American Airlines AA1699 jan 30, from Orlando MCO 1130 am to Chicago ORD (arrive 1.25 pm)

American Airlines AA1699 from Orlando MCO 1130 am to Chicago ORD (arrive 1.25 pm)

DRAFT BETA VERSION
many parts of this hellish experience was recorded on my sony dictaphone . the mp3 files when i have time. request it if u need it faster.

the good:
*not so much

the bad:
*no email-confirmation that i emailed them via aa.com about this trip (again)
*time-waste +lengthy arguing + energy draining + tiresome - bottom line it took me about 1hour 10 minutes of arguing to get 3 instead of 2 bags w medical equipment checked in for free DESPITE having AGAIN written several days before bat flight (this version 4 days margin PLUS having written AND talked w supervisor + employees several WEEKS AGO also about thie flight + the other 2 AA flights I did on this trip.

*consequence 1: stress, pressure, being late & last onboard

*consequence 2: no time to use restroom, but gate crew let me when they heard my arguments + saw i was recording on sony dictaphone. But they added "it has to be quick cause we have already boarded everybody". This stressed my assistant so much that she forgot the peeing-bottle at the gate, so I couldn't pee anyway -> had hold it ca 4 HOURS!

* WHEN we arrived I had to use a restroom FAR AWAY so I had to hold it even longer…

* 2 bags missing at luggage tray + American Airlines employee 'Yolanda' (?) refused to speak to me or even look at me (TALKED TO everyone else) until I stood up 183cm tall (with my stand-up-wheelchair from Lifestand / www.permobil.se).

I've done 3 flights w AA this vacation. Same terribly draining time-wasting arguing all 3 flights - see previous posts in this blog.

IF I travel again, it WON'T BE with American Airlines. I don't mind paying for normal luggage like everybody else IF its CLEARLY visible when I pay for tickets/compare w other airlines! I BOUGHT my tickets on Expedia and was NOT informed you had to PAY EXTRA on top of ticket to check-in even 1 bag.  But I STILL payed for my non-medical-equipment/non-activities-of-daily-living-gear-bags + bags of my personal care assistant.  Both in Dallas jan 2 + today jan 30 in Orlando. This dishonest practice (hiking ticket price AFTER tickets have been bough) explains why AA no longer are on Expedia or Orbitz.

WHAT I WROTE ANY DAYS BEFORE THE FLIGHT:

I have included this flight in writing and calling abt previous 2 other aa flights ive done recently. To be sure I write again:


I use wheelchair and have special needs. I travel with 2 PCAs (personal care assistants), have neurological hereditary Friedreich’s Ataxia, Diabetes2 etc. I need MUCH medical equipment, some of which I cannot risk losing in check-in luggage!
1) assistance 'WCHC' all the way to seat, cannot walk. cannot transfer. i weigh 68 kg.

2) use my own manual wheelchair w dry cell battery to stand up. weight 29kg, other measurments:
see specs in previous entry to AA regarding previous aa flight American Airlines (AA) from Chicago to Dallas flight 2337 dec 27 at 340pm + my summary on flight on my Blog abt Discrimination: http://otillganglighet-diskriminering.blogspot.com/2010/12/american-airlines-chicago-to-dallas.html

3) FOR NO CHARGE bring 3 EXTRA PIECES OF CHECK-IN + EXTRA CARRY ON, all with medical equipment, luggage looks normal (NOT bright red etc!!??) - see list in above mentioned blog

3.5) FOR NO CHARGE bring 2 EXTRA PIECES OF CARRY ON (medical equipment)

4) my wheelchair gets stored in special holding area of aircraft + is brought to airplanes exit when landed + assistance is there SO WE CAN EXIT DIRECTLY AFTER LAST ABLE-BODIED PASSENGER.

5) plz confirm all this via EMAIL so i can print and bring EVIDENCE to check-in: peter.o.cederholm@gmail.com

Thanks

American Airlines flight from Dallas to Ft Lauderdale jan 2, 2011 at 9am.

aa flight from Dallas to Ft L jan 2, 2011 at 9am.



DRAFT BETA VERSION:

THE GOOD:
* on time + noone died

THE BAD:
*aa website doesnt confirm filling out their special neeeds form, resulting in discrimination SINCE the result is one cannot PROVE what one wrote etc

* aa crew never ordered 2 assistance (only 1) despite CLEARLY with witness declaring that need: c
- in writing on aa website (see attachment ????????)
- at checkin counter
- at gate, guy X promised he would call but didn't we found out later, so assistant 1 had to in the end call himself

* carry-on debacle - same said Mr X tried to force me to check-in carry on DESPITE  that I as withessed by my PCA Karin CLEARLY said several times (he refused to listen due to my speech-handicap - an act which is discriminatory ITSELF):
- I ave email printouts to prove my extra carry-ons are medical equipment
- I was promised over the phone this wouldn't be a problem (evidence: I was called up by ???????? and told him bat the extra checkins AND XTRA CHECKINS + asked him tocheck form i filled on aa.com + asked him for an  email confirmation which he refused to give)


THE BAD THAT MAY NOT BE DISCRIMINATION:
*checkin lady never checked/confirmed if     i get SAS frequent flyer points or not
* aa seems to have adapted same dishonest practice as european bad-boy budget airline Ryanair: charge every passanger a hefty fee for EACH checked in bag, so price of flying de facto is MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SHOWN ON COMPARISON WEBSITES LIKE Expedia etc.


I'm a frequent worldtraveller. I KNOW what needs to be done when by whom to make sure the flights aren't delayed because of me.

The problem is the crew like said Mr X don't pay attention + airlines don't have routines for disabled travelers.

One  lesson learned again: always have e-mail confirmations on EVERYTHING + wave with them.

SEE ALSO PREVIOUS BLOG-ENTRY ABT AMERICAN AIRLINES