I recently contacted American Airlines to request a disability accommodation for my upcoming trip. I explained my situation and offered to provide medical documentation, but the representative on the phone refused to grant the accommodation because I had booked through a third party. She insisted that I pay a $50 service fee per ticket per flight for this. I politely inquired about the reason for this charge, as I had never experienced it before. She maintained that the fee applied because I booked through a third party, which I have done multiple times in the past without issue.
At one point, she even claimed that all third-party customers had to pay for seats, whether they had a disability or not. I questioned her about the implications of this policy, asking if someone would have to stand if they didn't pay for a seat. I may have been a bit sarcastic at this point, as we were 30 minutes into the call. The idea of selling an airline ticket without a seat seemed absurd. While I understand paying for specific seat locations, this was not the issue at hand; I was simply requesting a disability accommodation, something I have always been granted by other airlines, regardless of where I booked. American Airlines' Customer Service Plan also appears to support such accommodations.
After several more minutes, I asked to speak with a supervisor. The representative became noticeably rude and placed me on hold. Despite my doubts, I waited, and she eventually returned, still rude. Finally, the supervisor came on the line and informed me that she was working on adding the disability accommodation to my booking. After a 48-minute call, she confirmed that it was completed and hung up abruptly while I was still trying to express my gratitude.
I have included some screenshots of American Airlines' commitments as stated on their website.
Screenshots are taken from https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-service/support/customer-service-plan.jsp
Although my request was ultimately fulfilled, this experience highlights the challenges that individuals with disabilities often face. I remained polite and respectful throughout the interaction, only asking for the accommodation that American Airlines claims to offer in their customer service plan. I should not have been treated rudely. I have never encountered such difficulties with any other airline, and this experience will certainly make me reconsider booking with American Airlines in the future.
As zebras, we should never give up at the first obstacle; always stand up for what is right!
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