American Airlines - Flight 1287 - August 15, 2009

Yesterday I flew back from Washington D.C. on American Airlines flight 1287 in what was one of the worst experiences I have had flying yet.

The flight was bad from the start. The flight attendants working this flight had some of the worst attitudes I have seen in a customer service profession in a long time. The lead flight attendant, Victoria Everett Leahy, spent most of the loading process criticizing the Spanish that was being spoken on the plane. As much as I agree that everyone should know English if you don't like to hear Spanish, don't work the Miami flights. American Airlines should make a point of putting at least one Spanish speaker on all flights to Miami.

It is not a flight attendant's job to help you with your luggage, I agree. That being said if someone does ask for help there is no need to chastise them. Ms. Leahy made a point of standing with her arms crossed next to a lady that had brought more carry-on than she could carry.

Later, another American Airlines employee joined the flight and could not find a location for her luggage near her seat. This time Ms. Leahy did have enough strength to move carry-on baggage, while complaining aloud that people should follow instructions by putting their carry-on in the correct direction. While I agree that people should abide by those suggestions if you have a problem with it as a flight attendant take care of it while it is going on; not after the fact when people have put their sensitive baggage like cameras near the front.

During the in flight service we had yet another unpleasant experience with Ms. Leahy. By the way, my family makes a point of not taking the small cup of soda the airlines give you. We think it is an insult to think that is "service". Frankly, I feel some people just drink it because they think they have to. Regardless, this time my mother was reading a book and Ms. Leahy reached over and swung her hand between my mother's face and the book to get her attention. Ma'am if we have our headsets on and aren't paying attention move on!! If we want something we will ask you later.

The flight was delayed in the air due to weather, not the airline's fault. However, when we finally arrived in Miami we waited and extra 30 minutes on the tarmac for a terminal to open. That is the airline's fault.

We did not know that the worst was yet to come. When we get to the baggage claim in Miami the 10 or so passangers that were actually staying in Miami got the best surprise. Not one piece of baggage showed up. There was an American Airlines employee in charge of belts 25-26 who informed us that we would need to file a claim because the luggage had not made it. He was rude, obnoxious, and refused to help. When my father spoke to the supervisor at the baggage service desk it was even worse. She was for lack of a better word, a bitch.

After an hour of waiting in line a very nice young customer service representative informs us that our luggage has been traced and was on the next flight in from D.C. arriving at 6pm. This is 3 hours after our supposed arrival time. This is the part that really upsets me. When our baggage did not show up at MIA the next flight out of D.C. had already taken off. That means American Airlines already knew our luggage was on the flight yet the obnoxious belt attendant and the bitchy supervisor did not give us that piece of information.

The most disturbing part of all this is that no one cares. The airlines will never refund your money for your troubles and when you actually do complain they send you a boiler-plate email which I might post for everyone's viewing.

It is disgusting and disturbing that service companies have lost complete sight of who they work for, US!