tl;dr Gate agent tried to deny me boarding because I asked whether I could keep an item with Li-Ion batteries in my bag when they gate-checked it.

Flew out of DTW to IST via ORD and LHR today on AA. Flight was full for carry-ons, so they were gate checking bags at DTW. I wasn't sure if this was AA Valet or not, so I went up to ask the GA. Instead of answering my question, he just demanded to see my seat number and then tagged the bag. I asked him where I needed to pick up the bag again, and finally he said LHR. I'm not a US citizen / LPR so I can't enter the UK, so I asked him what I should do, and he just shooed my out of the way accusing me of trying to take my carry on as a lower group.

Went to talk to another GA who clarified the bag would be checked through to IST. I was ok with checking it in that case, but I had a portable monitor that used Li-Ion batteries in the carry-on, so I was asking whether it was ok for me to check it. Midway through this, the first GA interrupted us and told the other GA that I was just trying to avoid checking my bag. I tried to explain the situation, but he kept interrupting me and telling me to give him the bag if I wanted to fly. I kept trying to explain that I wanted to figure out if it was safe for me to check the monitor.

Eventually (after no aggression or anything on my end), he told me that "I wasn't flying today." He told the gate to cancel my ticket and rebook me for tomorrow, and the other GA agent yelled at them to not do that. At this point, I just let him have the bag and the staff at the gate ended up ignoring the GA who told them to cancel my ticket (even though he said he was the supervisor?) and let me board.

I filled out the webform on the AA website about this experience (threatening to deny boarding for asking about checked bag safety is wild), and I got a copy-paste response thanking me for sharing my experiences and some stuff about being a world-class airline.

Is there a way to get an actual response from AA, or do they just not care about this kind of stuff?

 

You can almost always guarantee a response (after some delay) by using the corporate emails directed to individual executives.

I would ask yourself what your expectations are and what would resolve the situation first, however.

 

Honestly, you should consider reporting this to the FAA as the agent knew that there was a device in the bag that was unable to be checked, still insisted you give the bag over to be checked, and threatened with retaliation (denying you boarding) when you attempted to remove the offending item from the bag. Going through AA customer service means a very large chance that the most that happens is they throw some compensation you're away without directly addressing the problem staffer.

AA places a lot of emphasis on D0 (their program to ensure departures go out on time) & while this is a very minor violation in the grand scheme of things, letting it go unchecked could result in the agent going a step further next time to ensure they don't get written up for a late flight.

Reporting hotline is here, keep the complaint concise and focused on the violation (& potentially that you self-reported to AA and they just sent an automated response). https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org...s/faa_hotlines

 

My question with AA now using automated replies as initial response to complaints is, are legitimate complaints ever flagged for manual review prior to the automated message going out? If the answer is no, I have to wonder whether there is going to be an issue with the DOT in terms of the airline not addressing legitimate complaints.

(And while many complaints should be considered "legitimate", I would think the ones the DOT would be most concerned with are things like, refunds not being made in a timely fashion after a flight cancellation, improper comp being provided after an involuntary denied boarding, etc.)

 

I think I might just go with an FAA complaint. I really just wanted them to acknowledge that what happened was unacceptable (I'm not paying money to get threatened and berated by some guy at the gate) and provide some indication that they would take action on it. At least they would actually have to acknowledge and write a real response to an FAA complaint.

Otherwise, their emails suggest that they are probably going to file this away for it to maybe be glanced at in an end-of-quarter report or something. I included the responses I got below; I feel like it would have been more respectful if they literally said they don't care instead of writing so many empty sentences.

--- Original Response ---

--- My Response ---
--- Their re-response ---

 

Take your complaint to AA's facebook...AA's twitter. I hear that gets a quicker response than emailing. Go get'em!

 

Any time I am asked to gate-check a bag, I am also questioned about if the bag contains lithium-ion batteries.

Not trying to poke the bear, but question for the OP- How big was the carry-on bag? Could it have been determined by the original GA that it was oversized, and should've been checked to begin with? Would it have fit in the sizer?

 

Just your regular carry-on bag. I�ve been flying with it for years with no problem. They announced early on that we would need to check carry-ons, so not surprised or particularly annoyed at having to check it.

 

I just want them to show that this is in fact unacceptable (I don�t want to be yelled at when I�m not being aggressive or antagonistic) and show that they will actually take steps to look into it.

The two emails I�ve gotten have just been standard PR empty sentences.

 

Qotcha- My thinking was perhaps it was borderline too big, first GA said check it, and the you went down to ask another GA.... ("dad said no, so I'll ask mom scenario" ).... but it doesn't seem like that is what happened.

My guess is you will get a response, but I've had them take a week.

 

DOT complaint! That should get you a response from AA. Keep it concise.

https://www.transportation.gov/airco...umer-complaint

 

from my experience with AA customer so called service.. I kept responding to the email reply.. letting them know
that I was not happy.. after about 3X emails.. it seems AA got someone who actually read through my email.. and took
some decent action

hang in their and dont give up

 

With the exception of e-cigarettes/vapes, the FAA doesn't prohibit electronics devices containing Li-Ion batteries in checked luggage.

 

Wow, I never realized this and could have sworn it applied to all Li-ion batteries. It looks like spare batteries & portable chargers are also prevented from being checked, but that exact same spare battery is fine if it is attached to the (powered-off) device that is using it.
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/lithium-batteries-baggage

 

From what I understand, loose lithium ion batteries are not allowed (e.g. battery packs). Regardless, I didn�t know this and the gate agent was not interested in explaining anything