took two flights to get to San Juan (connection via Miami) and the conditions of those A-300’s were even more appalling. Lavatories smells are just strong enough to make anyone sick. Paint is chipping off the walls and dirt is all over the place. How can anyone on the upper management level can look me in the face and tell me that they are proud of the product they offer to their customers?

As the video started, a lone flight attendant offered headphones for purchase. After a 1.30 hours delay, the least AA and this crew could have done is to offer complimentary headphones. But I guess profits take place before comfort and a simple gesture of apologies from the crew. By the way, the video system audio was cracking (at least on seats 27A/B) rendering watching the video completely useless. My seat tray table is broken and I wonder what else is falling apart on this aircraft.

In addition, on my flights to San Juan, the video systems were also not working properly with some of the monitors not working or in need of tracking and color adjustments. The conditions of the lavatories on those flights were even more appalling and the ‘latrine’ smells even strongest. On the Miami to San Juan flight, I did see the crew run from one side of the plane to another because every time the door of one of the lavatories opened, the smell was so strong and disgusting that they had to get out of that area!

By the way, at least 3 flight attendants have just walked and passed by the passenger ‘call light’ that has been on since takeoff and no one have checked, asked or paid attention to it.

There is something missing with this crew and it is “situational awareness”. In the airline industry, flight attendants (and everyone for that matter) are taught that this is the most important piece of safety as the crew are the “eyes and ears” of the cockpit and the leaders of safety of the cabin.

I am typing this PA announcement from the same galley flight attendant ( the one who made the prior announcement) prior to the beginning of the inflight service:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, in the economy cabin we will start our beverage service. We do have a selection of complimentary drinks. These are: Pepsi, diet Pepsi, sometimes Sierra Mist, sometimes diet Sierra Mist… (she outlined every single soft drink that is available onboard...) Also we have coffee and tea. If you want coffee or tea, make sure to tell us how you like it; with milk or no milk and sugar or no sugar. Also, we have alcoholic drinks for sale for 6 dollars. If you want vodka, is 6 dollars, if you want rum is 6 dollars if you want… (and she continued to outline every single alcoholic drink…). If you want to buy a snack… (and off she went to tell us about every single snack available for purchase and the respective price…)”

This very unprofessional, unnecessary and annoying announcement that went on for about 5 minutes. All I have to say is that I am glad that it was not translated into Spanish. Otherwise, we would be listening to PA announcements for at least 10 minutes. How about those who are trying to watch the movie? Oh, that’s right… there is poor audio for the video… never mind!

Why could the galley flight attendant refer the passengers to the page of the inflight magazine that gives us the full selection and description of drinks and snacks available? Why do I need to be treated like a child and spoken to like one? This is very unprofessional and I do feel quite embarrassed for the only one nice flight attendant on the flight (sorry… I wish I had her name…) but as the say goes: “It takes all of us to make everyone look good but only takes one of us to make everyone look bad”.

And as I am writing this portion of the letter, I do know that I might get a flight attendant in trouble… but the fact that he was violating an FAR, it does need to be brought up to your attention:

After the service was completed in the economy cabin, I decided to go for walk. The same flight attendant that was seated at 3L and refused to check on the passenger after takeoff, I found him sleeping in the last row of the aircraft while wearing noise reduction headphones. He literally slept on the passenger seat for the rest of the flight. I did not see him doing any cabin coverage.

The last time I saw this flight attendant (3L) was when he sat down in the jumpseat for landing. Even then, after the plane landed and was taxing to the gate, he was ready to disarm his door and run to the back of the plane. But because the other flight attendant at 3R was not doing so, he refrain himself from doing it and stayed seated. However, after the announcement to “prepare doors” was made, he disarmed his door and ran to the back of the plane before passengers got up.

This is the most unprofessional crew I’ve witnessed at American. Sadly, it is more the norm than the exception.

I am not one to complaint because I do know about the situation that all flight attendants are going through with job cuts, pay cuts, longer duty days for less rest time. But in this case, I do have to. Service wise, I can let things go. But when I see an FAR violation, I do have to speak up.

In summary, American Airlines management has cut back so much that 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 American? They were cheaper than JetBlue. And I am paying the consequences for the difference in price by giving up the difference in comfort,safety and service.

I do hope you follow up and receive a reply from you soon.

Sincerely,

Raul Zambrana


On January 28th, I was surprised to find a letter in my inbox from American Airlines and below, is their response. I sincerely thought that my email would be deleted but it did get someone's attention. I will keep you posted in any outcome. I am not one to get anyone in trouble, but once you read the letter, you will understand why I did write it and "blew-the-whistle".

January 28, 2009

Dear Mr. Zambrana:

We received your email sent to Mr. Arpey, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Garton. The details you provided to us about flight 648 were very troubling. Your message was immediately sent to our Vice President of Onboard Services and an investigation ensued. We are still in the process of gathering statements from the crew involved but I can assure you that once our investigation has concluded, we will take the appropriate corrective action with those involved. We very much appreciate that you took the time to contact us about all that occurred. Your feedback is especially meaningful because you are a fellow industry employee.

We realize that your disappointment wasn't just due to the actions of the crew but also in the condition of the cabin. The conditions you described are as unacceptable to us as they were to you and I've alerted our Manager of Cabin Services. This is certainly not the image we want to convey.

Mr. Zambrana, please give us another chance to serve you. We are all working hard to provide the high quality service you have every right to expect when traveling on American Airlines. Like you, we are proud of our company and I know we can do better.

Sincerely,

Michelle F. Simmons
Customer Relations
American Airlines

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.

FOLLOW UP TO PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRY - TSA Bag Search

Follow up to TSA Response - Airline Management cannot request TSA to search bags on thier behalf...

I decided to do one more attempt to see if airline management can request TSA or any immigration/ag. officer to do a search on their behalf.

The answer is NO!!! (as you can see from the responses below).

So if you hear or find out that TSA is searching bags to look for items taken off the plane or by request of airline management, they are violating their own rules. If the TSA agent makes a comment in regards to bag search on behalf of the airline, dont put up a fight but request the TSA agent's name and the supervisor on duty. Report it via the TSA website and call your local AFA office. As your own personal choice, you might look into personal legal advise.

However, London and Frankfurt are a totally different story... Crews are getting searched left and right! So be aware. And those security agents have the direct lines to supervisors' cell phone numbers which they get called right away when a suspicious item is found on a crew member's bag. But that is a deal that AFA in FRA and LHR need to look into.

Take care and Happy Holidays!!!

Raul

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From: XYZ
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 2:56 PM
To: Hornbach, Barbara
Cc: GotFeedback; SALGADO, PATRICK
Subject: Re: Got Feedback : Chicago-O'Hare Int'l Airport (ORD)

Ms. Hornbach:

Thank you so much for your reply and I do appreciate your time.

The issue we have, as Flight Attendants and crew members, is that we need to know, for once and for all, if a TSA Officer, a US Customs & Boarder Protection Officer, or a CBP Agricultural Specialist has the right to be asked by an Airline Management to do bag and personal searches on their behalf.

I don’t think that qualifies as a “sensitive/security” information. It should be a straight yes or no answer.

If you cannot answer that question, who should I speak to.

Thank you so much and I do hope to get an answer from you soon,

Raul

---

Mr. Zambrana:

I can only speak for TSA but I assume CBP works in the same way. Our Officers will not search a bag based solely on the request of a non-TSA employee. Officers will assess the situation and determine for themselves whether a bag search is required or not.

Regards,
Barbara Hornbach

Barbara H. Hornbach
Customer Service Quality Improvement Manager
Transportation Security Administration
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Tel: (773) 377-1217
Cell: (773) 343-1772
Email: barbara.hornbach@dhs.gov

---

Yes, we work the same way. If feel we need to ask questions or search bags, we can do it with our Border Search Authority.


Thank you,

Patrick Salgado
Passenger Service Manager
United States Customs and Border Protection
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago, Illinois 60666
773-894-2900 Ext. 2872
312-296-6528-Blackberry

Read this!!! Interesting!!! I received an email from an ORD based flight attendant with the story below. And for those of you who know me, you know I need to follow-up when I see an injustice. So I went ahead and shot an email to TSA... and read the story below. The emails are set in chronological order. If anyone has any input, please send me a message. Thanks!

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From an Chicago based UA Flight Attendant: (Dec.05)

I got pulled today at O'hare customs. The customs agent asked me specifically if I took anything from the plane and if I bought anything from the crew or purser (thought that was a weird question). He said they were doing random crew searches because of reports of crew stealing from the airplane. I am going to contact the union and find out if united is once again trying to get around proper bag searches by having customs search us.

By the way, just talked to the union. Customs Agents are reporting crews and you need to get the Customs Agent(s) badge numbers and names if this happens to you!

My questions are:

1. Why would TSA help United this way? Any benefits for TSA?

2. Does UA has the authority to ask TSA to do searches on their behalf?

3. What are TSA proper procedures when searching crew bags?

I guess this is a story what will continue to develop....

---

Then, I decided to send this email via the TSA website feedback section:

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 7:31 AM
To: Hornbach, Barbara
Subject: Got Feedback : Chicago-O'Hare Int'l Airport (ORD)


Current Date/Time: 12/13/2008 8:31:47 AM
Airport: Chicago-O'Hare Int'l Airport (ORD)

Date/Time of Travel: 12/5/2008
Airline & Flight Number: United

Checkpoint/Area of Airport: O'Hare Immigrations at Terminal 5
TSA Employee: (If Known):
Compliment/Complaint:

One of the crew members of a United flight got pulled to a secondary check at O'Hare customs. The TSA agent asked the crew member, specifically, if s/he took anything from the plane.

The TSA agent also asked if the crew member if she "bought anything from the crew or purser" (thought that was a weird question).

The TSA agent said they were doing random crew searches because of reports of crew stealing from United airplanes.

I would like TSA to answer the following questions:

1. What are TSA proper procedures when searching crew bags? Anywhere crew members can read or access these procedures?

2. Does any airline management has the authority to ask TSA to do bag searches on their behalf? If so, what is the procedure?

3. If an airline management member asks TSA to do bag searches on their behalf, is this public information that can be look at? if so, how?

4. If these are not the proper procedures, what are the resources the crew member has to report the TSA agent who does an improper bag search?

5. Lastly, what is considered an improper bag search?

Thank you very much and any help you can send, (i.e. online resources or regulations available) will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Would you like a response?: Yes
Passenger’s Name: XXXX
Phone Number: XXXX
Email: XXXX

---

-----Original Message-----
From: Hornbach, Barbara
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 8:36 AM
To: XXXX
Cc: Hornbach, Barbara; GotFeedback; SALGADO, PATRICK
Subject: RE: Got Feedback : Chicago-O'Hare Int'l Airport (ORD)

Mr. XYZ:

I am forwarding your Got Feedback email to Customs & Border Patrol for their consideration.

Regards,
Barbara Hornbach


Barbara H. Hornbach
Customer Service Quality Improvement Manager
Transportation Security Administration
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Tel: (773) 377-1217
Cell: (773) 343-1772
Email: barbara.hornbach@dhs.gov

---

Sent: December 17, 2008

Mr. XYZ:

We discussed this Got Feedback email that you sent us. First of all, if a crew member has a complaint, he/she needs to contact us directly with the following information:

- Name
- Date/time
- Exact airline/flight number
- Inbound/outbound
- Is the issue with a TSA Officer, a US Customs & Boarder Protection Officer, or a CBP Agricultural Specialist? These are distinct positions and in the case of TSA and CBP different agencies.

Moreover, the answers to the questions you have asked are sensitive security information and cannot provided you. In addition, owing to the Privacy Act of 1974 we not at liberty to investigate the incident or release any information on the individual who prompted your inquiry.

We will be glad to direct the individual impacted to the proper authorities when we hear from him/her.

With kind regards,
Barbara Hornbach

Barbara H. Hornbach
Customer Service Quality Improvement Manager
Transportation Security Administration
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Tel: (773) 377-1217
Cell: (773) 343-1772
Email: barbara.hornbach@dhs.gov

-------------------

Then, I replied on December 17th:

Ms. Hornbach:

Thank you so much for your reply and I do appreciate your time.

The issue we have, as Flight Attendants and crew members, is that we need to know, for once and for all, if a TSA Officer, a US Customs & Boarder Protection Officer, or a CBP Agricultural Specialist has the right to be asked by an Airline Management to do bag and personal searches on their behalf.

I don’t think that qualifies as a “sensitive/security” information. It should be a straight yes or no answer.

If you cannot answer that question, who should I speak to.

Thank you so much and I do hope to get an answer from you soon,

Raul

A NORTHWEST FLIGHT ATTENDANT ACCOUNTS OF THE DECEMBER 3RD TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MUMBAI, INDIA

A Northwest Airlines Flight Attendant was on a layover in Mumbai when the terrorist attacks at the Oberoi Trident Hotel occurred last Wednesday (December 03, 2008). These are his accounts of what happened that day.

"For those of you who don't know, I was on a layover at the Oberoi Trident hotel in Mumbai when the attacks occurred there last Wednesday night. Some of my memory of some of this is sketchy but here's what I remember.

Had a great, uneventful layover...the usual, massage, lunch at Trishna etc. Napped from about six pm to 9 pm. I received my 9:50 pm wakeup call from reception, reminding me of my 10:50 pm pickup time. I left my room for the lobby about 10:35 and saw one of my flight attendants standing at the elevator bank. He said the elevators for some reason weren't working and that his calls from the house phone adjacent to them was going unanswered. My initial reaction was Oh God, am I going to have to carry all my bags down stairs???

I was heading back to my room to try calling from my room's phone when we heard a tremendous explosion that shook the building. We were on the 18th floor, and unaware of what was happening in the lobby and outside the hotel. I ran to my room and dialed reception, and again, no answer. I went back out into the hallway to see what we were going to decide to do when we heard another huge explosion followed by very loud screams. At first I thought that an elevator had fallen as the screams seemed to come from the elevator shafts. Suddenly doors in the hallway were opening and heads were sticking out wondering what was going on.

All of a sudden a young woman comes out and starts banging on other doors in the hallway screaming that the hotel was being attacked. Apparently she saw it on TV. My coworker and I ran into my room and turned on the television and on one of the local channels it was being reported that there were "firings" outside of some hotels. It was running across the bottom of the screen but the TV still had regular programming on. I wasn't sure what they meant by firings, but I couldn't help but wonder if that is what the explosions were.

Everyone was confused about what to do, but my coworker said he was going to go down the stairway adjacent to the elevators to see if it was safe to get out. He was turned back by hotel staff several flights down. By this time I had that hall crowd of people in my room watching the news on TV that attacks were being carried out at several locations in the city.

All of a sudden one of the women who was a Lufthansa flight attendant got a call on her PDA and screamed that the hotel was on fire and we had to get out. Although we didn't know it at the time, it was actually the Taj Hotel on fire. But we decided to head down the stairs. Instinctively, I grabbed my passport, crew badge, wallet, and cash, and locked my luggage in my room. Some of the women were crying but it was orderly going down. Strangely nobody from above followed the 16 of us.

We made it to the pool level which is on the rooftop of the third floor, but the all the glass doors to the outside areas were locked. That floor also has banquet and meeting rooms and we found all the doors locked. Inside the ladies room the towels are cloth, so we grabbed a bunch of them and wet them in case we had to breathe through smoke. But we hadn't smelled any if the hotel was indeed on fire.

We were trying to figure out where to go at that point when we encountered a hotel security guard. He WHISPERED (which began to scare me even more) for us to stay there as there was an "incident" in the lobby. We cut through a linen tied to the insides of large bronze handles of the doors to one of the banquet rooms. He told us to be very very quiet, and to stay there until someone came to get us. He also told us to stay on the floor.

We were in that room for over an hour, and several of the Lufthansa crewmembers with us had PDA's, and were getting information from outside sources, so we learned the situation was not good. Eventually hiding in the dark there, we barricaded the door with a large table and waited.....then we heard voices. My heart I swear stopped for a few seconds. We were all on the floor holding hands, praying, some were crying softly etc..... Turned out to be that same security man. He was like he was sent from heaven. He said there were men here to help us evacuate. There were about a half dozen guys in camo with large automatic rifles. We were then led through a long set of offices, storage areas etc, until eventually we came out into a mezzanine level in the lobby through the hotel's business center.

There was a Van Cleef and Arpels store and a Brioni mens clothing store and all the windows were shattered, as were all the windows to the outside. Apparently grenades had been thrown in some lobby areas. There was glass EVERYWHERE! They told us to stay closely together, and QUIETLY but quickly follow them. But every time we encountered a turn in the hallway, or an open area, they halted us and the military guys aimed their rifles in all directions. We had to descend a large staircase into the open main lobby of the hotel, and RUN past the front desk, the concierge, and out the main doors. There was not ONE window intact, there was blood everywhere, and the restaurant called Opium Den next to the elevators had at least a dozen bullet holes in the glass. Apparently several people were killed there.

Everywhere we stepped there was glass.....on the furniture, the carpeting, the marble floors... everywhere. There were also NO people.... anywhere... The huge glass doors to the main entrance were reduced to about six inches deep of glass pieces similar to a windshield break. It wasn't like sheet glass. It was weird.So we didn't have to open any doors to get out. We were halted in the entrance area and the rifle men repositioned. That was perhaps the most terrifying part. Not knowing where the bad guys with guns and grenades were, or if we were going to get shot from someplace or somebody that was hiding.

We ran across the street and up about three blocks to a movie theater complex's parking ramp where we were in the company of several hundred people..... guests and hotel staff both. We got there at around 12:30-1:00 am. We found our two first officers, and one of them had an international use cell phone that ended up being our lifeline. We were on the phone with the state department, headquarters in MSP, and several others so our exact location could be known and monitored.

Since the whole area had been cordoned off, there was no traffic movement so we ended up there until dawn, when after a very confusing and chaotic shifting of groups, we finally got a private bus company to shuttle us from outside the locked-down area to a destination which changed three times enroute. It was to a hotel near the airport where we eventually met up with the crew that brought our outbound plane "in". It was pretty much carte blanche with meals, expenses, and phone calls to family, etc.

Exhaustion was setting in, as were emotions, and I didn't sleep that whole day but a shower made all the difference. EVERY sound outside my room sent the adrenaline pumping. At that point we were missing a Flight Attendant and our Captain. The USA State Department assured us they were in contact with them every half hour even though they were still trapped inside the Oberoi.

About 5:30 pm, we got calls saying they were evacuating us out of India, and to be in the lobby at 6:05 pm. We finally took off without the Captain the missing Flight Attendant at 8 pm, and landed in Amsterdam at around 3:30 am. It is about a nine hour flight, but I slept the whole way. We supposedly had 15 people in coach and only we were seated in first class. Thank God those seats lie flat.

We were met in Amsterdam by several KLM managers, grief counselors, and clergy of about six different faiths. That was good, as it turned out, one of our flight attendants was in the lobby when the shootings took place and saw several people killed. Another had actually called an elevator to her floor and found it empty, but with a pool of blood on the floor, so she ran back to her room.

We were all given emergency clothing kits of underwear, socks, and KLM sweatshirt and sweatpants, along with amenity kits of basic sundries, at least to get us home. Since we were given the option of staying in Amsterdam to rest, counsel, have clothing purchased for us, or whatever, and fly home the next day, or to continue on to our home cities. Out of the nine of MY crewmembers, and the 11 crewmembers who landed in Mumbai about the time this started, only two chose to stay.

They also said a large group of reporters was waiting for us to exit, so we were sent off the property a different way, to a hotel nearby for a four hour layover until the first flight to Detroit departed, thank God. I was OUT that entire flight as well. A glass of wine and a xanax works wonders!

We were then met in Detroit by several NWA senior management personnel and Employee Assistance Program psychologists. We were quickly and quietly expedited through customs and immigration and offered the chance to talk to anybody we wished, but my flight was leaving for Milwaukee in 40 minutes so I had to decline. Turns out that crew to Milwaukee had been told of my presence and they went out of their way to make me comfortable, as did the crews of every flight that got me home.

As a matter of fact, I have never seen such kindness and compassion extended to us, like it was by everybody we encountered, from hotel staffs to Airport and airline personnel. It was truly extraordinary. Some processed it differently, and at different times, but I finally broke when I learned that the Captain and Flight Attendant had finally been released unharmed and were preparing to board a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt before catching the NWA flight to Detroit from there.

We left Mumbai with little more than the clothes on our backs, but Detroit inflight has been in touch, and they said they will replace EVERYTHING we lost, and at full monetary value, no questions asked, or receipts required. They have also dropped most of my December schedule with pay. I lost my TravelPro luggage, garment bag, laptop, cell phone, ipod, Nikon camera, skype phone. clothing, leather coat, uniform pieces etc, but I came out of there unharmed, and with my LIFE, which is what mattered most.

There is so much more, but that's pretty much how I spent my Thanksgiving.

God Bless.....

Tom"