American Outright Lies, Blames Upkeep Delay On Air Visitors Management

In a separate submit, I shared how I just lately missed an American Airways connection whereas flying from London to Miami by way of Chicago. The silver lining right here is that UK261 laws apply, which entitle me to £520 money compensation. It’s fairly clear lower, however that’s to not say that airways received’t attempt to get out of it.

American doesn’t inform the reality about flight delay motive

Simply to recap, I just lately missed a connection on account of a late inbound plane, ensuing from a upkeep concern with the plane on a earlier flight. In case you pull up American’s personal notes concerning the flight on ExpertFlyer, you’ll see the next motive for the delay:

“LATE ARRV A/C DUE TO PRIOR MAINTENANCE DELAYS”

That’s actually easy, and never open to interpretation. The flight was delayed by roughly an hour on departure on account of upkeep points with the plane, which brought about the aircraft to reach late. On departure, the aircraft was then barely delayed on account of air visitors management, however that was as a result of we missed our takeoff slot because of the late arriving plane ensuing from the upkeep concern. If the flight had operated on schedule, we might’ve had our takeoff slot.

That is merely not open to interpretation, that is 100% how the laws work. So following my flight, I submitted the next remark with buyer relations:

Because of a upkeep delay on AA91 from LHR to ORD, I missed my connection from ORD to MIA, leading to a compelled in a single day. This implies I acquired to my vacation spot roughly 10 hours late. Consistent with UK261 laws, I respectfully request the 520 GBP money compensation mandated by authorities, primarily based on the delay in reaching my closing vacation spot, on account of a delay inside American’s management.

Six days later, I obtained a response from American, as follows:

Offering reliable service is what’s anticipated of us, and after we don’t function flights on schedule, it’s simple to know our clients’ disappointment. Please settle for my honest apology for the disruptions encountered in your latest journey from London – Heathrow.

Now we have reviewed the relevant laws, and you don’t qualify for the regulated compensation as a result of the flight was delayed on account of Air Visitors Management points. Our information point out that American Airways flight AA91, scheduled to function on July 28, 2025 from London – Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare, was delayed for 81 minutes on account of Air Visitors Management floor stops/holds.

Air visitors disruptions could be the results of climate situations, congestion on the vacation spot or origin metropolis, climate alongside the flight path, or floor stops/holds.

When conditions like this happen, Air Visitors Management will lower the variety of take-offs and landings which affect the variety of flights that may function. It could seem that different flights have been unaffected, it is because a portion of flights might have been delayed or canceled to unencumber area and decrease visitors.

Whereas I perceive you have been made conscious of some upkeep gadgets being taken care of throughout your delay, we are going to typically take the chance to deal with minor points throughout that point since we’re already awaiting clearance. Though different elements might negatively contribute to inconveniences throughout a Air Visitors Management floor stops/holds, we contemplate what set the off-schedule occasion in movement and advise our clients accordingly. I’m sorry to listen to your plans have been impacted and also you arrived to Miami Worldwide Airport later than deliberate. 

ASKJHDASLKFJLKFHJDLS. I’m sorry, what?!

So the plane was delayed by 81 minutes on account of air visitors management delays, after which throughout that air visitors management delay, the airline might need labored on some upkeep points? None of that’s true:

• The inbound plane arrived over an hour late
• We had no upkeep points on our flight
• We had a slight air visitors management delay as a result of we have been late

So I responded to the e-mail as follows:

Thanks in your response, I admire it. I’d kindly ask you to take one other have a look at your information. The plane working this flight, N842AA, operated AA98 to London, and arrived over an hour delayed. This was on account of prior upkeep points with the plane. For instance, please see the flight notes for this flight, which I’ve additionally connected:

“LATE ARRV A/C DUE TO PRIOR MAINTENANCE DELAYS”

The solely minor air visitors management delay that occurred is because of lacking our slot because of the upkeep delay, which is roofed below UK261 laws, since upkeep points have been the preliminary reason behind the delay. Are you suggesting that this isn’t correct, and that there have been not earlier upkeep delays? I wish to level out that the complete sequence of flights for that plane have been delayed by hours the day prior — AA2012, AA2321, and AA98 — the plane was attempting to make up time with every flip.

I’d respectfully ask you to rethink your choice, in mild of the information.

Simply hours later, I heard again from the identical particular person at American, who responded as follows:

Thanks for writing again. I’m sorry to study that you just’re nonetheless upset with us. That’s actually not how we would like our clients to really feel.

Now we have totally reviewed the circumstances surrounding flight AA91 from London – Heathrow on July 28, 2025 and have confirmed the rationale for the delay was on account of Air Visitors Management.

Flight delays are complicated and might have an effect on airline operations in a wide range of methods. We will guarantee you that we might by no means mislead our clients concerning the motive for a flight delay, cancellation or diversion. We contemplate what set the off schedule occasion in movement and advise our clients accordingly.

Whereas I remorse any additional disappointment this will trigger, compensation below Air Passenger Rights Laws / The Aviation Air Companies Legislation just isn’t due when a delay is out of our management.

As you’ll be able to see, he doubled down on the preliminary declare. He has “totally reviewed” the preliminary scenario,” and he can guarantee me that the airline “would by no means mislead” clients.

This response after all by no means addresses the factors that I made, which is mighty handy. Suffice it to say that this isn’t over…

How unhappy that corporations instruct staff to be dishonest

I get it, no airline needs to pay money compensation to passengers, particularly since UK261 and EC261 laws are fairly beneficiant towards shoppers in that regard. On the similar time, the legislation is the legislation, and if the airline needs to fly to a sure vacation spot, it also needs to abide by the legal guidelines of that vacation spot.

American has a specialised buyer relations crew that handles requests for presidency mandated compensation, and people individuals do that all of the day, so that they know the precise laws just like the again of their hand. It’s additionally one of many causes that it takes time to obtain a response, not like American’s automated buyer relations, with almost prompt responses.

However goodness, I discover it actually distasteful to outright misinform clients on this means. That screenshot I shared of the flight notes above isn’t one thing that I simply made up, however as an alternative, these are American’s personal notes about what occurred on the flight.

The delay was attributable to a late arriving plane on account of a upkeep concern. Interval. If there’s a small further delay on account of shedding your slot due to the delay, that doesn’t all of a sudden turn out to be the core motive for the delay, and set off a “drive majeure” excuse.

This isn’t the primary time that I’ve seen American do one thing like this. In mid-2023, I wrote about how Ford had a delayed flight, and the airline additionally lied concerning the motive, to get out of paying authorities mandated compensation.

It appears apparent to me that frontline staff are being instructed to misinform clients. When one thing is as black and white as this, I discover that to be significantly reprehensible.

In equity, American is hardly alone on this regard. It typically takes a little bit of backwards and forwards earlier than an airline agrees to pay a compensation declare, as they do what they’ll to put on you down. Because of this there’s an entire business of corporations that assist with these claims, and take a lower as soon as the compensation is definitely paid out.

For me it is a matter of precept. I’m not going to be gaslit, and I’ll file a grievance with regulators in each the US and UK if I’ve to. The explanation I didn’t write about my delay till now’s as a result of I wished to see how American would reply, with out me drawing consideration to this.

For all of the claims individuals have of bloggers getting particular therapy, I believe this journey is the prime instance of how that’s not sometimes the case. On this journey I used to be downgraded, suspended, misconnected, and lied to. So the subsequent time you assume we get something particular, effectively… there you go.

Backside line

My American Airways flight was delayed on account of a late inbound plane, ensuing from a upkeep concern on a previous flight. This brought about me to overlook my connection, entitling me to UK261 compensation, in step with laws. I don’t make the foundations, however that is precisely the form of scenario for which these laws are created.

Once I contacted American, although, the airline knowledgeable me that the whole lot of the delay was on account of air visitors management points, and perhaps the airline carried out some upkeep in the course of the air visitors management delay… which is simply malarkey, plain and easy. And that is’t some trustworthy mistake — the airline is aware of this, and it’s mirror within the service’s personal notes.

Even once I pointed this out, American merely doubled down, whereas ignoring the information that I offered…

Has anybody else skilled related outright lies from American concerning the motive for delays?