complaint of darren martin - american airlines

Darren Martin Complaint

1 of 19

BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF AVIATION ENFORCEMENT AND PROCEEDINGS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

------------------------------------------------------ ) ) Darren Martin, ) third-party complainant ) ) v. ) Docket DOT-OST-2014-____ ) American Airlines, Inc. ) ) ------------------------------------------------------ )

COMPLAINT OF DARREN MARTIN

Comments with respect to this document should be addressed to:

Darren Martin

E-mail:

Dated: March 1st, 2014


2 of 19

BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF AVIATION ENFORCEMENT AND PROCEEDINGS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

--------------------------------------------------------------- ) ) Darren Martin, ) third-party complainant ) ) v. ) Docket DOT-OST-2014-____ ) American Airlines, Inc. ) ) --------------------------------------------------------------- )

COMPLAINT OF DARREN MARTIN

1. This complaint arises out of American Airlines cancelling its early-

morning nonstop service BOS-ORD on which I had redeemed and ticketed two

AAdvantage awards as part of a BOS-ORD-LHR itinerary. AA then refused to provide

alternative comparable transport unless I paid additional fees (repeatedly

mischaracterized as tax), in violation of AAs prior commitments to passengers and to

the Department of Transportation.

I. My Ticket, AAs Cancellation, and My Discussions with AA A. Ticket Issuance

2. On February 2, 2014, I used AA.COM to redeem miles for one-way coach

award travel BOS-ORD-LHR on 28 May. I chose the daytime departure to avoid

unpleasant overnight flights. On net, the itinerary calls for departure from BOS at 6am

and arrival to LHR at 10:45pm the same day. Travel was for my parents (two


3 of 19

passengers), using miles from my AAdvantage account. I paid the $10 of taxes by credit

card and received an itinerary and confirmation the same day. See Exhibit 1.

B. Flight Cancellation and Initial Rebooking 3. On February 16, I received a schedule notification email indicating

rebooking on an alternate BOS-ORD flight on the afternoon of May 27, with a

connection on the original daytime flight from ORD-LHR the following day. I called AA

reservations to enquire about the change and was told the original BOS-ORD early-

morning flight had been cancelled and there was no alternative to get to ORD in time for

the connecting flight to LHR leaving Boston the same day as the originally booked

itinerary. I was also told I was responsible for my own accommodation for the proposed

overnight stay in ORD.

4. I proceeded to ask about the direct flight BOS-LHR on BA. The agent

said there was award availability so this was possible, but there was an additional charge

of approximately $250 per person to do so. I disagreed and asked whether this could be

waived since AA had made a schedule change of more than nine hours. She checked,

told me everything was updated in AAs systems, and indicated that I should be able to

check online later this afternoon for confirmation. I believe AA sent a confirmation

email to my father at the email address associated with his AAdvantage account, but we

no longer have access to this email account.

5. In the subsequent days, I used the AA.COM View Itinerary function to

check the reservation. I was able to see both passengers booked on BA flight 238 direct

from BOS-LHR on May 28th in X class with taxes listed as $0. I believed the trip was

fully corrected, so I deleted the original change emails.


4 of 19

C. Second Attempt at Rebooking 6. On February 26, I received an email from AA asking me to call in. See

Exhibit 2. I called AA reservations and spoke with an agent who informed me that he

saw on my reservation that I would have to pay approximately $250 per person to fly on

the BA flights that were listed in my itinerary. I told him I didn't want to pay anything

additional, and it seemed inappropriate that he was asking me to pay that since this all

resulted from an AA schedule change. He said AA had to collect additional taxes

because I was traveling on BA. I argued with him about calling it taxes as I assumed (I

believe correctly) that the additional cost was actually a YQ charge (which is not a tax).

He responded by saying that his computer says they are taxes and we need to collect

them. After discussing different flight options, and having the agent talk to his help desk,

we realized that (after AAs schedule change) there is no way to do a same day trip from

BOS-LHR without flying on a flight operated by BA.

D. Discussions with a Reservations Supervisor 7. At this point I asked to speak to a supervisor. A lady came on the phone,

introduced herself as a supervisor, and then immediately gave an explanation of how AA

has to collect additional taxes for award tickets on the BA flight. I immediately pointed

out that I believed the charges arent taxes at all but rather fuel surcharges. She

responded by saying that whatever I want to call them, AA still needs to collect them if I

wanted to fly on that particular flight. I told her I thought I should be treated exactly the

same way as a revenue passenger and that a revenue passenger wouldn't be charged more

if the passenger had to be moved from an AA flight to a BA flight. She rejected my

argument without providing any detail and instead offered to cancel my ticket and return

the miles to my account. I declined that offer and pointed out that I had a contract with


5 of 19

AA to get me from Boston to London on May 28, and the only remaining option that

could accomplish that was the direct BA flight, due to AAs decision to cancel my

confirmed BOS-ORD flight. She laughed and said, I don't know where you are getting

the word contract from but we certainly don't have that. She laid out my options (as she

saw them) which she said were to take an overnight connecting flight through ORD

(which I refused saying my parents were elderly and preferred not to fly overnight), pay

the extra ~$500 in taxes (she again used that word, then corrected it to fuel surcharges),

or cancel the trip and receive a refund of my miles. I told her that I didnt know the full

details of any reconciliation between AA and BA, but felt that in this circumstance AA

should absorb any additional fees, to which she responded that she wasnt able to do that.

I suggested that I should instead speak to someone who was. She said she'd have

someone call me back later that day.

E. Discussions with the Duty Manager 8. That evening, I received a follow up call from a man who explained he

was the evening duty manager and he would try and help me with my issue. He

explained that he understood that there were additional taxes which I didn't want to pay

on the alternate BA flights my parents had been booked on. Again I immediately pointed

out that the charges weren't taxes but surcharges. He then stated that, however I wanted

to phrase it, AA is required to collect all additional taxes and carrier imposed surcharges

for partners. He noted that AA reserved the right to make schedule changes and that

different rules were in effect since this cancellation occurred well before travel. He also

said the rules for award tickets and revenue tickets were different and that award travel

can only be protected on AA metal, whereas AA is more prepared to deal with revenue

protection on other airlines. If I wanted to stay on the BA flight, he said I would have to


6 of 19

redeposit my miles (and taxes) and then book an award ticket on BA with the appropriate

taxes and surcharges applied.

9. By this point I had found AAs web site statements about cancellation

(discussed in paragraphs 17-19 below), so I asked the duty manager why this situation

wasnt covered by rule 240/80. He said those rules only dealt with revenue flights. (I

later reviewed that page in greater detail, as discussed in paragraph 19, and noticed that in

fact the page says it also covers AAdvantage flights.)

10. I asked the duty manager why AA issued a ticket on the BA flight for my

parents which I had been able to see on AA.COM until today. He said that reservations

are reviewed by internal systems and it brought to their attention that there was an issue

with the reservation and hence I had been asked to contact them to rectify the situation.

11. After back and forth about options, the duty manager repeated his position

that my only options were to pay the additional money to fly on the BA operated flight,

refund the miles or take a different AA routing through either ORD or JFK. I enquired

about the current status of my booking, I.E. which flights were actually held and

confirmed. The duty manager indicated that my PNR was in limbo until we reached a

satisfactory outcome. I indicated that I would discuss with my parents the options

offered and call back at some point. At this time I do not know the current status of my

booking.

F. Discussions with a AA Representatives on Twitter 12. Later that evening I tried posting to AAs representative on Twitter. Our

exchange was as follows:

Dazza02129: So AA canceled my award flight, replaced it with BA flight but now wont let me fly without paying increased "taxes" - help


7 of 19

AmericanAir: Darren, if your flight was canceled due to a schedule change, you're able to refund your ticket.

Dazza02129: It was, but I still have to get my parents home - and the only oneworld option same day as original itin is AA*/BA.

AmericanAir: Our apologies, Darren, we're unable to waive the taxes. Perhaps check alternate travel dates?

Dazza02129: Aren't the additional BA fees a surcharge, not a tax? And rule 80 doesn't say anything regarding additional charges!

AmericanAir: Darren, we're unable to waive other carrier taxes or charges. Our apologies for your disappointment.

II. AA is Obliged to Provide Transportation on BA without Additional Charge A. AA General Tariff

13. I believe the situation at issue may be appropriately considered as a

change in schedule. AAs International General Tariff provides as follows:

When a passenger will be delayed because of a change in its schedule, carrier will arrange to:

transport the passenger over its own lines to the destination, next stopover point or transfer point shown on its portion of the ticket, without stopover at no additional cost to the passenger, provided that a passenger who paid an Economy Class fare will be transported on one of its First Class flights only if such flight will provide an earlier arrival than its next Economy Class flight on which space is available.

endorse the unused ticket for the purpose of rerouting over another carrier; or

refund in accordance with Rule 90 (REFUNDS).

14. I believe the three listed options are intended to be alternatives, separated

by or. (I note that the first option does not end in the word or, and the second option

is not a complete sentence. I take this to be a drafting error.)

15. The section is ambiguous as to who gets to choose among the three

options. Following the standard principle of contract law that an ambiguous contract is

construed in favor of the party that did not draft it, I interpret the section to allow the

passenger to make that choice. (That interpretation also matches the options enumerated

in AAs Schedule Change page, discussed in paragraph 17 and onwards below.)


8 of 19

16. I choose the second of these options. Specifically, I choose to be endorsed

to the nonstop BA operated service BOS-LHR. Note that the second option makes no

mention of any obligation to pay any difference in fare, tax, or surcharge.

B. AA Schedule Change Web Page and Rule 240/80 17. I also reviewed AAs Schedule Change page which, according to AA,

gives the Rule 240/80 rules for schedule irregularities. At heading AA Schedule

Change, the page provides as follows:

[schedule change of] 91 minutes and greater

Or the flight changes from a non-stop to a connecting flight

If original inventory is not available may book an AA flight next lowest available inventory, same cabin, up to and including B inventory.

If no AA flights are available may select an alternate flight on AA* (AA codeshare) maintaining same inventory, origin/destination, fare and fare basis as originally ticketed.

Restricted to oneworld codeshare partners: If no AA flights are available may select an alternate flight on a oneworld AA*, if original inventory is not available may book next lowest available inventory, same cabin, up to and including B inventory, excludes W inventory for premium economy on AA*.

18. The proposed schedule change is a change of more than 11 hours, which

of course is far more than the 90 minutes that triggers the quoted provisions. I am

therefore entitled to the benefits of this section. I elected to use either the second or third

option. I note that when the February 16 agent booked me onto the BOS-LHR flight (and

subsequently on Feb 26th), there was award inventory on that flight, which I take to

satisfy the second-listed option (maintaining same inventory). Furthermore, even if

that inventory was not available, the third-listed option provides that I could be booked

into a higher available inventory since 1) no AA flights are available within a reasonable

period of time, and 2) BA is a Oneworld codeshare partner.


9 of 19

19. As discussed in paragraph 7, an AA duty manager indicated to me that

Aadvantage tickets are not protected by rule 240/80 or AAs web site statements about

reaccommodation. I note that AAs Schedule Change page indicates exactly the contrary.

Specifically, the top of the page indicates that Rule 240 protects all ticketed customers

including AAdvantage, AA codeshare and Travel Agents free/reduced rate and Rule 80

protects all ticketed customers including AAdvantage, AA codeshare and Travel Agents

free/reduced rate.

C. AA Commitments to DOT in Its Request for Antitrust Immunity with BA and Others 20. AAs request for additional fees, when reaccommodating me after AAs

cancellation, is inconsistent with the representations and commitments AA and BA made

to DOT when seeking antitrust immunity. See their Joint Application for Antitrust

Immunity, docket DOT-2008-0252, which lists as the supposed sixth benefit of the JBA:

The Joint Applicants will offer reciprocal frequent flyer programs to allow members of

one carriers frequent flyer program to accrue mileage and redeem awards on the services

of another (p.15, emphasis added) including full reciprocity of frequent flyer benefits

between American and British Airways (p.16, emphasis added) and indeed metal

neutrality (p.22). Here, even in response to a cancellation of ticketed and confirmed

travel, AA is not treating BA flights in a reciprocal or neutral[] manner (not to

mention full reciprocity)although AA had specifically promised all of these benefits.

21. AA and BA sought a significant concession from DOT in waiving

antitrust laws as to their joint operation. For years, DOT was appropriately hesitant,

noting the significant risks to pricing and service. AA and BA made forceful


10 of 19

commitments in order to attempt to address DOTs concerns and other concerns. AA and

BA must now uphold the plain and literal meaning of their commitments.

III. AA Continues to Mischaracterize Carrier-Imposed Fees as Taxes 22. Each and every AA representative I have spoken with on and after

February 26 has used the term taxes to describe the fees at issue. During my

discussions with AA agents, I spoke by telephone with three AA agents, and I

communicated by Twitter with a fourth. See the discussions summarized in section I

above. Each of the agents used the word taxes to describe the charges at issue. Each

used that term until I corrected them. I provide my summaries of the discussions from

memory, and I do not have call recordings. But in this respect I am quite certain: I knew

the difference before the discussion began, and I am confident that I corrected all four

agents. As to the AA staff using Twitter, the false statement (and my correction of that

false statement) are well preserved in the written record.

23. I note that these practices are ongoing and recent. My experiences

occurred during February 2014. I received mischaracterizations from both a reservations

supervisor and a person who described himself as a duty manager.

A. My Experiences Matches Others Reports 24. I have reviewed the complaints of Benjamin Edelman as to American

employees mischaracterizing carrier-imposed surcharges as tax. My experience is

similar. I note that Mr. Edelmans initial complaint flagged the problem of

reaccomodation after cancellation as one of the circumstances in which AA staff

mischaracterize carrier-imposed surcharges as tax. Reviewing subsequent briefing, I see

that AA argued Mr. Edelman did not have standing to bring such a complaint because he

did not personally suffer such a cancellation. I do.


11 of 19

25. I reviewed the formal comment of Shawn Cole, who describes an AA

agent who was hostile to him (indeed, disconnected his call) after Mr. Cole noted that a

carrier-imposed surcharge is not a tax. My experience is similar. I was not

disconnected when I brought this error to each and every agents attention. But agents

repeatedly acted belligerently towards me after my comment, including making

disparaging remarks along the lines of whatever you want to call them. The agents did

not seem to recognize the important difference between an amount retained by a carrier

versus an amount paid to a government, airport, or similar authority.

B. DOTs Prior Ruling on Similar AA Practices 26. In its Consent Order of December 11, 2013, DOT affirmed that AA has

misrepresented carrier-imposed surcharges as tax, and that doing so is unfair and

deceptive. DOT ordered AA to cease these practices, and AA confirmed having done so.

Inexplicably, and contrary to its representation in the Consent Order, AA continues

similar practices to this day.

C. AAs Special Duties In Light of Its JBA with BA 27. AA used the word taxes and otherwise indicated that it must and

has to collect the taxes. These claims are particularly puzzling in light of Americans

special relationship with British Airways. Just six years ago, American and British

Airways sought and received DOT permission to coordinate pricing for their joint

services. See Joint Application for Antitrust Immunity, DOT-OST-2008-0252-0001 at

p.14 (The Joint Applicants will cooperate in establishing fares, rates and pricing

strategies for services provided under their alliance agreements and the JBA). American

and British Airways also indicated that they would broadly shar[e] revenue on a metal

neutral foundation (Id. at p.11). There can be no serious dispute that carrier-imposed


12 of 19

surcharges and fuel surcharges are revenue and fares, rates and pricing within the

meaning of these statements. Thanks to the full antitrust immunity DOT provided to

American and British Airways based on their representations in the 2008-0252 docket,

American both influences and benefits from British Airways surcharges. Having sought

these privileges from DOT and represented to DOT that it would use them, AA cannot

now disavow them by claiming that all fees are the responsibility of BA or otherwise

outside AAs control.

IV. The Scope of the Problem 28. I gather that AA staff are uniformly applying their demand for additional

payments (taxes) when award passengers are reaccommodated after cancellation of

ticketed and confirmed AA flights. On the popular discussion forum FlyerTalk, I quickly

found another passenger (username robbiesam) with the same problem. He was

ticketed on an AA day flight JFK-LHR which AA cancelled. He sought

reaccommodation on the BA day flight JFK-LHR. Instead AA insisted that he fly JFK-

RDU-LHR or pay additional fees to fly on BA. Robbiesam also indicated that AA staff

mischaracterized surcharges as taxes (they repeated that the taxes had to be paid).

29. I understand that AA canceled the JFK-LHR day flight for most of 2014.

AAs JFK-LHR previously had 777-200ER service, accommodating 247 passengers per

flight. If 8.8% passengers on these flights were on award tickets (based on a recent AA

SEC filing), that would be 650 affected passengers per month in each direction. Even

crediting that not all passengers book far in advance, there are surely thousands of

passengers affected by that cancellation. The closest alternative eastbound flight is the

BA day flight. But by all indications AA is refusing to reaccommodate passengers on


13 of 19

that flight. AAs refusal to reaccommodate affected JFK-LHR passengers is particularly

troubling because AA admitted cancelling its JFK-LHR day flight purely for commercial

reasons (so we can consistently offer a fully lie-flat product). This is far from the

passenger benefits AA promised when seeking JBA approval from DOT. After joining

the JBA, AA likewise cancelled all of its nonstop BOS-LHR flights, instead preferring to

advise passengers to fly on an AA-marketed BA-operated equivalent, which both reduces

choice and causes additional cost for passengers attempting to redeem miles to travel this

route.

30. The amount at issue is substantial. AA staff told me that I would need to

pay a surcharge of approximately $250 per person one-way to fly BOS-LHR on the flight

operated by BA. On the same period, on the same routing, I see that round-trip tickets

including all taxes and fees are as little as $1300. So a $500 round-trip surcharge is more

than one third of the value that passengers expect to be covered by award point

redemption.

31. I ask that the Department of Transportation:

(1) Exercise its authority under 49 USC 41712 to open an investigation of

American Airlines for having engaged in, and continuing to engage in,

the unfair or deceptive practices described above;

(2) Order American Airlines to provide to the DOT and to me all notes,

PNR annotations, call recordings, and other records prepared by its

systems and its staff in the course of the discussions herein;


14 of 19

(3) Pursuant to such investigation, order American Airlines to refund to

ticket purchasers all monies represented to ticket purchasers as taxes

or government-imposed fees, but not actually remitted to governments;

(4) Order American Airlines to honor its general tariff, published policies

for reaccommodation after cancellation and significant schedule

changes, without exception for award ticket redemptions and without

requiring any additional payment of any carrier-imposed surcharges;

(5) Order American Airlines to provide heightened and remedial training

to all agents, including specific corrective training to the agents who

spoke with me;

(6) Require American Airlines to post a clear notice on its web site to alert

award passengers of their rights in this circumstance and to assist such

passengers in vindicating those rights even if American employees

mistakenly attempt to deny those rights;

(7) Require American to search its records for other customers similarly

situated, including those who complained about related matters and

those who suffered similar schedule changes and cancellations, and

require American to provide the details of such customers and

complaints to DOT;

(8) Impose appropriate civil penalties on American Airlines; and

(9) Refer this matter to appropriate US and foreign tax collection agencies

for investigation of possible tax fraud or other violations of tax law in


15 of 19

non-payment to governments of monies collected as taxes or

government-imposed fees.

I suggest that when DOT imposes monetary penalties for this further violation,

DOT should consider the fact that the 2013-12-6 Consent Order specifically requires that

AA permanently cease and desist from precisely these practices. A heightened penalty is

appropriate in light of Americans sophistication and size, the duration of the practices at

issue, the continuation of these practices after consumer complaints, the continuation of

these practices after DOT inquiry, the continuation of these practice after AA had

specifically promised DOT that these practices had ceased (and had entered into a formal

binding consent order to that effect), and the continuation of these practices even by AA

supervisors and duty managers.

Respectfully submitted, /s/ Darren Martin


16 of 19

Attachment 1


17 of 19


18 of 19

Attachment 2

FROM: Sro, Qrd Feb 26 at 1:18 PM Please contact American Airlines at 1-800-882-8880, regarding your upcoming reservation. When you call, please refer to Record Locator: Thank you, American Airlines *** THIS IS AN INFORMATION ONLY EMAIL *** *** PLEASE DO NOT REPSOND TO THIS EMAIL *** *** EMAIL NOT MONITORED FOR RESPONSES *** NOTICE: This email and any attachments are for the exclusive and confidential use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not an intended recipient, please do not read, distribute, or take action in reliance upon this message. If you have received this in error, please notify me immediately by return email and promptly delete this message and its attachments from your computer.


19 of 19

Certificate of Service

I hereby certify that I have, this 1st day of March, 2014 caused a copy of the foregoing Complaint to be served by electronic mail on the following persons:

Robert Silverberg, Esq. [email protected] Robert Gorman, Esq. [email protected]

/s/ _____________________ Darren Martin

I. My Ticket, AAs Cancellation, and My Discussions with AAA. Ticket IssuanceB. Flight Cancellation and Initial RebookingC. Second Attempt at RebookingD. Discussions with a Reservations SupervisorE. Discussions with the Duty ManagerF. Discussions with a AA Representatives on Twitter

II. AA is Obliged to Provide Transportation on BA without Additional ChargeA. AA General TariffB. AA Schedule Change Web Page and Rule 240/80C. AA Commitments to DOT in Its Request for Antitrust Immunity with BA and Others

III. AA Continues to Mischaracterize Carrier-Imposed Fees as TaxesA. My Experiences Matches Others ReportsB. DOTs Prior Ruling on Similar AA PracticesC. AAs Special Duties In Light of Its JBA with BA

IV. The Scope of the Problem

complaint of darren martin - american airlines

Documents

darren martin complaint

darren martin email

lhr itinerary

original bosord

alternate bosord flight

direct flight boslhr

morning flight

flight cancellation