What You Should Know About American Airlines’ New In-Flight Compensation

Many airlines have programs and policies that aim to compensate their passengers if they encounter problems on a flight. But recently, the nation’s largest airline, American Airlines, launched a new program that will expedite that process.

CNN is reporting that American is now allowing flight attendants to compensate their passengers in the form of their AAdvantage Miles frequent flyer miles on the spot if they experience service problems like a broken in-flight entertainment system, a seat issue or a meal shortage. But – and this is important – passengers must already be enrolled in the AAdvantage program to receive the compensation in frequent flyer miles (if you’re not, American Airlines says you’ll get a voucher). If your client isn’t a member of AAdvantage, it’s an easy fix. According to Condé Nast Traveler, the flight attendant can get their email address and help them sign up to get the miles.

Prior to this initiative, only gate agents and other reservation agents could issue rewards and unsatisfied flyers would have needed to file a complaint before receiving compensation. But now, flight attendants will have the ability to grant compensation by using a computer tablet, demonstrating that passenger satisfaction is an immediate and top priority. It’s comforting for travel agents to know that airlines are acknowledging that travelers sometimes have issues outside of their control and are willing to turn that experience into something positive.