American Airlines "AURA" - I pretty much hate this

[Lumpy1106]

https://viewfromthewing.com/run-to-...-airlines-policies-leave-passengers-stranded/

1. (American Airlines) have a new system for automatically rebooking passengers when their flights are delayed or cancelled. If their computer predicts you’ll miss your connection, they will take away your seat and give it to someone else, putting you on a later flight. You may luck out and get to your connecting gate in time, but your seat is already gone.

When it comes to air travel, American Airlines has left me stranded more than any other airline.
Case 1 - We got left in Denver - the plane we were to fly on was late so we were going to miss our connection. That one we wisely got our our phones and figured out which flight we wanted to be switched to. DW and youngest DD jumped onto a flight that would make a connection to a different airport in So Cal, Older DD, DS and myself opted to stay the night in Denver on AA's dime and get on a plane to LGB the next morning. If we had just blindly let AA decide, they were going to put us up for the night in Denver, then STANDBY onto a 6a flight, putting us back in the airport around 4a to maybe get on a flight - if there was room. No thank you.

Case 2 - AA somehow missed their departure window at LAX, leaving us on the runway for nearly an hour. Now my connection I was going to easily make in PHX to Durango (1 flight a day) was now desperately close, especially in PHX where the terminal wings are forever apart. Made it, barely, running, all the while with my name being announced warning me the doors were closing. Baggage did not make it - but I managed.

Both cases this new AA AURA system would have automatically re-booked me without my having any say in the matter. My entire family would have been trying to stand-by onto that 6a flight in case 1, and I would have been stuck in Phoenix for 24 hours or finding some way to drive to Durango in case 2. This seems more than borderline illegal to me. If you don't make a connection and it's not your fault, the airline is supposed to offer you appropriate accommodation - something you should be able to negotiate within reason. This takes away all of your control - take it of leave it. Not a fan.

 

[cabanafrau]

It's been years since I've flown American. We've not had any bad incidents beyond having a brand new suitcase completely trashed over 30 years ago, but it's just not been on our radar to book for many years now. I have heard several friends and family complain about bad experiences and having travel plans absolutely upended. Can't remember who it was who told me their company will no longer allow company travel booked on AA because of being burned repeatedly.

 

[_19disnA]

American Airlines PR people will insist this is something they are doing to benefit the customer..............until there is enough of an uproar for them to suddenly change their minds.