CPMaverick

Ms CPMaverick and I are flying OGG-LAX-ATL today. Should have been in ATL already but still at LAX, 6+ hours delayed on AA753.

I've flown almost 1400 flights and this might be the most confusing and frustrating experience I've had. We had rolling 30 minute delays until about 12:00, when the first plane finally went mechanical and they sourced another plane arriving from DTW (edit - it was DFW!).

At 12:30 we were supposed to board, then we had rolling *15 minute* delays for *three hours*! It was absolutely ridiculous, the board would still show on time until the time clicked over and then it was another 15 minutes later.

We have access to the Flagship Lounge but with the rolling delays and the agents continually saying we'd be boarding imminently, we couldn't really go back there, which really was really frustrating. Especially having been traveling for 20 hours already (I did get a shower during the initial layover, thank God!).

I decided to go to the Flagship lounge and ask to be put on a Delta flight (5:05p). It was previously refused (and no connecting seats available on AA), but this time they agreed to do it. But while she was rebooking the flight actually boarded! So we cancelled that and got on the plane about 3:30p.

After boarding, apparently someone damaged something on the tarmac, and they had to investigate it. Then the pilot timed out. And we are still sitting here on the plane - the Delta flight will be gone.

Obviously mechanicals happen but these rolling delays are SO customer unfriendly.

I am hoping we will get a new pilot soon, but if anyone can look at this flight and explain why it got delayed in this fashion, I sure would love to understand it better!

dw

Which are sadly a signature AA flight experience. I myself have ended up waiting 2-3 hours in the gate area instead of in the AC because they were adamant they were getting a replacement aircraft and it was coming immediately.

CPMaverick

Good to know. I haven't flown AA regularly since 2013 (I was exec plat) and while I understand bad experiences are unusual, this certainly isn't making me want to book them next time. Especially once my QF status expires later this year.

USFlyerUS

[size=16px]lax 945a[/size]

atl 8 t10 458p
3lax/etd1655 cra-delay due to crew availability-e *1846
4lax/out1649 *1850
2atl/pre0003 *1850

kg07

My sympathies - I hope you get rolling soon.

I feel very empathetic to your post because I have a similar flying history - regular EXP with around 1500 segments over the past couple of decades.

I usually roll with the punches, but I had a jet bridge fiasco a couple of months ago that drove me past the boiling point. Nothing near your delay, but still enormously frustrating after a long work week out of the country.

in this situation, I think it’s important to look at the following - of my approximate 1500 flights, I arrived safely to my destination 99% of the time (with the one percent being trips that were canceled). Occasionally, it was late and occasionally took a few twists and turns, but I always made it. And, more times than not, it was in a high-level of comfort through upgrades, priority perks, great customer support, etc.

I try to remember that when AA does stupid things like they are doing to you right now.

safe travels, I hope you get to your destination.

DataPlumber

If it helps, the same has happened to me on AA, UA, and DL. WN seems to be the best at posting realistic updated departures during delays, IME.

All I can see on EF is a delay for "crew availability." There could have been other notes earlier.

Glad to see you're in the air at this point.

jerseytom

What are the circumstances where AA agents will be likely to re-accommodate on a competitor carrier?

The rolling delay situation really sucks. And it's odd to me in that you'll have other situations where, in short order, you get a delay notification of 2 or 10 or however many hours and can figure out how you want to spend your time. Do the operations folks just truly not know? I wonder how much of this stuff is left to computer systems to figure out, versus human intervention.

ryanbriar

I believe it varies on situation, status and who you are dealing with, but in my experience it has happened when it is mechanical with limited AA options. At that point, their focus is on getting people where they need to go.

All of that said, I want to say I saw something 1-2 years ago that detailed out the guidelines for re-accommodating passengers on non-OW carriers.

Delta has been the worst for me in terms of saying “on time” when we are clearly past departure or doing the 10-15 minute increment rolling delays, even when the plane is still en-route. BA is a close second.

carlosdca

I guess it depends on the type and timing of the delay.
But I've had delays lately with DL VS LH and I have always been communicated of the delays ways in advance and have never wasted time at the gate for nothing with them .

I guess I have been lucky.

LowValueCustomer

this? https://viewfromthewing.com/american...during-delays/

ryanbriar

Yes, thanks!

jayer

If by "today" you mean Saturday, May 4, FlightAware is showing a delayed departure for AA753 from LAX just before 11:00 AM local time. Interestingly while I was checking this for you it appears that they just then made an aircraft swap from a plane seemingly stuck in Phoenix to one on its way west from DFW. (which by your narrative does not seem to be the originally-expected aircraft either). But it is still on the schedule.

I am sorry but do not personally have any way to know what happened to previously-assigned aircraft, or why there have been delays.

Now if by "today" you meant Friday, then never mind (getting FlyerTalk to sync to a known time zone has never worked out for me, so I have to guess). I try to help when I can. If your question is actually a day old, then I hope you are home and enjoyed your trip to Maui.

For random other people considering flying AA from Maui to Atlanta; well, get the direct to DFW if all things are equal. Many more connecting flights on east than from LAX or Phoenix. (I realize that can be easier said than done, and may not always be available. Or cost much more).

Kacee

Actually, their focus is on stringing you along so you don't cancel for a refund and fly a different airline. AA is absolutely the worst on the rolling delays.
There is nothing unreasonable about booking OGG-LAX-ATL on a single AA ticket. Are there other options? Sure. But absolutely no reason to expect the fiasco that OP experienced. Indeed, as OP explained, AA had him rebooked on a DL flight to ATL, then that all fell apart due to a serious of further AA fails.

james318

I was assuming DTW was a typo for DFW, as AA doesn't fly nonstop to LAX from DTW. It would make little sense for them to ferry a flight there, especially not a 738 to replace an A321.

gaobest

I rarely fly and in November 2023 we had a rolling 6-hour delay due to MX which kind of makes sense for a rolling delay. We even had to deplane. United. I agree that these IRROPS happen on any airline and if a eu261 actually occurs then fares will rise to pay the eu261.