You never know until you try...: Worst Air Travel EVER

Hello:

We flew from San Diego to Miami and back June 2 - June 11/12th. Confirmation code EBUJFE.

(Shortened version: 3 cancelled flights and very little support from American or Alaska.)

Myself (American Advantage number: 0000000, I am a credit card holder), my husband and my toddler. The first flight out (to Dallas) was cancelled the evening before we were to fly out and I was told to call American Airlines to reschedule. I put in a call and asked for a call back. Meanwhile, I got on the chat service to find a way to get us to Miami on that same day we were supposed to fly out, June 2nd. It took 2 hours for the chat to be answered and another hour to actually get on another flight. (This was on American Airlines app). The customer service rep I chatted with figured it out to get us on a non-stop flight to Orlando, rather than Miami the next day. I think this flight was Alaska.

It was a challenge because the car rental was $300 more than we had expected due to late reservations and picking up and dropping off in a different location. But, we managed it and we flew direct (no TVs in the Alaska airplanes meant no TV for the toddler since I got him special earphones for the plane; he doesn't have a device and my phone didn't have any movies or anything downloaded - not to mention the headphones don't connect to it) The call back came while we were in line to go through security - insanely awful customer service.

We drove the 3 hours from Orlando to Boca Raton and met up with family a little later than expected.

Morning of June 11th, after our vacation, we get to the Miami airport at 5am with a toddler who appeared to have a fever only to find out our flight to Dallas was again cancelled and to call to reschedule. We waited in the line and we got a great customer service rep, Joel Cuevas, who got us booked to Houston, (in addition to 2 other standby flights to Houston) then Dallas, booked us in the Hyatt at the Dallas airport to spend the night and got us on a flight home to San Diego. We discussed having the carseat or not, the hotel being in the airport, making sure there are enough seats for all of us (keeping in mind that EVERY SINGLE AIRLINE doesn't care otherwise if your 2 year old is sitting with you or 5 rows up with strangers.) He guided us on who to talk to about everything and he provided us vouchers to use for food. He even walked us to the TSA line and got us to the front of the line. The best representative we worked with during the whole mess.

We found children's ibuprofen, ate something and went to our Gate. This gate was an absolute mess. D60 I think. No masks, overcrowded, angry, stressful, etc. We did not get on the first standby flight but we did get on the 2nd one to Houston and arrived in Houston happy. We had around 4/5 hours so we enjoyed the sculpture gallery, let the boy jump over the tiles, ate some more food and just tried to enjoy our time there. When I went to get food for us just before when we were supposed to board, I had a moment to myself so I looked at my phone and discovered that the flight to Dallas was again cancelled.

I went to an agent at a gate who said, "that was cancelled 2 hours ago" and was not helpful or understanding at all. The complete opposite of Joel Cuevas in Miami. He got us into the Radisson hotel in Houston, had no idea where our carseat was and clearly didn't understand that 2 year olds can't just buckle up and get into an UBER. He booked us standby for two flights to Dallas the next morning, booked us legit onto a flight around 12 noon on June 12th. Handed me all the rectangle old school print outs and left. I went back to my husband and toddler whose condition was now getting worse and starting eating my food. My husband, discouraged, talked to another agent who got us on

a United flight within an hour, in another terminal. So we rushed over there. My son was not having it and I felt like the worst mom ever, dragging him through the airport sick.

We got to Dallas and then had to figure out what to do since the flight the next morning the agent my husband talked to got us on was at 6:15 am. The United folks were no help. So we went to B28 where we were told we could talk with an American agent who could help us both find our carseat and get us into a hotel. After waiting in another line, we were booked into a hotel 9 miles away from the airport. River (aka the toddler) was sleeping in the stroller at the time, congested and feverish. The initial Hyatt (in the airport) booking we had and discussed with Joel was full. We were directed to baggage claim to ask for a carseat loaner. It was already 12:30 and waking up River to get him from the stroller, into a carseat in a taxi, then out of the taxi into a hotel bed only to do it all again 3 hours later sounded like a terrible idea. We spoke with both the baggage claim attendant, Darneice, and the policeman on watch, who helped us find a cozy place to settle in for the night in the airport. We had already left the secure area which meant we had to go through security again in the morning. The policeman confirmed there was no Urgent Care on site. If we were leaving the airport in a taxi, I was not going to a hotel but to get help instead. And the agent at B28 saw me crying in fear and still booked us in a hotel far away without even an attempt to show any sympathy.

Darneice was an angel that night. After witnessing River wake up crying with dried up mucous from his nostrils AND eyes, she offered to help. She brought us water, juice, a banana, fruit bowl, and protein pack from the nearest convenience store after she got off. Seeing us struggling, she felt called to help when the airline who we had paid for these cancelled flights was not helping.

We managed about an hour of sleep, went through security, checked to make sure the flight wasn't cancelled and went to our gate. My husband used the vouchers to get us food. 12 minutes before boarding, they moved everyone to a new gate. I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. :) We boarded and arrived home finally. Our carseat was clearly not there so we got a loaner and grabbed our shuttle to our car where we parked our car and paid for the additional day of keeping it there due to your mismanaged airlines. Managed to get River to the office to see a pediatrician and he has an ear infection.

I am from Chicago and have lived in 4 countries, currently in San Diego for 11 years and fly to Chicago 2-3 times a year. I have flown many, many times and never have I experienced such a terrible experience. I am flabbergasted by the whole thing. I joined the American Advantage membership program because I thought it would making flying easier. But it's still expensive, understanding the point/miles system is very difficult and then this terrible experience.. I called recently to see about getting a better interest rate on the card and was denied.

I want a full refund for the flight for all 3 tickets and would like to ask for 90,000 miles in order to book our next flight. Please let me know what I need to do or how to complete an application for this.

Attachments:

1. Initial flight confirmation from February

2. Photo of us Protecting Ourselves in the crowded gate

3. Photo I took when my family asked how River is doing

4. Photo of us playing

5. River looking at statues

6. Screenshot of the 3rd cancelled flight

7. Sad Face when we found out about it

8. Dr. Visit with amoxicillin prescription

Please respond with directions, I am very tempted to engage in social media about this, at least to get advice but I don't want to because I know it'll be discouraging and I honestly don't have time for nonsense. I need answers and support.

Trying to remain loyal customer,

Elizabeth Marquez

Training Families to Eat for the Long Run

AFPA Certified Holistic Nutrition

MAS- International Affairs

San Diego, CA

Tel: +(847) 804-7506