I wanted to relate a recent experience I had with American Airlines that illustrates why the industry is in such trouble -- and why things are not likely to get better any time soon. I was scheduled to fly from Raleigh Durham, NC, to New York, and back to Raleigh via Boston the weekend of October 11, via American. All well and good until I learned that I was not going to be able to make the outbound flight.
Why not? Because a few years ago, I joined the National Bone Marrow Registry (www.marrow.org), a nonprofit organization that matches allogenic (nonrelated/nonfamily) donors with cancer patients in need of bone marrow transplants.
Fully prepared to get to New York and Boston on my own (and to sacrifice the value of the outbound portion of the flight), I contacted American to let them know I would not be able to make the outbound flight, but explaining I still planned to make the return trip. The airline has refused to honor my ticket -- despite the fact that the procedure I'm undergoing is to save a patient's life.
I was appalled at American's behavior and their utter inflexibility. What's ironic is that American's parent supports the Susan B. Komen Foundation and other select organizations that support breast cancer research, as well as providing emergency medical travel for children. The supervisor I spoke with was Wayne Oxford at 800.433.7300. I encourage everyone to call and shame American Airlines for their outrageous behavior.