Feb 11, 2016, 2:34 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
American Airlines has eliminated direct contact with American Airlines Customer Relations other than using the e-form via aa.com or Phoenix "snail mail" address (link).
At the same time, AA has turned more toward social media for customer contact. The Twitter team seems to be empowered to handle a number of issues, though there are still some limitations. Securing PNRs for partner airlines or codeshares operated by AA, OSO / IROPS, misposting of Miles, etc. seem to be tasks they can do easily.
The latest iterations of the American Airlines app for iOS and Android have a Twitter contact function (2018).
Please feel free to edit or update / add to this wikipost as we learn more about the capabilities of the @AmericanAir Twitter team.
Link to YouTube video: #SocialBell: Tips for Social Engagement feat. American Airlines
As posted by samm, “They proactively associate AAdvantage profiles with twitter handles and maintain them, so they know who you are and where you're traveling as soon as you begin the conversation.”
Other possible uses include getting e-ticket numbers for Awards, PNRs for other airlines on your itinerary, seat changes, Award redeposit after cancellations, etc. Cimplicated reaccommodation issues and the like might be easier to handle with a telephone agent, but if there are massive OSO / IROPS, try the Twitter team; response is generally very fast.
Resources:
Contacting American Airlines Customer Relations & Complaint, Issues (master thread)
AA Twitter Team Kudos and Customer Experience
Please share your customer experiences with @AmericanAir, the AA Twitter team, here.
For further information on using the AA Twitter team, please see Using AA Twitter social media team: how, what, when (master thd)
At the same time, AA has turned more toward social media for customer contact. The Twitter team seems to be empowered to handle a number of issues, though there are still some limitations. Securing PNRs for partner airlines or codeshares operated by AA, OSO / IROPS, misposting of Miles, etc. seem to be tasks they can do easily.
The latest iterations of the American Airlines app for iOS and Android have a Twitter contact function (2018).
Please feel free to edit or update / add to this wikipost as we learn more about the capabilities of the @AmericanAir Twitter team.
Link to YouTube video: #SocialBell: Tips for Social Engagement feat. American Airlines
Frequently Asked Questions / FAQ
Q. How do I use this channel of communication?
You must first sign up for a (free) Twitter account. When you do, Subscribe to the AA Twitter channel: @AmericanAir.
Note: Getting assistance from Twitter for a specific reservation can be improved by communicating with them by using the DM / Direct Message (like FT PM) system, where you can include your PNR and details privately - and your AAdvantage number and EP status so they can link it with your Twitter profile.
Any Twitter account can send @AmericanAir a direct message. In the past, AA had to be following you for you to send them a DM; this is no longer true.
Q. How can they help?
@AmericanAir can assist with OSO (Off-Schedule Operations - IROPS "IRROPS") when it might otherwise take a long time to get a response from the telephone desk employees. There are many things that @AmericanAir can do when time is of the essence; read posts below for more.
Q. Can I report service issues?
Certainly.
Q. Can I laud or compliment excellent service?
Certainly. The Twitter team will log these and for AA employees (including employees of wholly owned subsidiaries, but not contractor employees) and pass on compliments to supervisors, who will add them to the employee's personnel record.
Q. How do I use this channel of communication?
You must first sign up for a (free) Twitter account. When you do, Subscribe to the AA Twitter channel: @AmericanAir.
Note: Getting assistance from Twitter for a specific reservation can be improved by communicating with them by using the DM / Direct Message (like FT PM) system, where you can include your PNR and details privately - and your AAdvantage number and EP status so they can link it with your Twitter profile.
Any Twitter account can send @AmericanAir a direct message. In the past, AA had to be following you for you to send them a DM; this is no longer true.
Q. How can they help?
@AmericanAir can assist with OSO (Off-Schedule Operations - IROPS "IRROPS") when it might otherwise take a long time to get a response from the telephone desk employees. There are many things that @AmericanAir can do when time is of the essence; read posts below for more.
Q. Can I report service issues?
Certainly.
Q. Can I laud or compliment excellent service?
Certainly. The Twitter team will log these and for AA employees (including employees of wholly owned subsidiaries, but not contractor employees) and pass on compliments to supervisors, who will add them to the employee's personnel record.
Other possible uses include getting e-ticket numbers for Awards, PNRs for other airlines on your itinerary, seat changes, Award redeposit after cancellations, etc. Cimplicated reaccommodation issues and the like might be easier to handle with a telephone agent, but if there are massive OSO / IROPS, try the Twitter team; response is generally very fast.
Resources:
Contacting American Airlines Customer Relations & Complaint, Issues (master thread)
AA Twitter Team Kudos and Customer Experience
Please share your customer experiences with @AmericanAir, the AA Twitter team, here.
For further information on using the AA Twitter team, please see Using AA Twitter social media team: how, what, when (master thd)
Using AA Twitter social media team: how, what, when (master thread)
Jul 18, 2015, 9:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum (3MM), QF Lifetime Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Ex-Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 7,541
Using AA Twitter social media team: how, what, when (master thread)
I think perhaps the best way to address AA service deficiencies while hopefully encouraging AA to improve is to post your comments and experiences in as close to real time as possible on Twitter, including pics.
@AmericanAir <corrected> is the official Twitter address for AA.
No PDB in 1st class -- take a pic of the open door and no people boarding and post away with your experience and flight details. Or, just post: AAxxx, LGA-ORD, no pre departure beverages, despite request & plenty of time for FAs. You may get a very quick response from AA's Twitter team asking for you for details and promising prompt follow up.
Maybe FAs will start to recognize that it makes more sense to just do the right thing in the first place than have to explain things later on.
Obviously, this applies to much more than just PDB's: bad food (great opportunity for pics), malfunctioning equipment, late baggage, premium baggage not delivered first, boarding problems, flight delays, etc.
Conversely, I think the same idea applies to good food and experiences, although I think the same holds true for AA's competitors.
Social media can be a much more powerful way to effect change than private emails to customer service and/or posts on FT.
@AmericanAir <corrected> is the official Twitter address for AA.
No PDB in 1st class -- take a pic of the open door and no people boarding and post away with your experience and flight details. Or, just post: AAxxx, LGA-ORD, no pre departure beverages, despite request & plenty of time for FAs. You may get a very quick response from AA's Twitter team asking for you for details and promising prompt follow up.
Maybe FAs will start to recognize that it makes more sense to just do the right thing in the first place than have to explain things later on.
Obviously, this applies to much more than just PDB's: bad food (great opportunity for pics), malfunctioning equipment, late baggage, premium baggage not delivered first, boarding problems, flight delays, etc.
Conversely, I think the same idea applies to good food and experiences, although I think the same holds true for AA's competitors.
Social media can be a much more powerful way to effect change than private emails to customer service and/or posts on FT.
Last edited by JDiver; Feb 11, 2016 at 1:41 pm Reason: Restore original post title
Jul 18, 2015, 11:46 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
If you're EP, most definitely as there is additional functionality for EPs using Twitter to address issues to/with AA-- very valuable.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
Jul 18, 2015, 11:52 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
If you're EP, most definitely as there is additional functionality for EPs using Twitter to address issues to/with AA-- very valuable.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
Jul 18, 2015, 11:52 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Take a look at this very recent video on this subject:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yszb...R=&app=desktop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yszb...R=&app=desktop
#SocialBell: Tips for Social Engagement feat. American Airlines.
#SocialBell: Tips for Social Engagement feat. American Airlines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yszb...R=&app=desktop
Last edited by JDiver; Feb 11, 2016 at 3:00 pm Reason: Embed video
Jul 18, 2015, 12:03 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
That said, YES, *definitley* use Twitter to address AA-- I can be bizzarely effective!
BTW, the first time you send a DM to the Twitter team, give them your AAdv #, then in subsequent contacts they'll already have your Twitter handle linked to your AAdv account. @:-)
* even though I despise it, I do use it occasionally to send out time-sensitive and or very actionable/interesting AAdv stuff: https://twitter.com/xjonnyc if anyone's inclined.
Jul 18, 2015, 12:11 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Just joined! Between Facebook and Instagram though I can't imagine doing much on Twitter unless reporting failures/issues. It's almost a full time job keeping up with all the social media outlets. I've already noticed a few other EP friends have gotten very timely help from the Twitter team from looking through their comments/issues.
Jul 18, 2015, 12:26 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
So as I recall they get 200,000 tweets and responded with 90,000. That's not even 50%. But then that accounts for the zero responses I've received.
Having been in the tech business for several decades, I love seeing the tail wagging the dog. Everyone jumping on anything new and nothing getting a majority of the business and becoming the defacto standard (Facebook, InstaGram, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). And then you get the competitors adopting similar techniques (allowing business accounts, hashtags, photos, SMS portals, etc.). And add on top of that a large percentage of the customer base not up to speed on all the social media buzz. I see it as a dilution of effort and misdirection of resources.
Add to all this sites like FT, TripAdvisor, other travel bloggers, and inhouse services like MI at Marriott; and you now have to spend half your day tracking down all the sources and looking for your issue to see if it's been addressed already. Look at how many people don't do searches before posting here on FT. How much longer until there is a consolidator site like the job boards that pull entries from other sources and present them to their users? I spend way too much time on FT alone, I can't see adding more to my efforts.
I am glad seeing them buying into increasing support, just wish it was focused on more customers.
Having been in the tech business for several decades, I love seeing the tail wagging the dog. Everyone jumping on anything new and nothing getting a majority of the business and becoming the defacto standard (Facebook, InstaGram, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). And then you get the competitors adopting similar techniques (allowing business accounts, hashtags, photos, SMS portals, etc.). And add on top of that a large percentage of the customer base not up to speed on all the social media buzz. I see it as a dilution of effort and misdirection of resources.
Add to all this sites like FT, TripAdvisor, other travel bloggers, and inhouse services like MI at Marriott; and you now have to spend half your day tracking down all the sources and looking for your issue to see if it's been addressed already. Look at how many people don't do searches before posting here on FT. How much longer until there is a consolidator site like the job boards that pull entries from other sources and present them to their users? I spend way too much time on FT alone, I can't see adding more to my efforts.
I am glad seeing them buying into increasing support, just wish it was focused on more customers.
Jul 18, 2015, 12:27 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jul 18, 2015, 12:39 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
If you're EP, most definitely as there is additional functionality for EPs using Twitter to address issues to/with AA-- very valuable.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
Jul 18, 2015, 12:43 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
It wouldn't surprise me if the "proprietary system" she mentioned was a frontend to Twitter to bring up all your past Tweets but account info with service recoveries and eagle rating. We are still in the Info Age.
Jul 18, 2015, 12:55 pm
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Additional functionality/advantage of DMing them from the App if you're EP.
No, it's not automated in that way you have to give them your AAdv # one time, no system automatically linking them exists.
Jul 18, 2015, 1:10 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum (3MM), QF Lifetime Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Ex-Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 7,541
If you're EP, most definitely as there is additional functionality for EPs using Twitter to address issues to/with AA-- very valuable.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
An EP, in particular, would be nuts not to use Twitter for this reason.
BTW, they will match up your AADv identity with your twitter identity and you'll get even better service via twitter, regardless of EP or not.
Jul 18, 2015, 1:27 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
When you do the DM to give them specifics of your issue you would provide identifying info which will go into their CRM system and tie the two together. SPG does this with FT issues to tie your FT username to your SPG account. And I'm sure many others do too.
It wouldn't surprise me if the "proprietary system" she mentioned was a frontend to Twitter to bring up all your past Tweets but account info with service recoveries and eagle rating. We are still in the Info Age.
It wouldn't surprise me if the "proprietary system" she mentioned was a frontend to Twitter to bring up all your past Tweets but account info with service recoveries and eagle rating. We are still in the Info Age.
You can't add your twitter handle, but you "link" i with them once and they'll have it going forward.
Additional functionality/advantage of DMing them from the App if you're EP.
No, it's not automated in that way you have to give them your AAdv # one time, no system automatically linking them exists.
Additional functionality/advantage of DMing them from the App if you're EP.
No, it's not automated in that way you have to give them your AAdv # one time, no system automatically linking them exists.