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American Airlines - The Wedding that Wasn't

American Airlines • Stranded • Accommodating illness • Bereavement policy • Luggage lost/damaged • Baby stroller mangled • Slovenly service • Price gouging • Smokers snuffed • Group bookings • Code sharing • The Wedding that Wasn't --- News • American Begins Wi-Fi Service on Some Flights • American Slashes Routes, Charges for One Checked Bag

Natalie of Carthage MO (9/17/04):
On August 1, my fiance and I were on our way to what was supposed to be the best day of our lives. We were going to Jamaica to get married on the beach. We had already paid in full $3,992 for the tickets and the resort. We were on flight #68. Our flight was suppose to last a couple of hours but ended up lasting 8 1/2 hrs. We were not fed anything other than the pretzels. We even stopped at Tampa to refuel and they wouldn't let us out. We finally got to Miami ... only to sit on the runway for 2 more hours because the gate we were at was being used.

After we got off the plane at 11:45 pm, our flight to Montego Bay had been cancelled along with about 200 other flights. The airport was swamped with American Airlines customers trying to reschedule flights. We waited in line all night long just to get to the front of the line to find out American couldn't get us a flight out until August 3rd (2 days later). On top of that American had lost our luggage but they reassured us the luggage would be waiting for us in Montego Bay.

We waited in the airport in Miami for 13 hours and American didn't even offer us a hotel voucher or anything else. We ended up flying Air Jamaica on August 2nd. Air Jamaica had us sign a form that stated "because of the fact that American nor us knew where our luggage was that Air Jamaica was not responsible for our luggage". We arrived in Montego Bay and American still did not know where our luggage was.

The resort called Ameican with our baggage claim numbers and the baggage claim manager Cathy Fuller told us and the resort that our baggage claim numbers didn't have our names on them. We also spoke with Suzette Hynes from American and she told us the same thing. Lisa Williams from American told us that she ran a search for our luggage and could not locate where it was or is.

We finally received our luggage on August 4th from American but it was too late to get married then.

The luggage had my dress and my fiance's tux and the rings, his divorce decree, camcorder, prescription glasses and all of our clothing! We spent about $500 on clothing. Not to mention the whole trip was wasted because we couldn't get married.

No one at American has been of any service. If American had apologized and compensated us for our loss then this wouldn't have escalated to the point that we feel like we need to seek legal action.

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