Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - American Airlines Horror Story

It is American's fault--but I will never blame any of those workers for rudeness. For two years, I traveled weekly to the southeast. As my company has a contract with American, I have been through DFW roughly two hundred times. Because of weather-related closures, I have spent the night there six times. Only twice was I given a room, but only because they had run out by the time my flight was at last cancelled. In those instances, cots and the infamous Bistro bags were distributed. each time, a wholly unsatisfactory experience. ON THE OTHER HAND, the cancellations allowed me to witness people (travelers) at their worst. If only I owned a video camera. Passengers berating agents who are as unable to change the weather as they are prohibited from shouting back at their tormenters. What if were one of us across that counter? I'm sure they want to go home too. In my opinion, the fault is with American Airlines top management. DFW is a badly overloaded airport. It has those crossover runways that delay arriving planes trying to get to gates. There are staggered takeoff/landings. And, because of the weather-related accident that occurred there several years ago, the controllers are VERY cautious. During the summer months, the airport closes often. So, American, in its devine wisdom, EXPANDED the hub by adding Terminal B. DFW was bad, now it's horrible. Twice, I've missed a connection because my arriving flight had no place to park. Many times, I've actually arrived at the gate only to find that there is nobody available to drive the jetway. Five-to-ten minute waits are not uncommon. Simply, DFW sucks, and it's American's fault. I know it works for them financially, but what's wrong with a hub in some place like Oklahoma City? or Tulsa? Anywhere smaller? After all, what percentage of their passengers are actually going to Dallas?