American Airlines Reviews

My husband and I recently flew from Boston to San Francisco from San Francisco to Los Angeles and from San Juan to New Yor City. We have flown on American Airlines many times. We once had a terrible flight - the landing gear wasn't working. As you see it all worked out alright but I thought the staff should have been at the gate to comfort those of us who were a tad scared when the pilot said to take a crash position. However in general we've had good flights but it's not a perfect airline for sure.

A Closer View

I've been on all sorts of planes. I, like everyone who isn't sitting in...

On February 3,2008 I flew American Airlines from Delhi to Chicago. I woke up with about 6 hours left in a 15 hour flight. My reading light did not work, neither did the call button. My seatmate put on his which was ignored by several attendants for more than 10 minutes. Eventually someone came serving tea. She said that she did not have a bulb and could not give me a flashlight by which to read in the darkend cabin. Later she told me I could move to a seat several rows back which had a functioning light. When I sat down there the stench of vomit was overwhelming. I read with my head in the aisle...

Flying American is usually from a need, not an airline specific choice.  I have about a 50-50 enjoyable flight experience ratio when flying American.  I know their big, go a lot of places, and have reasonable connections, particularly to South America, but if a bag is going to get lost, or a gate agent is going to have a bad day, it's usually on an American flight. 

That being said, I still fly them a fair amount because they fly everywhere, and they, with all of their faults, are a lot better than some of the others out there.  I guess the key with AA is not to expect the glamorous flying...

The first time we flew out to Vegas, we took Southwest and Continental Airlines.  I am an extreme budget vacationer and research months in advance for the best price on our vacation.  This last time we went  we took American Airlines because they happened to have a better price at the time than any of the others.  Our flight out was fine, we stayed for 5 days and arrived at the airport at 10:30 pm for our flight at 1:30 am.  We went to check in on the computer and it would not let me check in, it only ordered me to see attendant.  So I went up to the desk to find out how to check in, and...

They make sure that I get to my destination.  If they are having problems, they get me on another plane.  I appreciate this tremendously. 

I have always been treated with kindness and respect.  I have used American for the past 11 years.  When I have been booked on other airlines I notice the difference. Leg room is the best all around the best...

I also like seeing the pilot.  He actually greets me on my arrival...

In the last year I have flown American Airlines religiously.  My husband was stationed in Texas and then off to Iraq and then finally back.  So my visits to him were done on American Airlines. 

I never really noticed a problem with service or care until the pillow/blankets were missing from the small American Eagle planes.  I am a scaredy cat and find that sleeping gets me through the flights.  I of course didn't sleep this one time.  I started to carry my own pillow but now I also needed to carry a blanket. 

This seems really trivial until you realize that now that you are going to pay...

Recently I was stranded in Chicago because American Airlines cancelled my flight.  The best they could do was to put me on standby for a flight the following night! Their employees were rude and unhelpful, and the wait to get through to their 800 number was 148 minutes!!! Further, the would not provide compensation for hotels, meals, clothes, toiletries, etc., because the cancellation was "not their fault".  This is because they claimed it was due to weather. When I finally got into a hotel room after standing in line at Ohare for hours waiting to talk to someone who could reschedule me (and...