Photo Courtesy of SETN
Her husband, Jay Tang, wrote on Facebook, “I purchased two round trip tickets for her and her cello on the phone directly from American Airlines and told them specifically that one ticket is for the cello as cabin baggage. I was told that the Federal Aviation Administration regulations allow musicians to carry instruments in the cabin if they purchase an extra seat. I was told, ‘she won’t have any problem.'”
Ms. Hu’s trip to Miami from Chicago went smoothly and the airline even provided a special strap for her instrument.
But on her return trip, American Airlines illegally removed Ms. Hu from her overbooked flight after she and her cello were seated, despite her cello’s ticket and the American Airlines’ ticketing agent assurances.
American Airlines deemed the situation a “miscommunication.”What did the ticketing agent and the crew from Chicago know that the flight crew from Miami did not? Who was consulted before this passenger was pulled off?
Lack of Consistency
The airline not only made a mistake, they were inconsistent either from lack of training or lack of communication.
“Interestingly,” Mr. Tang continued on Facebook, “my wife was traveling with a friend, who remained on the plane. She told us that after my wife left, two other passengers came and sat in her and her cello’s seats! They just kick off passengers when they oversell their tickets using ‘FAA regulations’ as an excuse.”
Ms. Hu is a young, female student with a $30,000 cello that she undoubtedly considers a precious asset. She was the path of least resistance for other probably pushy overbooked passengers . This wouldn’t have happened to renowned cellist, Yo Yo Ma.
Consistency is one simple way to prevent miscommunication. American Airlines did the last thing a successful business should do: let a lack of internal communication negatively affect a customer. Airlines should empower employees to make decisions to enhance customer service; not deny it by suffocating dogs, separating families or pulling strings.